How familiar are you with the word “upcycle”?
I had coffee with my friend Marlies the other day and she was telling me about how she “upcycled” her old worn out jeans.
Those jeans were grey and she dyed them black. But then she asked me what upcycling actually means! She said, “Jana, the only time I ever heard about upcycling is from you. What does that actually mean? I’ve heard about recycling, is it the same thing?”
Well, I actually had to think about it a little to explain it to her.
Then I said, “Well, recycling is about changing the form of an unwanted item to a completely different form, for example changing cardboard to a toilet roll, or to paper to write on.
On the other hand upcycling is about taking the original form of a thing and turning it into something new. Does that make sense?”
She asked me about my process with upcycling.
I told her that when I find or buy a second hand footstool I usually just “feel” the item.
I look at it and let it speak to me.
I ask myself, “Do I need to strip off the old paint, or do I just need to sand it down and paint it over?”
Same goes with the fabric, when I am picking the fabric for a stool, I let it speak to me.
I try different fabric designs and colours until it feels right.
Marlies was impressed with the concept, and I was satisfied with my explanation. When you upcycle something, you are giving it a new chance at life. Upcycled items are unique and one of a kind. It takes vision and creativity, and you need to think outside of the box. It usually takes time to finish a piece, too!
Ever upcycled something yourself? Feel inspired to? I have a free DIY blog post here that gives you the basic steps for doing your own footstool. You can also join my DIY ottoman workshop this coming April for hands-on help and guidance. All materials and tools will be provided so you don't have to worry about anything and just enjoy learning!
At the end of the workshop, you will bring home something you can be proud of, a unique piece of furniture you made by hand!
Happy upcycling, and be sure to let me know how it goes or reach out with any questions!
Jana