Upcycling hit the trend a while ago, and while it was trending, there was a sharp increase in people who turned it into a side business. Since that point, there has been a decline in the amount of people who do it.
However, the demand for interesting one-off pieces is still strong, as are people wanting to contribute to a circular economy. For those with a passion for recycling and reusing and a flair for design and style, upcycling is a business worth considering.
So why should you consider upcycling as a full-time business or a side project (with the intent to make cash)?
Cheap-ish
Upcycling takes the unloved, unwanted, and, in some cases, the defunct and turns it into something that people want. The reason it is cheap-ish is that you can pick up many items in thrift stores, online for free, or find things to use. The actual cost comes in when you buy materials to turn the unloved into the coveted.
Profit
The profit of upcycling can be high. Let’s say you find a bottle and want to turn it into a lamp. The bottle is a few pounds or dollars, and the setting for the lamp another few dollars – but you price the lamp at 50 or more. The profit is high.
Low waste
When you take something that already exists and turn it into something new, you are contributing to a better environment. There is instantly less waste in the world when you take ‘waste’ items and turn them into something that people want.
Fun
Imagine you are walking through a thrift store, and you see a chair that isn’t in the worst shape – but it doesn’t look great either. You can instantly see that you have a stack of upholstery supplies that will turn this old chair into something special. When you run an upcycling business, your imagination can and will come up with all types of creative things to make.
Fun is a huge part of upcycling, and no matter what item you find on your table, you can think up 100 ways to make it cool.
Niche
When you first start there, you will want to experiment and try out new and exciting things. After a while, though, you might find you have the flare for some specific items. You might find that your niche is creating full sets of dining furniture from found items. Perhaps you can create wonders out of scrap metals and what other people might consider to be junk. Consider what your niche might be and where you might be most happy.
Sourcing
One of the most enjoyable parts of upcycling is the sourcing of the items. You can spend hours looking online or heading to local stores to find pieces that make your heart race just a little. The sourcing of items to upcycle is a lot of fun and something that can make the work feel like a treasure hunt.
Commissions
After you have some stock to show and have been sharing your work on social media, you might find that you want to open commissions. Allowing people to request some of your work specifically – and the best part is that even though they might have a specific need in mind, you typically get free reign over the outcome.
Getting paid for something that you enjoy doesn’t happen for everyone, but with upcycling as a business, that is exactly what happens! While you’re busy making, breaking, and creating, you need to have much of your business in automation mode; check these out: Online Business Toolkit To Kickstart Your Business & Make Money Online.
