In our previous blog, we explored why material choice is one of the first things we consider when curating a product.
But material selection is only part of the story.
The next question we ask is: can existing resources be given another purpose?
This brings us to our second impact pillar: Recycled & Upcycled Content.
Across our collections, we look for products that incorporate recycled or upcycled materials — transforming everything from plastic bottles and textiles to agricultural by-products and coffee waste into products designed for everyday use.
For us, this pillar is about making better use of materials that already exist — helping keep valuable resources in use and reducing the need to rely solely on virgin materials.
Because sometimes, thoughtful design starts with looking at what already exists.
Understanding Recycled & Upcycled Materials
Recycled and upcycled content offer different ways of giving existing resources another life.
Recycled materials are recovered and reprocessed so they can be incorporated into new products. This can include recycled PET, cotton, stainless steel, paper and other materials.
We see this across our collections in products ranging from bags and travel accessories to notebooks and drinkware. An RPET tote, for example, is made from material derived from seven recycled plastic bottles, while other RPET products use recycled material to create pouches, organisers, backpacks and coolers.
Upcycling takes a different approach. Instead of processing a material back into a conventional raw material, it gives an existing material, waste stream or by-product a new application.
An upcycled denim pouch, for instance, transforms denim into a functional everyday accessory. Another example is a desk organiser made with BioHusk Timber containing 96% upcycled agricultural waste — turning an agricultural by-product into something designed for everyday use.
Different approaches, but the same underlying idea: finding value in resources that already exist.
From Waste Streams to Everyday Products
What makes recycled and upcycled materials particularly interesting is the range of resources that can be reimagined.
Plastic bottles can become bags.
Coffee waste can become notebook covers and pen barrels.
Agricultural by-products can become desk accessories.
Recycled cotton can become everyday bags.
Recycled stainless steel can become bottles and drinkware.
Our collections include a coffee-fibre notebook and pen set using coffee fibre made from waste generated during coffee cultivation. We also curate drinkware containing 67–68% recycled stainless steel, alongside products made from recycled ocean-bound plastic.
These examples show how circular thinking can be applied across very different product categories — from notebooks and laptop bags to water bottles, desk accessories and pouches.
What matters is not only what a material is called, but how existing resources are being put back to use – and what sits behind the claims being made.
Looking Beyond the Label
For us, seeing the word “recycled” on a product isn’t enough.
Responsible curation means understanding what supports the claim.
Where available, we look for certifications, recycled-content declarations and supporting documentation that help verify the materials being used and the claims being made.
For example, products within our collections include GRS-certified recycled cotton and recycled polyester, as well as OceanCycle-certified recycled ocean-bound plastic.
Certifications don’t look the same across every material or product, and not every sustainable material will carry the same standard. But they can provide an important layer of transparency and accountability.
For us, the principle is simple:
Don’t just look at the label. Look at what sits behind it.
This helps us make more informed decisions about the products we curate — not simply based on how a material is described, but on the information available to support its story.
Giving Resources a Second Life
Every product has a material story.
Sometimes that story begins with a new resource. Sometimes it begins with something that has already served a purpose, been discarded or existed as a by-product of another process.
Recycled and upcycled content give us another way to think about that journey — not simply as waste, but as an opportunity to keep resources in use.
At Shift Eco, this is one of the questions behind our curation: how can everyday products make better use of existing resources while still being useful, thoughtful and meaningful to the people who receive them?
Because responsible gifting doesn’t always have to start with something entirely new.
Sometimes, it starts with seeing value in what already exists.
In the next part of the series, we’ll explore Ethically Handcrafted Production – and the role of craftsmanship, livelihoods and human connection in thoughtful gifting.