Proposal
for “The Upcycle Show”
UK’s first conference and exhibition highlighting the
reuse industry
Aim: To encourage the
reuse of goods and materials and to demonstrate good practice in these fields
including goods and items already available using this process.
Introduction
Upcycling is the art of transforming old materials into new goods by reusing,
repairing or adapting.
Upcycling converts items
previously considered ‘rubbish’ into new creations. Today you can find wallets
made out of bicycle tyres and purses composed of post-consumer pop tabs.
Upcycling was coined in the book “Cradle to Cradle” which flips the ‘cradle to
grave’ idea of products into a closed loop ideal. For Cradle to Cradle, each
component of a product is designed to continually be upcycled, creating no
waste. The vision is to create a world, in which waste does not exist, only
items that can continually evolve into new things or biodegrade back into
nature.
Upcycling is becoming a
rapidly expanding sector and whereas the emphasis has been on recycling, it is
now acknowledged that the future is towards reuse with upcycling at the
forefront of this arena.
The exhibition
Up to now there has been no
showcase to exhibit upcycled goods and apparatus associated with the trade in
the UK.
Last year there was a
successful exhibition in the US in October which drew good publicity and hinted at
the potential for such an event here in the UK.
There is a huge demand from
the public to offer alternatives to landfill from waste. In five years between
2005 and the present day, recycling has reduced the amount going to landfill by
one million tons in the UK.
The
internet is alive with mail order companies specialising in fairly traded,
sustainable and recycled products, made from everything from old discarded
tyres to electrical components from computers and TVs.
There
are already hundreds of items made from recycled materials here in the UK. (eg
reuze.co.uk) All potential exhibitors at the exhibition. A list of possible
customers is listed below.
Exhibitors
- Building
material reuse and reclamation
- Tools for
renovation and repair
- Furniture
reuse networks
- Biodiesel
manufactures
- IT materials
exchange
- Scrap clubs
- Reclaimed
materials artists
- Recycled gift
objects
- ”Upcycled”
fashion
- Freecycle
- Vintage
clothes
- Ebay and
other online exchange services
- Exchange and
Mart
- Friday ads
- Gumtree etc
Features
- Conference
- Fashion Show
- Art Exhibits
Venue
This exhibition has the possibility of standing alone and being held at
a major exhibition venue and run as a public event.
It could also be a trade exhibition for professionals in the waste and
recycling sector with custom from Local Authorities, retail buyers and other
interested parties.
It could piggy back on to other related exhibitions such as The Recycling & Waste Management Exhibition held
in September at the NEC in Birmingham
that has over 10,000 visitors.
Support
The Upcycle Show has the
potential to attract major sponsorship opportunities. It may catch the
imagination of an online sales company that specializes in second -hand goods
such as Ebay.
The Team
Des Kay Show founder.
- 21 years running a major environmental event,
Kingston Green Fair – One day bank holiday event with average 10,000
visitors. Founder, layout designer, manager, graphic designer, site
manager.
- Involvement in two environmental shows at
Olympia Exhibition Hall.
- 25 years involvement in recycling including
committee setting up London Community Recycling Network.
- Founder. Glastonbury Green Police; 150 green police
at Glastonbury Festival encouraging recycling every year.
- Founder of Save the World Club. Award winning
charity started in 1985. Works with local communities using recycled
materials.
Margaret Mongan
- 21yrs space selling experience with the
past 3yrs being on exhibitions
- Organised healing field. Kingston Green Fair.