One of the most common questions our corporate team gets is simple:
“Can this material be upcycled?”
Short answer: probably yes.
Longer answer: let’s break it down in plain English. No sustainability background required.
Think of upcycling like cooking at home. You do not need Michelin star ingredients. You just need materials that still have some life left in them.
That being said, not all ingredients are created equal. So let’s take a look at what tends to work best.
Common Upcycled Materials We See in Corporate Projects
Some of the most upcycle friendly materials for corporate projects and corporate gifting include:
Billboard vinyl (7 oz, 9 oz). This is our bread and butter and what Rareform was built on.
But it does not stop there. We also regularly upcycle:
- Event banners and signage from festivals, conferences, stadiums, and trade shows.
- Mesh materials and fabrics such as building wraps and fence banners.
- Polyester signage and other durable printed materials used for booth activations.
- Textiles like denim, cotton, and other heavy duty fabrics.
A simple rule of thumb:
If it was designed to survive outdoors, crowds, shipping, or repeated use, it is usually a strong candidate for upcycling.
Billboard vinyl and event signage, in particular, are some of the most common materials used in upcycled corporate gifts and branded products.
What Makes a Material a Good Fit for Upcycling?
Think of upcycling like a recipe. The better the ingredients, the easier the outcome.
When evaluating materials for upcycled corporate projects, we look at a few key things:
Durability
Will the material hold up long term? Corporate gifts and branded products should last longer than the event they came from.
Print Coverage
Solid colors, bold graphics, or mixed patterns can all work. Each creates a different final look.
Design Flexibility
Bold colors and patterns create more one of a kind, expressive products
Neutral tones create more consistent collections
We also offer patchwork designs, where materials are cut into smaller pieces and recombined into a unique color mashup. This allows brands to use more of their material while creating something visually interesting and completely unique.
With certain materials, we can even use the backside, which opens the door to clean, all black or more minimal corporate collections.
Condition vs. Perfection
Minor scuffs or marks are completely fine. Major cracking or brittleness is harder to work around. Our team reviews all material to make sure the final product is something we are proud to put our name on.
Materials That Usually Do Not Work (and Why)
Not everything is meant to be upcycled and that is okay.
Materials that are typically not a good fit include:
Extremely brittle or cracking materials
Items that cannot be cleaned easily or safely
Heavy logo or sponsorship coverage you do not want reused
Faces or body parts. They get awkward fast. Imagine an eye cut into thirds.
If something is not a good fit, we will flag it early so you can plan accordingly.
Design Considerations for Upcycled Corporate Products
Upcycled products naturally embrace variation.
No two items are exactly alike and that is part of the story.
But variation does not mean randomness.
Logos, text placement, scale, and color balance are all carefully cut and designed by our team so the final product feels premium, cohesive, and brand aligned, not leftover or accidental.
The goal is always the same:
Designed with intention, not just reused.
FAQs About Upcycled Corporate Materials
Do colors need to match exactly?
No. Variation is expected and often celebrated. However, there are design approaches we can use to introduce consistency if that is important for your brand.
Can damaged materials still work?
Sometimes. We can often cut around damage depending on product size and the amount of usable material available.
What if we have multiple material types?
That is completely fine and often results in a richer final collection. Mixing materials is part of what makes upcycled corporate projects interesting.
The Bottom Line
If you are sitting on old banners, signage, or materials and wondering whether they are “good enough,” chances are they are.
Upcycling is not about perfection.
It is about turning materials you already have into products you already buy and products people actually use, keep, and talk about.
And even if you do not have material but want to be part of the upcycling story, we can source material for you so you can still create unique products that carry your mission and vision forward.
Because sometimes the most interesting products do not come from new materials.
They come from materials that already have a story.
