Research: Why People Really Buy Upcycled Products

Summary.    Researchers who analyzed consumer feedback from Etsy discovered that what consumers value most about upcycled products is not their sustainability but their creativity. Their findings offer some guidelines for companies who hope to design and successfully...

Upcycling — the creation of new products by reusing one or more components from ones — is having a moment.

The outdoor clothing manufacturer Patagonia is making travel pouches from old raincoats. Freitag is making stylish bags from old truck tarpaulins, used car seatbelts, and discarded bicycle inner tubes. Southwestern Airlines is making bags and wallets from leather airplane seat covers. The furniture brand Redolab is making new lamps from bottles and glasses, new tables and stools from pallets, and new pillow from jute coffee bags. Even luxury brands are getting into the game: Hermes is making new products from its own deadstock fabrics and materials; Salvatore Ferragamo is making shoes and belts from old printed silk and other accessories; and Lamborghini is making tote bags, cell phone cases, and keychains with leather that’s left over from the production of its car interiors.

This movement extends beyond established companies and is expanding rapidly among DIY enthusiasts. Etsy, a leading online marketplace, has seen listings tagged with “upcycled” increase from 7,900 products in 2010 to about 200,000 today. IKEA suggests ideas for upcycling its products on its website, which consumers enthusiastically adopt; you can find hundreds of consumer-upcycled IKEA items on Pinterest.

Upcycling is obviously not a new phenomenon. Throughout history, especially in poorer countries, people who have not had access to — or been able to afford — raw materials have relied on the practice. In Cuba, for example, products such as fans and TV antennas were long repaired by using old vinyl records and aluminum food trays. Upcycling in these situations has been necessary. But why has the practice spread in developed countries and among major companies, where resources are more available?

Environmentalism and a growing interest in sustainability surely explains some of upcycling’s new popularity. But plenty of consumers are reluctant to buy products made from old and used materials. The thought of using such products (A bag made from old airline seats? A pillow made from old coffee bags?) may elicit feels of repulsion or even disgust. Additionally, many consumers believe that products made from older materials are likely to be inferior in quality and functionality. Given these widespread concerns, are sustainability motives alone sufficient to overcome these concerns and account for the success of upcycled products?

We don’t think so. But we have recently identified a surprising factor that may compensate for these concerns and explain the appeal of upcycled products. In an analysis of consumer feedback from Etsy, we discovered that what consumers value most about upcycled products is not their sustainability but their creativity — a finding that companies will need to keep in mind if they hope to design and successfully market upcycled products.

The “Aha! Moment”

In our study, we examined over 2,000 customer reviews of both upcycled and non-upcycled products, aiming to identify attributes that set them apart. Our findings revealed that comments on upcycled items more frequently mentioned aspects related to creativity and sustainability than those on non-upcycled items. Interestingly, while 74% of upcycled product reviews included references to creativity, only 10% mentioned sustainability.

In a subsequent experimental study, we aimed to understand when upcycled products are perceived as creative, and, consequently, appealing, by consumers. We found, counterintuitively, that upcycled products are more appealing when they’re made from products originally designed to serve entirely different functions. For example, a bag made from parts of an old truck tarp was evaluated as more creative and appealing than one made from parts of an old backpack. Products made from components that originally served a different purpose are even perceived as more appealing than products with identical designs that are made with new components. This suggests that creativity may offset the feelings of repulsion and concerns about quality that some people feel about the reuse of old materials.

In a further study, we found out why people are so drawn to products that are upcycled from components designed for an entirely different purpose. When consumers realize that the intended functionality of a component is not fixed but versatile — that a side table, say, is made not from another table but a whiskey barrel — they experience an “Aha! moment.” It’s this sense of delight and surprise, rooted in an appreciation of creativity, that enhances the appeal of upcycled products.

Design and Marketing Strategies

Drawing on our findings, we’ve devised some novel and valuable guidelines for how to design and market appealing upcycled products.

First, designers of upcycled products should consider using product components from different industries, not only to enhance the appeal of their products but also to encourage cross-industry collaboration. Fashion brands such as Cartiera are already partnering with premier automotive manufacturers to repurpose excess from car interiors, while watchmakers such as Zenith are collaborating with leading luxury fashion brands to reuse fabric and leather for their watchbands. It’s a win-win: These collaborations not only bring together diverse perspectives, expertise, and resources but also promote innovation, by combining ideas from different fields.

Second, our insights should encourage product designers and managers to identify new uses for product components. This is a formidable challenge. Over time people form fixed ideas about a product’s purpose, and these preconceptions can hinder the recognition of alternative applications — a phenomenon known as functional fixedness. This is a main obstacle to innovation. However, if designers were to think of products in terms of their basic components and fundamental attributes (such as material and shape) rather than their intended function, they would find it easier to identify new functionalities and applications. That’s precisely what happened at Feuerwear, where designers realized very strong and water-resistant fabric could be salvaged from discarded firehoses and used to craft sturdy and innovative fashion accessories.

Third, marketers of upcycled products should create messages that emphasize not just the products’ sustainability but also their creativity. By highlighting the previously very different functionalities of the old product components, in other words, they should actively seek to induce an “Aha! moment” among consumers. Freitag does this, for example, by showing on its website how it transforms old truck tarps into bags, an approach that highlights the creativity of the process and positions the brand at the intersection of innovation and environmental responsibility.

Finally, companies might even boost the appeal of their brand-new products by employing design elements that simply remind consumers of upcycled products. Smeg has already employed this approach by designing a fridge that resembles the front of a 500 Fiat car, which it has marketed successfully with the tagline: “Because a refrigerator is not just an electrical appliance, and a bonnet is not just a car part.”