We all strive to surround ourselves with favorite things that make us happy, unique and just ourselves. Beautiful things with a backstory bring us great pleasure and create the atmosphere of our daily life. But, unfortunately, each item has its own life cycle.

Conscious consumption implies that breakage is not the endpoint of an item’s existence. In many ways, the history of Ochis began with the repair shop owned by our founder’s dad, which showed the importance of a careful and conscious approach to things. Thrift stores and recycling initiatives will be extremely grateful to people reaching out to them instead of throwing stuff away to lay on a landfill.

Still, there is always the last stage of an item’s lifespan; when it no longer fulfills its function but can still carry value. That's when you can start to upcycle.

Quite simply, upcycling is the process of reusing an item unexpectedly and creatively. If you've ever enjoyed watching DIY videos, you are already an upcycling expert!

In addition to the environmental benefits (reducing the item’s carbon footprint and extending its life cycle), upcycling has one other undeniably cool function — developing creative thinking and fulfilling your creative potential. After all, there is a child inside each of us, able to imagine a whole new world just by looking at a usual stick and turning it into a flag, a horse, a helicopter rotor blade or a hundred things more. You simply must learn to listen to that child’s voice from time to time.

The next time an item seems completely worthless, try to come up with five unusual uses for it. For example, different parts of Ochis could become scissors, a phone stand, a bookmark, a jewelry holder, or a gardening stick for loosening the soil. Can you think of five more?

Practically everything appears in the human imagination first, and upcycling could become a great mental exercise for your inner inventor. Make sure to cherish their endless curiosity and have fun with it!