Published August 18, 2017

For designers, cardboard has evolved beyond its primary role as a packaging material. They have transformed it into a recyclable (and sometimes recycled) raw material that can become an armchair, a sofa, a chandelier, a baby crib, or a desk.

Foldo: Furniture from 100% recyclable cardboard

The team at Foldo creates cardboard furniture that is easy to assemble, modular, durable, easy to handle, and 100% recyclable.

\”Easy to transport and assemble, the utility of Foldo products becomes visible when you have to move; suddenly, instead of a massive armchair weighing dozens of kilograms, you move a few pieces of cardboard that weigh as much as a bottle of water. Instead of transporting all sorts of chandeliers that risk breaking, you take a few \’slices\’ of cardboard that you can place on the car dashboard,\” they write on their website.

The Foldo product list includes lighting fixtures, armchairs, sofas, and even children\’s cribs. For example, their single-person armchair is made exclusively of cardboard, without screws or adhesives, and is designed with a honeycomb structure intended to withstand over 150 kg. Their sofa can support 300 kg, while the children\’s crib weighs only 3 kg and can support up to 90 kg.

Tubatect: Shelves and desks from cardboard tubes

Adrian Ibric, the founder of Tubatect, began collecting cardboard tubes from plotters in 2007 and shortly thereafter started producing furniture from them.

The results include shelves, coffee tables, frames for standard tables or desks, atypical or storage frames, chairs, armchairs, stools, gift holders, or smaller objects—all crafted from 100% manually recycled cardboard tubes.

The furniture is constructed by modularly joining cardboard tubes without glue. These tubes come from remnants of paper rolls, cardboard, fabrics, carpets, rugs, and kitchen foils recovered from paper collection centers, printing or copy-plotting centers, profile factories, textile or carpet shops, and design firms.

\”[…] Our main goals are to use the resources we have efficiently through the creative reuse of waste resulting from our company\’s other activities and thus reduce the amount of material thrown into the trash,\” those at Tubatect stated.

Fodi: The desk accessory

If you have already purchased cardboard furniture, it would be a shame to place something plastic on such a table. Instead, you can buy an accessory that functions as a stand for books, tablets, phones, or even laptops.

It is made of thin, one-millimeter cardboard based on an origami structure, which provides it with stability. Fodi is water-resistant and can even be used as a bookmark.

Published October 31, 2016

At the end of last week, over 30 architects, builders, and ordinary citizens participated in an idea marathon on the theme of urban eco-mobility. For 24 hours, they proposed, debated, and presented their projects to a specialized jury. Now, they hope local authorities or investors will take up and implement as many of these proposals as possible.

It all took place within an international event called Climathon, an idea marathon dedicated to stopping climate change. This year, it was held almost simultaneously in approximately 60 cities across 6 continents. In Romania, it took place in Timișoara and Bucharest. The organizers decided to debate transport solutions for sustainable cities. Here is what the six teams in the capital proposed:

A guide for bicycle infrastructure construction

Marian Ivan, representing the organization Optar, proposed the development of a guide for builders and administrators to function as a standard for designing, creating, and maintaining bicycle infrastructure in Romania. According to him, such a document is especially necessary for Bucharest, declared the most congested city in the European Union and currently in an infringement procedure regarding air pollution.

According to the presentation, a shift of just 1% from cars to bicycles would result in 17,000 fewer cars in the capital. Furthermore, citizens would save €1.4 million in fuel monthly, and authorities could save over €880 million simply by preventing deaths caused by pollution. Moreover, drivers would benefit from having fewer cars on the road, companies would have healthier employees, the administration could lower road infrastructure costs, and investors would benefit from a more attractive development environment.

A bicycle footbridge between Carol and Tineretului parks

Horia Bejan, the initiator of the Rulmentul Verde (Green Bearing) project, also proposed a project centered on bicycle infrastructure. He presented a bike footbridge to connect Carol Park with Tineretului Park. The project would include a bridge for cyclists and pedestrians, an eco-friendly glass urban plaza, and two underground parking lots totaling 44,000 square meters.

Implementation would require an investment of €11 million. However, costs could be amortized through revenue from the parking lots and by renting out commercial spaces in the plaza. Ultimately, 200,000 citizens would have access to 5 kilometers of green route in maximum safety, in an area where no sustainable transport alternative currently exists.

Attractive and eco-friendly bus stations

Students from the Urban Mobility Master\’s program at the \”Ion Mincu\” University of Architecture and Urbanism designed a green and smart bus station that would function as a hub at city nodal points.

The station would provide its own energy using photovoltaic panels or even wind turbines and would collect rainwater. It would feature seating furniture made from recyclable materials, information kiosks, and ticket dispensers. It would also be equipped with dynamo technologies, allowing people to charge their mobile phones by pedaling on stationary bikes or walking on a belt. Finally, it would include bicycle parking, a bike-rental point, and a small commercial outlet.

Such a station could cost between €13,000 and €25,000 depending on size. Designers claim the investment could be amortized in 2 to 3.5 years and would encourage citizens to choose public transport over private cars.

Returning city sidewalks to citizens

The challenge of creating an eco-mobility project was also accepted by the Association of Structural Design Engineers. Their representative, Cristian Onofrei, proposed a solution for clearing sidewalks of cars to encourage walking. According to him, the first step would be building car parks. Then, authorities should install bollards to prevent cars from parking on the sidewalk while finding complementary strategies to reduce private car use.

Using abandoned spaces for community purposes

Adrian Ibric and his team of architects proposed the temporary use of abandoned urban lands. One idea was to set up sustainable parking lots with photovoltaic or green roofs to temporarily solve the city\’s parking problems. Another was greening or decorating fences at the edges of abandoned properties—fences whose appearance currently discourages citizens from walking past them.

The initiators believe such measures would stimulate walking or cycling, ease traffic flow, and create green spaces with educational roles. To encourage their creation, authorities could offer tax deductions to owners and stimulate investors by increasing property value.

Friendlier parking for supermarket customers

Drawing on the experience of the #better initiative for quality and responsibility in construction, architect Florin Enache suggested an alternative layout for parking lots in commercial centers or supermarkets. He proposed arranging parking spaces in a single row, allowing drivers to enter forward from one side and exit forward from the other.

This would reduce parking time from 9 to 4 seconds per car, leading to a 55% decrease in $CO_{2}$ emissions. Additionally, the solution would allow for rapid evacuation in emergencies and make it easier for customers with shopping carts to access their trunks. Although it is 30% less efficient in terms of land use, the project would help developers meet green space regulations and increase customer satisfaction.

These ideas will be integrated into the Climathon platform alongside all proposals generated during the 2016 edition. The initiators hope that authorities or private investors will adopt and implement them, thus achieving the transition toward a more sustainable city.

Irina Breniuc

Citation

Green Report. \”Ce rezultă dintr-un maraton de 24 de ore dedicat eco-mobilității urbane\” (What results from a 24-hour marathon dedicated to urban eco-mobility). Published October 31, 2016. [Online Article].

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October 31, 2016

At the end of last week, over 30 architects, builders, and ordinary citizens participated in an idea marathon on the theme of urban eco-mobility. For 24 hours, they proposed, debated, and presented their projects to a specialized jury. Now, they hope local authorities or investors will take up and implement as many of these proposals as possible.

It all took place within an international event called Climathon, an idea marathon dedicated to stopping climate change. This year, it was held almost simultaneously in approximately 60 cities across 6 continents. In Romania, it took place in Timișoara and Bucharest. The organizers decided to debate transport solutions for sustainable cities. Here is what the six teams in the capital proposed:

A guide for bicycle infrastructure construction

Marian Ivan, representing the organization Optar, proposed the development of a guide for builders and administrators to function as a standard for designing, creating, and maintaining bicycle infrastructure in Romania. According to him, such a document is especially necessary for Bucharest, declared the most congested city in the European Union and currently in an infringement procedure regarding air pollution.

According to the presentation, a shift of just 1% from cars to bicycles would result in 17,000 fewer cars in the capital. Furthermore, citizens would save €1.4 million in fuel monthly, and authorities could save over €880 million simply by preventing deaths caused by pollution. Moreover, drivers would benefit from having fewer cars on the road, companies would have healthier employees, the administration could lower road infrastructure costs, and investors would benefit from a more attractive development environment.

A bicycle footbridge between Carol and Tineretului parks

Horia Bejan, the initiator of the Rulmentul Verde (Green Bearing) project, also proposed a project centered on bicycle infrastructure. He presented a bike footbridge to connect Carol Park with Tineretului Park. The project would include a bridge for cyclists and pedestrians, an eco-friendly glass urban plaza, and two underground parking lots totaling 44,000 square meters.

Implementation would require an investment of €11 million. However, costs could be amortized through revenue from the parking lots and by renting out commercial spaces in the plaza. Ultimately, 200,000 citizens would have access to 5 kilometers of green route in maximum safety, in an area where no sustainable transport alternative currently exists.

Attractive and eco-friendly bus stations

Students from the Urban Mobility Master\’s program at the \”Ion Mincu\” University of Architecture and Urbanism designed a green and smart bus station that would function as a hub at city nodal points.

The station would provide its own energy using photovoltaic panels or even wind turbines and would collect rainwater. It would feature seating furniture made from recyclable materials, information kiosks, and ticket dispensers. It would also be equipped with dynamo technologies, allowing people to charge their mobile phones by pedaling on stationary bikes or walking on a belt. Finally, it would include bicycle parking, a bike-rental point, and a small commercial outlet.

Such a station could cost between €13,000 and €25,000 depending on size. Designers claim the investment could be amortized in 2 to 3.5 years and would encourage citizens to choose public transport over private cars.

Returning city sidewalks to citizens

The challenge of creating an eco-mobility project was also accepted by the Association of Structural Design Engineers. Their representative, Cristian Onofrei, proposed a solution for clearing sidewalks of cars to encourage walking. According to him, the first step would be building car parks. Then, authorities should install bollards to prevent cars from parking on the sidewalk while finding complementary strategies to reduce private car use.

Using abandoned spaces for community purposes

Adrian Ibric and his team of architects proposed the temporary use of abandoned urban lands. One idea was to set up sustainable parking lots with photovoltaic or green roofs to temporarily solve the city\’s parking problems. Another was greening or decorating fences at the edges of abandoned properties—fences whose appearance currently discourages citizens from walking past them.

The initiators believe such measures would stimulate walking or cycling, ease traffic flow, and create green spaces with educational roles. To encourage their creation, authorities could offer tax deductions to owners and stimulate investors by increasing property value.

Friendlier parking for supermarket customers

Drawing on the experience of the #better initiative for quality and responsibility in construction, architect Florin Enache suggested an alternative layout for parking lots in commercial centers or supermarkets. He proposed arranging parking spaces in a single row, allowing drivers to enter forward from one side and exit forward from the other.

This would reduce parking time from 9 to 4 seconds per car, leading to a 55% decrease in $CO_{2}$ emissions. Additionally, the solution would allow for rapid evacuation in emergencies and make it easier for customers with shopping carts to access their trunks. Although it is 30% less efficient in terms of land use, the project would help developers meet green space regulations and increase customer satisfaction.

These ideas will be integrated into the Climathon platform alongside all proposals generated during the 2016 edition. The initiators hope that authorities or private investors will adopt and implement them, thus achieving the transition toward a more sustainable city.

\”Upcycling deserves a chance

The discussion with my friend was not the first of its kind. I have received similar \”reproaches\” ever since I participated with PIMP the GARBAGE in a business acceleration program organized by Impact Hub in 2014. This is why I decided to talk to some of the Romanians who repurpose waste in unconventional ways, to find out who they are and what they aim for.

In the next two episodes of the Green Report series \”UPCYCLING in ROMANIA,\” we will \”meet\” the initiators of upcycling projects such as Reciclare Creativă, Upside Down, remesh, Turific, Wood be nice, QUIB, Tubatect, and PinkLime. Then, we will compare what Romanians are doing with the activities of designers from Berlin, Zurich, or London (Upcycling Deluxe, Bolsos Berlin, El Reinventor, Freitag, and Upcyclist).

Three more episodes will follow, in which we will learn from the project initiators how they procure and manage their materials, how they manage to sell their products, and what they hope to achieve through their projects.\”

A portion of the theoretical research resulting from the Laser Valley competition application was integrated into a thematic article submitted to “Universul Științelor ed. VIII,” a symposium organized by a consortium of local universities in Iași in October 2017, with text developed together with engineer drd. Manea Ciprian (UPB), regarding the future of architectural interfaces from shelter and protection to tools for work, production, and communication.

Published May 25, 2016. [Online Article].

May 25, 2016

Design is the most important aspect when it comes to upcycling. At the same time, sustainability does not sell. These are just two of the conclusions reached by the designers and artisans who repurpose waste.

In one form or another, Reciclare Creativă, Upside Down, remesh, Turific, Wood be nice, QUIB, Tubatect, PinkLime, PIMP the GARBAGE, Upcycling Deluxe, Bolsos Berlin, El Reinventor, Freitag, and Upcyclist manufacture or promote products made from waste. One might think that the sustainable nature of their products is exactly what ensures sales. However, things are not quite like that.

Design: The Most Important Aspect

All the designers and artists I spoke with believe that design is by far the most important criterion in a purchasing decision. That is why they invest time and effort into making aesthetically pleasing products of impeccable quality and, above all, functionality. The mix is extremely important if they want to stand a chance against mass-produced items that come at very low prices.

When it comes to the elements that sell her products, Andreea (Upside Down) mentions design, functionality, and uniqueness. Being made from various banners, no two products will be identical. This applies to her and to all the other designers and artisans I interviewed. As for the sustainability of the products, Andreea believes it is a secondary element in the buying decision.

Daniel (Wood be nice) shares this opinion. He admits that upcycling is not easy to sell because consumers do not primarily think about the ecological nature of the project.

\”I don\’t know if people think about buying a product because it means a tree won\’t be cut down. I think rather that this trend has reached us, especially online: we are tired of having the same furniture in our homes, buying it from retailers, made by robots in China. We want something special for our space.\”

This same aspect differentiates Daniel (El Reinventor) in the market. His clients are diverse, he says, but they have one thing in common: they no longer want mass-produced items and they appreciate sustainable, creative products. Creativity and design are the most important aspects for Stefan (Upcycling Deluxe) as well.

Ionuț (QUIB) has also observed that, generally, consumers are less interested in the sustainable aspect of products. Consequently, he must win their interest through what he calls \”flavor\” or \”coolness\”—meaning, through design.

Adapting to the situation, both Pink Lime and Pimp the Garbage are currently working on new product designs. Ștefan Sava wants to improve his products, obtain certifications for them, and identify people who can help him produce for export. With some regret, he confesses:

\”I should change the design, use premium materials, enter a different price category, and run marketing and crowdfunding campaigns. I should have done that from the beginning, actually.\”

He found the solution in the West, but he knows that the money available in the West doesn\’t exist here.

Price: An Impediment

Stefan (Upcycling Deluxe) confesses that their products are not easy to sell. The culprits are the high costs of production, storage, transport, and display, which make the final prices higher than those of mass-produced items. Despite handling the marketing and distribution of a large number of products, their profit is modest and is reinvested into developing the company, Stefan mentions.

Daniel also knows that only in Berlin can he sell his products at a fair price. \”In countries like Colombia, I wouldn\’t stand a chance of selling a rocking chair for 1,000 euros. But people have reproduced it.\” This doesn\’t bother him; on the contrary, El Reinventor encourages people to copy his items. He even offered to teach us how to make lamps from hangers via video conference.

At Bolsos Berlin, a simple backpack costs 26 euros, a wallet 50 euros, and a bag can go up to 130 euros. Not everyone can afford it, Brita admits, but she doesn\’t complain about a lack of sales. On the contrary, she works intensely to keep up with orders.

In Romania, prices are much lower than in Berlin, but slightly higher than mass-produced goods. Consumers don\’t understand why. They believe that if it\’s made from waste, it should be free. They don\’t take into account all the costs of production, storage, transport, and display, Stefan (Upcycling Deluxe) points out.

What Daniel Loagăr and Andrei Cornea do at Wood be nice, for example, is not simple upcycling. It is art in the truest sense of the word. They might work for several days on a single product and charge accordingly. However, they sell their products 10 times cheaper than they would abroad. The purchasing power of Romanians is one of their main problems. Although they appreciate design, consumers in our country don\’t often buy. Therefore, the two artists hope to expand across borders soon.

Pink Lime and QUIB will follow the same direction. Ionuț admits: \”In Romania, there is no clear critical mass of consumers. That\’s why we concluded that we must go to foreign markets, develop cradle-to-cradle certified products here, and export them.\”

Marketing: The Simpler, the More Effective

Promoting products sometimes gives designers and artisans headaches. Brita (Bolsos Berlin) reveals that marketing is not her strong suit. Therefore, to sell her products to the general public, she uses the German version of an Etsy-style online store.

Upcycling Deluxe, on the other hand, has turned marketing into a business. They help their suppliers sell their products, and the commission they charge covers their operating costs.

A similar model is followed by those at Reciclare Creativă. They created Wunderkraft, a platform where designers and artisans can sell products made from alternative materials. Alina and Georgiana help those who don\’t know how to estimate a fair price to sell their products. remesh, Upside Down, Wood be nice, and Tubatect are just a few who already use it.

Separately, they promote their products as best they can, adapting as they go and dropping some features so as not to \”dizzy\” the customers. Raluca (remesh) explains why simplicity is needed:

\”Practically, what we promote externally doesn\’t show what we truly do on the social side, but it is more effective, because the client finds out what you need and what they can get from you. Communication is already quite complicated, and we should simplify the messages, because no one has time to fully understand everything we do.\”

While some have not invested much in advertising, letting the products speak for themselves (Tubatect, Wood be nice, Turific), the foreigners at Freitag place great value on communication.

Source : Green Report. \”Mobilierul din deșeuri, rațiunea de a exista a Wood be nice, QUIB și Tubatect\” [Furniture from waste, the raison d\’être of Wood be nice, QUIB and Tubatect]. Author: Irina Breniuc

Published May 18, 2016

\”Since it\’s made from trash, it\’s cheap to produce.\” This is the primary misconception faced by everyone involved in upcycling. From the outside, it isn\’t obvious how difficult it is to obtain and repurpose waste. Therefore, I asked designers and artisans how they procure their materials, how they process them, and what difficulties they encounter.

So far, we have learned why upcycling initiatives shouldn\’t be compared to social or educational ones, who handles transforming waste into accessories and furniture in Romania, and how similar businesses operate abroad. In this episode, we will try to understand the specific aspects that upcycling project initiators must manage compared to traditional businesses.

Identifying Raw Materials: A Difficult Task

When making an object from waste, you eliminate the cost of raw materials from the start. That’s what almost anyone who has never dealt with upcycling would think. This statement is entirely wrong. That is because said waste does not simply come to you.

It must first be identified, which is not always an easy task. Andreea Zaharescu (from Upside Down), for example, has difficulty procuring truck tarpaulins. However, she has managed to optimize the flow for advertising banners. Those at remesh can also secure their raw materials without major issues, given the significant advertising turnover in Bucharest. It is harder, however, for Bogdan Neagu (founder of Turific), who, having a mostly solo business, lacks access to the waste of large companies.

Other business initiators adapt according to what they find on the \”waste market.\” Reciclare Creativă is an example of this; they had to source specific waste for unique projects, such as a boat made from PET bottles. Britta (Bolsos Berlin) also adapts to the raw materials she obtains. When I visited her, she had a fire hose she was trying to find the best use for. However, there have been times when she wanted a specific product and searched for the right material.

The team at Wood be nice takes materials either as donations or buys them from flea markets. Daniel jokes that they are like \”two old geezers\” with a basement full of seemingly useless things. You get the same feeling in the El Reinventor workshop. Daniel ends up buying very few new elements, such as the electrical wiring for lamps. However, when he has specific orders, he is forced to track down materials.

Those at QUIB collect timber waste, mattress pieces, and beanbag fillings. Additionally, they need organic materials, which are essential in a circular business model. In Romania, however, these are harder to find. Consequently, they were forced to purchase them from Italy or Germany and wait up to three months for delivery. Ștefan Sava (Pink Lime) faced the same issue.

Convincing the Supplier: Sometimes an \”Impossible Mission\”

Sometimes, supplier reluctance is palpable. Ionuț Țața confesses that he has to \”work on people\’s mentality\”:

\”In discussions with companies, they say, \’Well, that scrap wood I’m recovering—I can just throw it on the fire.\’ If we reach the point where they\’d rather burn it than give it to me, it\’s very hard to convince them that I can give it a higher value than putting it in the stove.\”

When they have large orders, Adrian Ibric (Tubatect) is also forced to buy or \”beg\” for tubes. Some printers give them away without asking questions; others are reluctant, not wanting to let him make a profit from their waste. A tube can cost as much as 5 lei, plus transportation costs.

Transportation and Storage: Other Upcycling Headaches

In the case of bulky waste, transporting the raw material and the final product will always be a problem because it costs money—a lot of it. For pallets or tires, for example, which we manage to get for free for the PIMP the GARBAGE project, bringing them to the workshop is a chore.

Until recently, we didn\’t even have a space to store them. Things changed, however, thanks to the Faculty of Chemistry at the Polytechnic University and a grant from the \”Mobilizăm Excelența\” program, obtained together with the Ecoteca Association. Just as lucky are those at Reciclare Creativă. They own land in Bucharest where they are now setting up an extensible pavilion together with experts from the Technical University of Iași. They obtained the funds through the same financing program.

Among those forced to pay rent for the spaces where they process waste are Upside Down, remesh, Wood be nice, Upcycling Deluxe, Bolsos Berlin, and El Reinventor. Ștefan Sava (Pink Lime) outsources production, using the space and machinery of various factories. Regardless, obtaining a space for waste processing is only the first step in organizing production.

Processing Materials: Harder Than Traditional Methods

Daniel (Wood be nice) admits that \”it is much harder to use reclaimed wood: it doesn\’t have the same thickness, it has holes, it cracks.\” It isn\’t any easier to work with other materials they integrate into designs: tomato paste cans, beer cans, rusty pipes, etc. QUIB and Daniel from El Reinventor encounter the exact same difficulties.

Furthermore, processing banners is more difficult than traditional textiles because they are thick and they \”crumple.\” To process trash, you need tools. For Wood be nice, securing them seems to be the biggest problem. QUIB managed to fully equip their workshop through a grant, and we at PIMP the GARBAGE purchased part of the tools we need from a grant as well. Reciclare Creativă found a more efficient solution, obtaining most of their tools through a sponsorship.

Finding the Right Team: Another Upcycling Challenge

Andreea Zaharescu (Upside Down) confessed to us that it isn\’t exactly simple to find the right people. Although she currently has 10 people on the team, there has always been \”quite a high turnover.\”

Ionuț Țața (QUIB) also had trouble finding craftsmen or students interested in the circular economy, and he had to teach those he did identify how to use materials efficiently.

Collaborating with a production team proved difficult for Ștefan Sava (Pink Lime) as well. Ștefan doesn\’t make the products himself; he uses the technology and skills of employees in textile factories near Bucharest. He admits it wasn\’t exactly easy to make friends with either the collectors or the producers. He had to explain what he wanted and convince them not to delay production too much, considering he requests small quantities compared to the industrial volumes they are used to.

In any case, a team dedicated to the project is an essential step for business development, according to Adrian (Tubatect). He admits that hiring someone is a step he should have taken sooner and recommends that all entrepreneurs focus on more important things than production—like marketing, for example.

In the next two episodes, we will find out how all these entrepreneurs manage to sell their products and what they hope to achieve through their projects.

Source : Green Report. \”UPCYCLING în România\” [Translated excerpt from serial series]. Published May 12, 2016

\”While the upcycling movement in Romania is at the beginning of its journey, entrepreneurs in Germany, Switzerland, or the UK already have decades of experience in reclaiming waste. Let’s \”listen\” to them and learn how to achieve business success, even though it isn\’t easy for them either.

In previous episodes, we learned how the Romanian upcycling initiatives Reciclare Creativă, Upside Down, remesh, Turific, Wood be nice, QUIB, Tubatect, PinkLime, and PIMP the GARBAGE were born.

In this episode of the Green Report series \”UPCYCLING in Romania,\” we will learn from the initiators of Upcycling Deluxe, Bolsos Berlin, and El Reinventor what success means in an upcycling business. Then, we will analyze the Freitag and Upcyclist websites to see how such initiatives can be promoted effectively.

Berlin: The Paradise of Upcycling Projects

On a recent visit to Berlin, I visited several workshops and shops selling products made from waste. Upcycling Deluxe was the largest of these. There, I met Stefan Korn, head of the PR and marketing departments. He told me how it all began.

It seems a visit to Southeast Asia was the source of inspiration for founding the store for recycled products. The founders, Stanislaus Teichmann and Eric Pieper, were impressed by how women used their creativity, transforming cement bags into shopping nets and tires into trash cans. They thought they could help them sell the products, and so Upcycling Deluxe was born.

Initially, they tested a few products at a weekly fair organized in Berlin. Since demand was high, they decided to open a shop. They started by selling the products of 3 or 4 NGOs, and now they collaborate with over 50 designers and artisans worldwide, offering around 1,500 products. Additionally, they have their own collection of caps, bags, and accessories. We could call Upcycling Deluxe the \”big brother\” of the Reciclare Creativă project.

Similarly, Britta Eppinger would be somewhat the Berlin correspondent for the likes of Upside Down, remesh, and Turific. Britta founded Bolsos Berlin 7 years ago. Although she studied arts and sculpture, she has dedicated much of her career to upcycling. She works with banners, sails, inner tubes, flags, awnings, and surfboards, which she transforms into bags, backpacks, briefcases, wallets, and folders.

Since she has no employees, the business has developed slowly. However, it is the only way Britta conceives of working:

\”If I exploit myself, it\’s my choice, but I don\’t want to do that to others. I prefer to grow slowly and stay sustainable, without having slaves doing my work. Plus, I like to wake up and not have to come to the workshop at 7 AM to see if employees are working. I like being my own boss and that\’s it.\”

When she has many orders, however, she collaborates with NGOs that employ people with disabilities.

Did you think Wood be nice and other furniture manufacturers had nowhere to find inspiration? Their international version is staged by Daniel Carrion. A Colombian based in Berlin, Daniel started making jewelry from old silver or worn knives while pursuing a master\’s degree in finance in London. Gradually, he also began making furniture pieces, always thinking about other waste that could be utilized. Now, his workshop, El Reinventor, houses both the tools necessary for a craftsman and artistic creations worthy of famous contemporary exhibitions.

Daniel speaks with passion about many of his products, but he is particularly proud of a lamp made from 5 musical instruments, a telescope, and a tripod. The rocking chair made from oil barrels also receives special attention during the workshop tour.

Upcycling in Switzerland and the UK

Although I haven\’t traveled there yet, I have heard of two other initiatives from which Romanian entrepreneurs could learn: Freitag and Upcyclist.

The story of the Freitag brothers began in 1993. They needed a messenger bag to use when they rode their bikes. It had to be waterproof and functional. So, they decided to make it themselves. Inspired by the bright colors of the trucks passing in front of their Zurich apartment, they used a tarp as material. They combined it with a used seatbelt and an old bicycle inner tube, transforming it into a product that would inspire a business.

Today, the two have 55 models of bags and accessories, 160 employees, and 460 shops. Although their headquarters remain in Switzerland, they are present in Berlin, Davos, Hamburg, Cologne, Vienna, Tokyo, Zurich, and Lausanne. And the way they communicate is truly impressive.

Another example of a promotion method for upcycling projects is offered by those at Upcyclist. In 2011, Antonia Edwards, a journalist specializing in interior design, established a platform for promoting products obtained from waste. Her motivation was simple:

\”To be able to create something beautiful and elegant from waste, you need imagination, innovation, and talent. I felt that people who were doing this successfully needed a platform to showcase their work.\”

Antonia promotes projects from around the world, so it can be a good promotional channel for Romanian designers who want to expand to a European or even international level.

Now that we have learned how the initiatives Reciclare Creativă, Upside Down, remesh, Turific, Wood be nice, QUIB, Tubatect, PinkLime, PIMP the GARBAGE, Upcycling Deluxe, Bolsos Berlin, El Reinventor, Freitag, and Upcyclist were born, we propose to find out further from them how they procure and manage their materials, how they manage to sell their products, and what they want to achieve through their projects.\”

Source: Green Report. \”UPCYCLING in ROMANIA: How furniture designers \”play\” with waste – translated excerpt-Published May 10, 2016.

\”Damaged pallets, tree trunks fallen in storms, worn tires, and used mattresses—these are just a few of the materials that several Romanian designers utilize, transforming them into pieces of furniture. What they do is called \”upcycling.\” It is the process by which a waste product acquires a higher value than its initial one, and it is different from classic recycling (downcycling).

I mentioned in the previous episode of the Green Report series that there are a number of upcycling initiatives in Romania. We learned how the stories of Reciclare Creativă, Upside Down, remesh, and Turific began. Now, we will \”meet\” the people behind Wood be nice, QUIB, Tubatect, PinkLime, and PIMP the GARBAGE.\”

\”Adrian Ibric, the founder of Tubatect, also produces furniture. This time, however, the utilized waste is cardboard. More specifically, cardboard tubes from plotters, which he transforms into shelves and desks. He has been collecting them since 2007 in the plotting center he owns. In a very short time, Tubatect became a standalone business.

The main characteristic of the cardboard tube furniture is that it is 100% eco-friendly. To maintain its sustainable character, Adrian refused to use paint, even if doing so would make it more attractive and durable. He believes that this is exactly what attracts clients: the sustainability of the product. He admits, however, that the design also plays an important role. Even if it is extremely simple, it immediately catches the eye.

Furthermore, the fact that it is modular makes it easy to dismantle and adapt according to needs. However, it is not highly durable, gets dirty easily, and deteriorates if it gets wet. In the plotting center, it has held up for about 5 years so far. And it will last just as long again, Adrian believes, since it is used for storing files.\”