upcycle

American  

[uhp-sahy-kuhl] / ˈʌpˌsaɪ kəl /

verb (used with object)

upcycled, upcycling

1. to process (used goods or waste material) so as to produce something that is often better than the original.

   I upcycled a stained tablecloth into curtains.

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verb (used without object)

upcycled, upcycling

1. to process goods or material so as to produce something that is often better than the original.

   Several new companies whose purpose is to upcycle have sprung up recently.

noun

1. Economics. a period or cycle during which business activity or profitability is at a high point.

   The whole industry has entered an upcycle.

Other Word Forms

• upcycler
  noun

Etymology

Origin of upcycle

First recorded in 1990–95; up + (re)cycle

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

upcycle upcycled upcycling

The memory upcycle has only continued into 2026, and the company recorded 719% year-over-year revenue growth in the first quarter of 2026.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 18, 2026

"The students wanted to upcycle clothes, make it unique for them, and save it from landfill."

From BBC ● Jun. 4, 2026

“We still come in skeptical here … We see AI driving a long and enduring upcycle, but a cycle nonetheless,” Kerwin said.

From MarketWatch ● May 27, 2026

However, Chatterjee argues that Seagate and Western Digital are taking an approach that could prolong the hard-drive upcycle and justifies a sustained higher valuation.

From Barron's ● Mar. 30, 2026

UMS’s integrated systems segment is poised to benefit from the ongoing semiconductor upcycle, she adds.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 3, 2026

Maddie Biggs once used Tiktok for sharing what she'd baked, where she'd been on trips and how she'd upcycled the occasional bit of furniture.

From BBC ● Dec. 23, 2025

Yasmine Auquier Buron, co-founder of Rive Droite, had a corner in BHV where the brand sold bags made from recycled and upcycled materials since 2022.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2025

Olwande Akoth, a designer showcasing her upcycled kimonos at the fashion show, once traded in second-hand bales but often felt disheartened by their poor quality.

From Barron's ● Oct. 13, 2025

Shoppers can help the environment and support relief efforts by purchasing an upcycled vintage hoodie or T-shirt from Best Regards.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 22, 2025

It’s important to note that our milk is made of upcycled pecan pieces.

From Salon ● Dec. 15, 2024

Since late February, Karyna has been applying daily, often to around 20 roles a day, while balancing studies, work and running a small business upcycling vintage blazers.

From BBC ● Apr. 21, 2026

Their work focuses on upcycling, a process that transforms discarded plastics into higher-value products rather than lower-grade materials.

From Science Daily ● Jan. 24, 2026

Gikomba Runway Edition brought together young, underground Kenyan designers and stylists for the first time, including 25-year-old "upcycling" specialist Morgan Azedy.

From Barron's ● Oct. 13, 2025

Much of our product innovation has focused on upcycling pecan pieces, which generates a new revenue stream for farmers, but also reduces the price of our products.

From Salon ● Dec. 15, 2024

It all feels different this time, like we’re finally entering the upcycling era.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 18, 2024