Hipcycle Creates New Home Online for Chic, Affordable Upcycled Products

OCEAN, N.J., Sept. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Upcycled products have a new home on the Internet with the debut of Hipcycle, which launches on October 1. The new e-commerce site, found at www.hipcycle.com, is the only site of its kind dedicated solely to selling "attractive, stylish, durable and price competitive" upcycled products. At launch, nearly 400 products in the home, office, garden and furniture categories will be featured on the site making waves in the upcycling industry.

Upcycling is a growing trend in green design. It's the practice of taking something that would otherwise be thrown away and transforming it into something of greater use and value. Reducing the use of new raw materials to create products has a significant effect on the reduction of energy usage, air and water pollution, and various emissions.

The concept of "upcycling" first came on the scene in the mid to late 1990s, and was featured in the book, Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things, by William McDonough and Michael Braungart in 2002.

"Our goal is to bring the marketplace for upcycled products closer to the mainstream consumer," said Andrew Sell, CEO (or "Chief Hipcycler") of Hipcycle. "The upcycling industry is one of the fastest growing segments of the green economy. Rather than only targeting people who are highly environmentally conscious, we want to reach the broader population. Hipcycle features a curated variety of products that are stylish and aesthetically pleasing, that also happen to be environmentally friendly."

Many of the products featured on Hipcycle.com are made in the Unites States while others are purchased through a commitment to Fair Trade Practices. Once on the site, you can search for products by category (initially, Home, Office, Garden, Furniture) or by the material from which they're made – wood, fabric, glass, metal, plastic, wine barrels, and vinyl records, to name just a few. Some initial products include picture frames made from upcycled ceiling tin, candelabras made from wood spindles, benches and tables made from reclaimed wood, and a variety of baskets made from upcycled paper, tires and woven plastic.

Sell welcomes contact from designers and vendors, as he's always considering new products and categories to feature on the site. "Hipcycle is going to be constantly expanding and adding beautiful, functional new products. I'm always interested to meet new upcyclers who have an amazing creative vision and the ability to bring that to life."

Hipcycle is one of the leading e-commerce sites for upcycled products that are attractive, stylish, durable and price competitive. Sharing the stories behind each product, mixed with a bit of fun and design savvy, we bring a curated variety of upcycled products to everyone looking for beautiful furniture and products for their home and office. Join our growing communities online at Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter.

SOURCE Hipcycle