Upcycling is not an ecological trend yet an economically driven creative practice for the generations brought up by the shortage of consumer goods in the USSR and "the hungry nineties" after its collapse. Lack of resources sparks creativity. Why would you buy a new lock if you can use rags to lock a gate? Why would you waste money on a dome shade if you can make it from a plastic bottle? As a bonus: no one will break or steal it.
“There's everything in Epicenter*. There’s just no money.” Creative upcycling is thriving even when there is no shortage. There is still a belief: making something out of trash is cheaper than buying a new thing. While environmental awareness is a privilege for the rich, upcycling is economically motivated for the poor.
*The largest home improvement retailer in Ukraine
