Upcycle

The word "upcycling" was coined by William McDonaugh and Michael Braugart in their book on ecologically intelligent design, Cradle to Cradle. In the simplest terms, upcycling is the practice of taking something that is disposable and transforming it into something of greater use and value. An example of upcycling in home design is Chris Burton's repose lounge, which is made of plywood with PVC piping cut-offs, which form the slats of the seat and back.