First things first...my little doggie, "Bess" made it into a treasury as did the sweater I knit that she's wearing. As proud as I am of my work, no matter what I do she's going to outshine anything that she's wearing...Or maybe I'm just a proud mama.
In Knitting News:
Today is the last day I've given myself to finish the sweater I'm working on...starting tomorrow, I'm getting cracking on my custom orders, so whatever's not finished will just have to wait until the knitting frenzy is over. The orders are for someone's wedding, so I really want to have them mailed out with plenty of time to spare in case there are mail delays or something.
Question time:
I see a lot of different items up on etsy that say recycled or upcycled...is there a difference? I'm in the process of making a sweater from recycled yarn and I'd love to know everyone's thoughts on this.
Don't forget to tune in tomorrow for "Tuesday's Tips for Etsy"!
My understanding is no, there is no difference. Some people prefer "upcycled" because it implies that the item you've made is better than the original. I tend to use both recycled and upcycled as tags on my items.
ReplyDeleteMy understanding is that "upcycled" items tend to end up as something different or at least completely different than their intended purpose. If you use yarn from a frogged thrift store sweater to make another sweater, it's "recycled." Could just be my opinion, though ;)
ReplyDeleteI will give you my take. Recycled implies you are reusing the material for the same or close to the same end product as the original. Upcycling implies that you are 'creating' a new and better, more beautiful, more interesting product with the original. I recycle when making a sterling silver ring out of old bits of sterling silver. I use upcycle when I turn old discarded silverware into rings, bracelets, and pendants. Hope that helps.
ReplyDeleteDanielle
Bess is so cute! :) I have not heard of the word "Upcycled" before. I think (similar to Elephunk), it would be a new one to imply that you have made something better than the original like an upgrade. :) But at the end of the day, you are still recycling.. :)
ReplyDeleteThere is a difference. Recycling is process which usually energy. Upcycling can be turned into something useful in it present form. It can also be altered, but does not go through a process using energy. Therefore it is more green and economical.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ecosalon.com/green_your_junk_16_creative_ways_to_upcycle_before_you_recycle/
Wow I had a few spelling errors in my comment. I have TV going....
ReplyDeleteGreat explanation, Lilly! I've wondered about this too.
ReplyDeleteBess is too cute! So's the sweater she's modeling.
-Rachel
www.huggermuggerblog.blogspot.com
Recycling is reusing a product... whether in a way that uses some energy (as opposed to the amount of energy required to make that product new, as in melting down aluminum cans and making new) or not.
ReplyDeleteUpcycling is to turn the original object into a better or more usable object.
I think a lot of people use upcycled as a descriptive term just to make their item sound more sophisticated.
I use recycled to describe the yarns I sell, since they were used once already. But I could truly use "upcycled" to describe them, because when I am done with them, they are CLEAN, and usually hand dyed into gorgeous colors that they weren't in original form.
Hope that helps
Oh man! Now you and your pup have matching sweaters? (Is it possible to make a puppy bolero?) Very very cute, and congrats on her making it into a treasury :)
ReplyDeleteThank you guys so much! I think I understand...now I just have to actually finish the sweater...lol
ReplyDelete