CfP International Upcycling Festival

About

Upcycling is a promising, circular-economy-based, green solution utilising multiple innovative material processes involving minimisation of waste and toxicity, saving in energy and water, and reduction in emissions and pollution, in order to transform used/waste products and materials into new/modified products and materials with higher quality and/or values compared to the compositional elements. Upcycling not only benefits the environment, but also creates new job opportunities and contributes to people’s psychological wellbeing (as a ‘prosumer’ who upcycles items at home and as an ethical consumer who purchases upcycled goods). Multidisciplinary approaches are required to understand upcycling in businesses (e.g. sustainable manufacturers, eco-enterprises) and households (e.g. sustainable consumer behaviour or lifestyle), and promote upcycling through appropriate interventions (e.g. policies).

This first International Upcycling Festival in Leicester, UK, in 2024 aims to enhance our understanding of upcycling in theory and practice in businesses (of design, making, production or waste management) and the consumption domain (as behaviour or lifestyle) drawing on different disciplines, sectors and socio-cultural contexts. It will promote upcycling internationally with three objectives: (i) to have a traditional, academic conference to advance knowledge; (ii) to engage with upcycling businesses for a direct positive impact on their practices; and (iii) to engage with the general public to raise awareness of upcycling. The focus of the conference is how we could work together across disciplines, sectors and countries/regions to scale up upcycling for significant positive impact on the environment, society and people. 

We invite everyone interested in upcycling as a topic for research or as a practice in businesses or households. We would like you to share your amazing research and/or practice in upcycling with the global audience. We are looking for a variety of contributions to the festival including academic papers, workshops, business training sessions, exhibitions, and pop-up shops. We especially welcome inter/multidisciplinary, cross-sector, and/or international collaborative work. 

This festival is a two-day event: the first day (Thursday 11th) focuses on the academic conference at De Montfort University (DMU), and the second day (Friday 12th) focuses on engaging with businesses and the general public at LCB Depot (Leicester’s hub for creative people & businesses). The festival is part of the International Upcycling Research Network project funded by UKRI (UK Research and Innovation) AHRC(Arts and Humanities Research Council) between 2022 and 2024. The event is jointly organised between DMU and the University of Botswana in partnership with LCB Depot.   

Call for Papers

We seek papers that enhance our understanding of upcycling in theory and practice in design, making, production, manufacturing, businesses, consumption, lifestyle, behaviour or waste management in different disciplines, sectors and socio-cultural contexts. We especially welcome inter/multidisciplinary, cross-sector, and/or international collaborative work. All papers should be about 4,000 words in length, excluding tables, illustrations, and references. Please download and use the paper template below.

IUF2024-Paper-TemplateDownload

Please submit your paper through EasyChair. 

All accepted papers will be published as a book chapter in an Open Access book. The themes and topics you could consider for your paper include: 

Upcycling in production and waste management

• Upcycling in design and making (e.g. redesign, refurbish, remake, refashion, upgrade)
• Design with waste  
• Upcycling for manufacturing/production (e.g. remanufacture)
• Upcycling as an advanced or improved recycling (c.f. downcycling)
• Upcycling as a variety of innovative material processes
• Upcycling as sustainable art, craft and handmade  
• Design for upcycling (e.g. for easy disassembly, repair, etc.)
• Upcycling as a waste management strategy
• Technologies, techniques and innovation in upcycling production 
• Plastic upcycling 
• Fashion and textile upcycling 
• Furniture upcycling 
• Wood upcycling
• Paper upcycling
• High-opportunity products for upcycling 

Upcycling businesses and supply chain management 

• Upcycling businesses, social enterprises and other initiatives in practice
• Upcycling best practices 
• Upcycling material supply and suppliers 
• Upcycling retailers 
• Marketing for upcycled goods 
• Upcycling supply chain management 
• Upcycling stakeholders, collaborations and partnerships

Upcycling and consumers

• Upcycling as DIY (Do It Yourself) activity
• Upcycling as everyday design 
• Upcycling as behaviour or lifestyle
• Upcycling for personalisation/customisation 
• Upcycling in Maker Movement 
• Community upcycling 
• Consumers’ awareness of upcycling 
• Consumers’ perception of upcycled goods 
• Purchase of upcycled goods 
• Upcycling and consumer behaviour change

Interventions for scaling-up upcycling

• Upcycling campaign, communication, training, and education
• Embedding upcycling in design and engineering education 
• Community engagement with upcycling (e.g. events, exhibitions)
• Community workshops for upcycling (e.g. Maker Space)
• TV and new media for upcycling
• Improved material provision for upcycling designers and makers
• Incentives for upcycling businesses/initiatives
• Legislation, standards, and warranty for upcycling and upcycled goods
• Government procurement change for upcycled goods 
• Upcycling centre

Upcycling as a theory/concept 

• Upcycling and circular economy
• Upcycling and net zero 
• Upcycling and sustainability
• Upcycling for sustainable development (UN SDGs)
• Upcycling for socio-economic impact 
• Upcycling and degrowth