The UP Factory

In 2011, Droog launched UP, a design initiative that rethinks how to deal with unsold products, or “dead stock.” Instead of treating these goods as waste, UP sees them as valuable materials that can be transformed through design.

Working with companies like Makro, Vlisco, van Gansewinkel, and Mediq, designers were invited to reinterpret surplus products and turn them into new, functional objects. These redesigned items are then brought back into circulation, offering an alternative to disposal or recycling.

Launched at the UP Conference in Amsterdam, the project also explored challenges such as economic viability, intellectual property, and consumer perception. Ultimately, UP shows how design can restore value to existing materials and contribute to more sustainable ways of producing and consuming.

---

Droog is currently hosting UP workshops and collaborating with companies in developing products using dead stock. up.droog.com