Presentation slides on "How to understand and teach upcycling in the context of the circular economy: literature review and first phase of Delphi" presented at Product Lifetimes And The Environment (PLATE) 2023 Conference in Espoo, Finland. The conference paper can be found on: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/371293444_How_to_understand_and_teach_upcycling_in_the_context_of_the_circular_economy_Literature_review_and_first_phase_of_Delphi

1. How to understand and teach upcycling in
the context of the circular economy:
literature review and first phase of Delphi
Dr Kyungeun Sung
Product Lifetimes And The Environment (PLATE) 2023
Conference at Aalto University in Espoo, Finland
(31/05/2023 - 02/06/2023)

2. How to understand and teach upcycling in the context of the circular economy: literature review and first phase of Delphi
Dr Kyungeun Sung
Study context
 Transition to CE requiring changes in education (especially HEs)
 Informing, inspiring, and affecting professional practices in industries
 Aligned with CE, emerging ‘upcycling’ as promising umbrella concept
o approach to extending the lifetimes of products, components and materials
o utilising various CE practices (e.g. ‘creative’ repair, reuse, refurbishment, redesign,
remanufacturing)
o a new product/material of higher quality/value than the original materials
 CE and upcycling overlap depending on definitions
  confusions and misunderstanding
  beneficial to distinguish between these two
  clear guidance and recommendations
  how to understand and teach upcycling with CE

3. Study background
 British Science Festival 2022 event, ‘upcycling station’, in September 2022
 9 global experts in upcycling and CE as part of AHRC-funded International Upcycling
Research Network
 Short videos on what upcycling is how it relates to CE
 Initial idea of turning the video resources into educational materials
 Issue of limited number and diversity of the contents
 Research project to develop more comprehensive and valid educational
materials reflecting a wide range of sources of information and expertise
How to understand and teach upcycling in the context of the circular economy: literature review and first phase of Delphi
Dr Kyungeun Sung

4. Methods
 Literature review between October and November 2022
 First phase of Delphi between February and March 2023
Theoretical, narrative review
First phase of Delphi
What upcycling is;
What CE is;
Comparison between upcycling and CE;
Upcycling as part of CE
Feedback on how to improve the outcomes
Second phase of Delphi
METHOD
OUTCOME
…
Feedback on how to further improve
Feedback on how to further improve
How to understand and teach upcycling in the context of the circular economy: literature review and first phase of Delphi
Dr Kyungeun Sung

5. How to understand and teach upcycling in the context of the circular economy: literature review and first phase of Delphi
Dr Kyungeun Sung
Literature review
 Google Scholar
 Search keywords: “upcycling” and “circular economy”
 Included: journal articles, conference proceedings, PhD theses in English
 Cut-off point: first 60 search outcomes
Screening
Contents review
58 in total
(52 journal articles;
5 conference proceedings;
1 PhD thesis)
50 journal articles
52 in total
(46 journal articles;
5 conference proceedings;
1 PhD thesis)
42 journal articles
Upcycling publications CE publications

6. How to understand and teach upcycling in the context of the circular economy: literature review and first phase of Delphi
Dr Kyungeun Sung
First phase of Delphi
 Contents provided: (i) definition of upcycling and CE (description); (ii)
comparison between upcycling and CE (table); and (iii) upcycling as part of CE
(diagram)
 Main question: ‘What would you like to add, change, delete, or improve from the
description / table / diagram below?’
 ‘What would be the effective ways to communicate the above information for
educational purposes?’
 ‘Please rate your level of confidence that your contribution is accurate below’
 Questionnaire word document emailed to 49 experts in upcycling and CE as part of
AHRC-funded International Upcycling Research Network
 15 responses (32.61% response rate) – 8 females and 7 males from 10 countries of
4 continents
 £10 Amazon e-voucher for three randomly selected respondents

7. How to understand and teach upcycling in the context of the circular economy: literature review and first phase of Delphi
Dr Kyungeun Sung
Results: literature review
Upcycling (based on the 52 reviewed upcycling literature) is an effective design-based
solution and green practice:
 utilising the materials, components and products that are discarded, no longer in use
or about to be disposed of.
 incorporating multiple material processes (e.g., 'creative' or 'innovative' reuse,
repurpose, repair, upgrade, redesign, reconstruction, refashion, remanufacture, and
advanced recycling) involving minimisation of waste and toxicity, saving in
energy and water, reduction in emissions and pollution.
 creating the outputs of new/modified products and materials with higher quality
and values (economic, aesthetic, and environmental) than the original or
compositional elements.

8. How to understand and teach upcycling in the context of the circular economy: literature review and first phase of Delphi
Dr Kyungeun Sung
Results: literature review
CE (based on the 42 reviewed journal articles) is an alternative economic model and industrial
system of production and consumption designed to be restorative or regenerative by:
 restructuring the material flows from the linear approach (take, make use, and dispose
of) to the circular one (e.g., slowing and closing resource loops or narrowing resource
flows); (ii) relying on renewable energy, (iii) minimising, tracking and eliminating the
use of toxic chemicals, (iv) utilising applicable principles (e.g., refuse, rethink, reduce,
reuse, repair, refurbish, remanufacture, repurpose, recycle, and recover), and (v) actioning
in circular product design and production, business models, technology
development, cross-cycle and cross-sector collaboration, and supportive
environment including policies conducive to CE.
 operated in micro (enterprises and consumers), meso (economic agents in symbiosis),
and macro (cities, regions, and governments) levels.
 resulting in environmental benefits such as increased resource/material efficiency and
reduced wastes and emissions, as well as socio-economic benefits such as reduced costs
for raw materials, energy, waste management and emissions control, and new employment
opportunities.

9. How to understand and teach upcycling in the context of the circular economy: literature review and first phase of Delphi
Dr Kyungeun Sung
Results: literature review
UPCYCLING CIRCULAR ECONOMY
WHAT
Effective, design-based solution and a
green practice.
An alternative economic model and industrial
system of production and consumption
designed to be restorative or regenerative.
INPUT MATERIALS
The materials, components and products
that are discarded, no longer in use or
about to be disposed of.
Virgin and synthetic materials, components and
products that are discarded, and no longer in use
or about to be disposed of.
PRINCIPLES OR PRACTICES
‘Creative’ or ‘innovative’ reuse, repurpose,
repair, upgrade, redesign, reconstruction,
refashion, remanufacture, advanced
recycling, and more.
Refuse, rethink, reduce, reuse, repair,
refurbish, remanufacture, repurpose, recycle,
recover and more.

10. How to understand and teach upcycling in the context of the circular economy: literature review and first phase of Delphi
Dr Kyungeun Sung
Results: literature review
UPCYCLING CIRCULAR ECONOMY
HOW
- Minimising waste and
toxicity.
- Saving energy and
water.
- Reducing emissions
and pollution.
- Restructuring the material flows from the linear approach
(take, make use, and dispose of) to the circular one (e.g., slowing
and closing resource loops or narrowing resource flows).
- Relying on renewable energy.
- Minimising, tracking, and eliminating the use of toxic chemicals.
- Actioning in circular product design and production, business
models, technology development, cross-cycle and cross-sector
collaboration, and supportive environment, including policies
conducive to CE.
OPERATION
In micro (enterprises and
consumers) and meso (economic
agents in symbiosis) levels
In micro (enterprises and consumers), meso (economic
agents in symbiosis), and macro (cities, regions, and
governments) levels

11. Results: literature review
UPCYCLING CIRCULAR ECONOMY
OUTCOME
New/modified products and
materials with higher quality
and values (economic, aesthetic,
environmental) than the
original/compositional
elements.
- New/improved policies, regulations, guidelines, or governance systems.
- New/improved partnerships or collaborations (industrial symbiosis).
- New/improved business models.
- New/improved supply chain management systems.
- New/improved production or manufacturing systems.
- New products for long-life / product-life extension.
- New biodegradable products.
- New products using fewer resources.
- Sharing or leasing services (renting, pooling).
- Product service system.
- New/improved reuse initiatives (e.g., second-hand shops).
- Incentivised product return service.
- Upgraded products.
- Remanufactured or refurbished products and parts.
- Repaired products.
- Recycled materials.
- Recovered energy.
- …

12. How to understand and teach upcycling in the context of the circular economy: literature review and first phase of Delphi
Dr Kyungeun Sung
Results: literature review
Common benefits / end goals:
 Environmental benefits such as increased resource/material efficiency and
reduced waste and emissions.
 Socio-economic benefits such as reduced costs for raw materials, energy,
waste management, emissions control, and new employment opportunities.

13. How to understand and teach upcycling in the context of the circular economy: literature review and first phase of Delphi
Dr Kyungeun Sung
Results: literature review

14. How to understand and teach upcycling in the context of the circular economy: literature review and first phase of Delphi
Dr Kyungeun Sung
Results: first phase of Delphi
Upcycling (according to 15 global experts in upcycling and CE) is an effective design- or process-based
solution and green sustainable practice to avoid the use of virgin materials:
 utilising the materials, components and products that are discarded, no longer in use, rarely utilised
or about to disposed of (using both pre- and post-consumer solid waste) and giving them a new
purpose
 incorporating utilising multiple material processes/methods (e.g., 'creative' or 'innovative' reuse,
repurpose, repair, upgrade, redesign, reconstruction, refashion, remanufacture, and advanced
recycling) involving minimisation of waste and ideally systematic efforts for elimination of toxicity,
saving in energy and water, and reduction in emissions and pollution.
 creating the outputs of new/modified products (or artefacts) and materials with higher quality and
values (economic, aesthetic, environmental, cultural, and social) than the original or compositional
elements, and creating multiple use cycles of products, components and materials in upcycled
products
 Generating alternative consumption and production local systems with strong socio-environmental
values that can integrate and reconnect communities and intergenerational relations around
sustainable practices
 Oftentimes reclaiming traditional knowledge and skills (e.g. handcrafts, repair, repurpose) and
establishing a set of socioenvironmental values around these social practices

15. How to understand and teach upcycling in the context of the circular economy: literature review and first phase of Delphi
Dr Kyungeun Sung
Results: first phase of Delphi
CE (according to 15 global experts in upcycling and CE) is an alternative, sustainable economic model
and industrial production and consumption system intentionally designed to be restorative or
regenerative by:
 restructuring the material flows from the linear approach (take, make use, and dispose of) to the
circular one (e.g., slowing and closing resource loops or and narrowing and facilitating resource
flows); (ii) relying on distributed renewable sources of energy, (iii) minimising, tracking and
eliminating the use of toxic chemicals, (iv) utilising applicable principles (e.g., refuse, rethink,
reduce, reuse, repair, refurbish, remanufacture, regenerate, repurpose, recycle, and recover), (v)
actioning in circular product design and production, business models, technology
development, cross-cycle and cross-sector collaboration, and supportive and equitable
environment including policies conducive to CE, (vi) facilitating the inclusion of practices that foster
social justice, and (vii) educating the future generations.
 operated across scales including micro (enterprises and consumers), meso (economic agents and
enterprises in symbiosis), and macro (cities, regions, and governments) levels.
 resulting in environmental benefits such as increased resource/material efficiency and reduced
wastes and emissions, as well as socio-economic benefits such as reduced costs for raw materials,
energy, waste management and emissions control, new employment opportunities, and/or social
opportunities, and individuals’ sustainable consumption and lifestyles

16. How to understand and teach upcycling in the context of the circular economy: literature review and first phase of Delphi
Dr Kyungeun Sung
 Critical feedback: as upcycling is part of CE, they are not at the same level and
therefore incomparable
  radical restructuring so that each category CE description incorporates
upcycling description as part
Results: first phase of Delphi

17. Results: first phase of Delphi
How to understand and teach upcycling in the context of the circular economy: literature review and first phase of Delphi
Dr Kyungeun Sung

18. Results: first phase of Delphi
How to understand and teach upcycling in the context of the circular economy: literature review and first phase of Delphi
Dr Kyungeun Sung
Effective ways to communicate the upcycling and CE information for educational purposes:
 Demonstration video to talk through the diagram or animated diagram (n=5)
 Visual and written information as training manuals or toolkits in the form of paper,
book chapter, poster, etc. (soft and hard copies) (n=2)
 The suggested diagram would work well (n=2)
 Interactive session where learners can give their opinions/ideas
 Hands-on upcycling example activities and competitions
 Research project involving upcycling
 Real-life projects, workshops, seminars
 Symposium or conference
 Exhibitions with thought-provoking images and artefacts
 Breaking down the contents into sub systems (e.g. take, make, distribution, use)
 Focusing on similarities than differences

19. Results: first phase of Delphi
How to understand and teach upcycling in the context of the circular economy: literature review and first phase of Delphi
Dr Kyungeun Sung
The respondents’ confidence rate:
 99-80% confidence in being right (n=10; 66.67%)
 79-60% confidence in being right (n=4; 26.67%)
 59-40% confidence in being right (n=0; 0%)
 39-20% confidence in being right (n=1; 6.67%)
 19-0% confidence in being right (n=0; 0%)

20. Conclusions
How to understand and teach upcycling in the context of the circular economy: literature review and first phase of Delphi
Dr Kyungeun Sung
 Diversified and critical comments and feedback
 No consensus made yet
 Future work:
o Further questionnaire iterations
o A short animation video
o Training manual/toolkit as an open access digital document

21. Acknowledgements
 AHRC Research Networking grant for International Upcycling Research Network
[grant number AH/W007134/1]
 Staff Innovation Allowance from De Montfort University (DMU)
 DMU Faculty (Arts, Design and Humanities) Enhancing Research Culture fund
 Guy Bingham, Stuart Lawson, Kelley Wilder, Kate Cheyne, Siobhan Keenan, Deborah
Cartmell, and Heather McLaughlin for supporting this research at DMU
 Amal Abuzeinab for the inspiration
How to understand and teach upcycling in the context of the circular economy: literature review and first phase of Delphi
Dr Kyungeun Sung

22. How to understand and teach upcycling in the context of the circular economy: literature review and first phase of Delphi
Dr Kyungeun Sung
International Upcycling Festival 2024
https://upcyclingfestival2024.our.dmu.ac.uk/call-for-papers/

23. International Upcycling Festival 2024
 Aim: showcase the network activities and outcomes, expand the network, and engage
businesses and consumers for direct impact
 Full paper submission by 31 July 2023
 Call for other contributions open in October 2023
 Day 1 on Thursday 1
1th April 2024 (9am-5pm) at DMU: academic presentations and
discussions
 Day 2 on Friday 12th April 2024 (12pm-9pm) at LCB Depot: 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.
 Gala dinner: informal networking between advisory board and network members
How to understand and teach upcycling in the context of the circular economy: literature review and first phase of Delphi
Dr Kyungeun Sung

24. WS4 1.30-3.00 PM on Friday 2nd June
WS4 – Identifying key global challenges and opportunities for scaling up
upcycling businesses using Interpretive Structural Modelling
 Workshop 4 / T004
 Friday 13.30 – 15.00
 Aim: identify critical global challenges and opportunities for scaling up upcycling
businesses worldwide, utilising Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM).
 Organisers:
– Dr Amal Abuzeinab, De Montfort University, UK
– Dr Kyungeun Sung, De Montfort University, UK
– Prof Richie Moalosi, University of Botswana, Botswana
 Target audience: global experts and key stakeholders in sustainable production
and consumption focusing on upcycling-based and/or circular businesses
 Target number: 15-20
How to understand and teach upcycling in the context of the circular economy: literature review and first phase of Delphi
Dr Kyungeun Sung

25. Dr Kyungeun Sung
Senior Lecturer in Product Design
De Montfort University
Gateway House, Leicester, UK
Email: Kyungeun.sung@dmu.ac.uk
Phone: +44 (0)116 207 8498
Website: https://www.kyungeunsung.com/home
How to understand and teach upcycling in the context of the circular economy: literature review and first phase of Delphi
Dr Kyungeun Sung
Thank you. Any questions? 