Growing and Profiting from an Emerging, Sustainable Industry

Andrew Sell Chief Hipcycler Hipcycle

Fairleigh Dickinson University Institute for Sustainable Enterprise Breakfast Seminar Series October 21, 2011

1. What is Upcycling? 2. The Upcycling Industry

3. Marketing Upcycled Products to Consumers

Upcycling is the process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality or a higher environmental value.

Two kinds of upcycling: 1) taking materials that today cannot be practically recycled and making them into something useful. 2) taking materials that can be recycled, but rather than breaking down the item into their base elements and building up something new, they are used in some version of their current state.
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Lingomaybe even some buzzwords: Upcycling and downcycling Upcycling vs. reused Reclaimed Vintage trashion De-stashed New old stock (NOS)

1. Yes, it is an industry! 2. Small, disaggregated 3. Its growing.

Etsy product searches for the term upcycled

Why its growing: The economy is down: frugality The continued consumer interest in the environment An industrial aesthetic is in right now

Industry segments:

1. Cottage industry; artists and crafters; etsy.com

2. Entrepreneurs that have built companies from the ground up around upcycling 3. Sneaking into the mainstream: established firms experimenting with the concept
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Nice!

Ick!

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Batik Cabinet crafted with reclaimed print blocks ($699)

Desk with reclaimed wood faade ($1499)

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Upcycled Cardboard pendant lamp ($249)

Darjeeling Dining Table reclaimed from railroad ties ($899)

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Reclaimed French Floorboard Coffee Table ($1195)

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 In some ways, its a subset of traditional green marketing

The challenge of marketing products that are basically trash.

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 Especially in todays economy, most consumers wont pay extra for a green product.
Move beyond educational, and be actionable

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 The upcycling industry: small, fragmented, growing, and full of innovation Starting to catch the attention of broader audiences both on the consumer and corporate side Green marketing principals applied to upcycling: provide what consumers want, and move beyond environmental education and facilitate consumers to take action
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Andrew Sell Chief Hipcycler andrew@hipcycle.com 1-855-HIPCYCLE www.hipcycle.com

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Andrew Sell Chief Hipcycler andrew@hipcycle.com 1-855-HIPCYCLE www.hipcycle.com

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