The UK Upcycling Networking event was organised on Friday 24th February at De Montfort University (DMU), Leicester, UK, in order to facilitate networking between existing network members and potential new members, and support the network’s first medium-to-long-term objective (i.e. generate and develop new cross-industry, multidisciplinary, international collaborative research projects and initiatives). Twenty-one (21) people participated in the event. The participants included the UK network members, DMU staff and students working on other upcycling-related projects led by the PI (i.e. New product development for upcycling and circular economy project, Pallet upcycling furniture project with the University of Botswana, Chako upcycling design project, and scoping research for the ‘Circular renewable energy systems’ project), and external people who are interested in the International Upcycling Research Network. Most participants, by the end of the event, answered that ‘they met some people they could potentially work together in the future’, ‘they had some meaningful conversations that could lead to future collaborations’, and ‘they got some ideas about what kinds of contributions they could make for the International Upcycling Festival 2024.’
