The document outlines the establishment and objectives of the International Upcycling Research Network, which addresses environmental crises through the promotion of upcycling as a sustainable practice. It identifies barriers to upcycling, including skills gaps and negative consumer perceptions, while emphasizing the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration in research. The project aims to foster knowledge exchange, engage participants globally, and produce various outputs, including academic papers and an online platform for ongoing collaboration.

1. Promoting Upcycling through an
International Research Network
Prof Richie Moalosi, University of Botswana, Botswana
Dr Kyungeun Sung, De Montfort University, UK

2. International Upcycling Research Network
Presentation outline
 Introduction
 Upcycling and Sustainability
 Barriers to Upcycling
 International Upcycling Research Network
 Conclusion
 Acknowledgement

3. International Upcycling Research Network
Introduction
 Environmental crisis facing humanity is due to reckless discarding of waste.
 Humanity has developed a throwaway culture which resulted in pollution, climate
change, etc.
 Such environmental challenges have prompted the emergence of sustainability as a
possible solution to the crisis.
 Need to redefine and develop sustainable and creative environmental, social, and
economic production and consumption models.
 Need for creative multidisciplinary approach to transition to a carbon neutral system
or shift toward a circular economy.
 Upcycling is one of the promising niche strategies that can be used to transition
toward sustainable systems.

4. International Upcycling Research Network
Upcycling and Sustainability
 Upcycling refers to material processes and innovations using waste products,
components, and materials to create products of higher quality or added value than
compositional elements (Sung & Abuzeinab, 2022).
 It provides novel strategies for waste management and resource efficiency and
reduces solid waste and the industrial energy consumption involved in the processing
of and manufacturing from virgin materials.
 It is a promising means to reduce materials and energy use and engender sustainable
production and consumption.
 It disrupts unsustainable production and consumption patterns because it offers a
combination of upgrading and recycling.
 Upgrading adds value to products, while recycling promotes reusing disposed of
items.

5. International Upcycling Research Network
Barriers to Upcycling
Some barriers to upcycling include:
 Limited knowledge and specialist skills.
 Lack of facilities/equipment.
 Affordable space.
 Difficulties accessing capital.
 Consumers’ negative perception or acceptance of upcycled products.
 Consumers’ lack of upcycling awareness.
 Intellectual property laws failing to protect upcycled products because they build on
the works of others.

6. International Upcycling Research Network
International Upcycling Research Network Project
Summary
 Funding source: UK Research & Innovation - Arts & Humanities Research
Council Research Networking grant.
 Project start: 01/06/2022
 Project duration: 24 months
 Background: Moving upcycling from a niche to a mainstream practice
could realise the full potential.
 Research on upcycling is still embryonic.
 Develop upcycling theory and practices across industries.
 Purpose: the world’s first long-term platform to facilitate such cross-
industry, multidisciplinary and international research.

7. International Upcycling Research Network
Aim and Objectives
 Aim: create positive synergies between various international actors for
collaborative endeavours to understand and promote upcycling.
 Two short-term objectives: (i) expand our understanding of current
upcycling research and practices (seminars).
 (ii) Collaborative investigation into the global challenges for scaling up
upcycling (Interpretive Structural Modelling workshops).
 Two medium-to-long-term objectives: (i) develop new cross-industry,
multidisciplinary, international collaborative research projects and
meetings.
 (ii) Create the network website as a long-term platform.

8. International Upcycling Research Network
Network Members
 Originally suggested in the bid (n=19) / Snowballed now (n=43).
 5 continents and 17 countries.
 Africa (original 3 + snowball 8 = 11): 8 Academics (A) and 3 Practitioners
(P) from Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and
Zimbabwe.
 Americas (5+3=8): 5 As and 3 Ps from Canada, Chile, Costa Rica and USA.
 Asia (3+2=5): 2 As and 3 Ps from Hong Kong, India and South Korea.
 Australia (2): 2 Academics.
 Europe (5+12=17): 15 As and 2 Ps from Sweden and UK.

9. International Upcycling Research Network
Timetable of Activities
 Advisory board meetings online (n=4): Jun 2022 / Feb & Jul 2023 /
Feb 2024.
 Kick-off project meeting online: 1st Jul 2022.
 ISM workshops online (2): 15 Sep 2022
 Seminar series blended (5): Upcycling in (i) Africa (Sep 2022), (ii)
Americas (Oct 2022), (iii) Asia (Nov 2022), (iv) Australia (Dec 2022),
and (v) Europe (Jan 2023).
 Joint research/initiative meeting online (3): Apr, Jun, Oct 2023.
 International Upcycling Festival blended: Apr/May 2024.

10. International Upcycling Research Network
Main Activity 1: Interpretive Structural Modelling
Workshops Online
 Aim: understand interrelated and self-reinforcing challenges in the
global upcycling value chain for scaling up.
 Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM): qualitative method used to
structure various factors into a hierarchy and visualise the interaction
between the factors to help decision-makers in tackling these factors
in order (Abuzeinab et al., 2017).
 Factors (challenges and success factors).

11. International Upcycling Research Network
Participants in ISM workshops
 Who can participate: experts in challenges, opportunities, success factors, and
interventions for scaling up global upcycling.
 Number of people needed: 10-20 people with good geographical
distribution/representation (2-4 from Africa; 1-2 from North America; 1-2 from South
America; 2-4 from Asia; 2-4 from Australia; and 2-4 from Europe).
 Participants contribution: 30 minutes for online pre-questionnaire (August 2022) + 3
hours of online workshop participation (September 2022) + further (optional)
contribution to the papers.
 Benefit to participants: becoming a co-author of the conference proceeding and the
subsequent journal articles based on this study.

12. International Upcycling Research Network
Main Activity 2: Seminars Blended (Sep 2022-Jan 2023)
 Aim: understand current upcycling research and practices across industries,
disciplines, and countries (and discuss potential collaboration).
 Upcycling in Africa (8 & 22 Sep 2022): 11+ speakers for two days
 Upcycling in Americas (Oct 2022): 8+ speakers for two days
 Upcycling in Asia (Nov 2022): 5+ speakers for one day
 Upcycling in Australia (Dec 2022): 2+ speakers for half day
 Upcycling in Europe (Jan 2023): 17+ speakers for two-three days
 Structure: 20 mins presentation followed by 30 mins Q&A and potential
collaboration discussion.

13. International Upcycling Research Network
Participants and Volunteers for Seminars
Participants contribution:
 20 minutes of presentation + 30 minutes of discussion in one of the regional
seminars + (optional) attend other seminars for discussion.
 Participants present their research/practice/ideas/opinions/etc. on upcycling ideally
focusing on their country/region and suggests how could collaborate with others in
terms of multidisciplinary, cross-industry, and international collaboration.
 Benefit to participants: identify potential future collaborators (+ potential book
chapter contribution).

14. International Upcycling Research Network
Main Activity 3: International Upcycling Festival
Blended (Apr/May 2024)
 Aim: showcase the network activities and outcomes, expand the network, and engage
businesses and consumers for direct impact.
 Day 1: academic presentations and discussions.
 Day 2: engaging businesses and consumers for awareness raising, knowledge transfer,
new data collection and networking through a public lecture series, stakeholder
workshops, family-friendly activities.
 Installations: Poster presentations, film screening, mini exhibitions, etc.

15. International Upcycling Research Network
Project Outputs
 An edited book: from the seminar series and the International Upcycling
Festival.
 Conference papers and a journal articles: from the ISM workshops.
 A report: documenting the processes and outcomes of the network
activities focusing on new joint research/initiatives.
 An online website: long-term platform for sustainable collaboration and
networking as well as effective public awareness-raising and education.

16. International Upcycling Research Network
Conclusion
Aim of the International Upcycling Research Network is to:
 a. Gain new knowledge and insights;
b. Identify potential collaborators and partners;
c. Apply lessons learned and new information to their own research,
practice, teaching, etc.
d. Seek AHRC follow-on funding for impact and engagement.
 More details on the project can be accessed at:
https://iurn.our.dmu.ac.uk/

17. International Upcycling Research Network
Acknowledgement
The International Upcycling Research Network project would like to thank the
research funding obtained from:
The UK Research and Innovation - Arts and Humanities Research Council
(UKRI AHRC Research Networking grant: AH/W007134/1).

18. • Prof Richie Moalosi
Email: moalosi@ub.ac.bw
• Kyungeun Sung
Email:kyungeun.sung@dmu.ac.uk