Waste Management
The Upcycle Architect (TUPA) is a sustainability-focused social enterprise redefining design, waste, and community impact in Nigeria. We transform discarded materials, such as textile offcuts, wood scraps, and discarded glass bottles into functional furniture, décor, and lifestyle products that combine aesthetics with environmental responsibility.
Beyond products, we are driven by education and empowerment. Through our Academy, we equip women, youth, and creatives with practical skills in upcycling, circular design, and sustainable entrepreneurship. Our Sustitch by TUPA initiative empowers women artisans to turn textile waste into income-generating fashion products and accessories.
Rooted in circular economy principles, The Upcycle Architect bridges creativity, innovation, and social impact, diverting waste from landfills, creating green livelihoods, and inspiring communities to see waste not as a problem, but as an opportunity to build a more sustainable future.
Years of operation
SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, SDG 13: Climate Action, SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
“The Upcycle Architect (TUPA) is a purpose-driven social enterprise advancing sustainability, circular design, and community empowerment in Nigeria. At its core, TUPA reimagines waste as a valuable resource, transforming discarded textiles, wood offcuts, scrap bottles, and broken glass into functional furniture, décor, and lifestyle products that are both environmentally responsible and design-led.
Our work challenges conventional production models by proving that sustainability, aesthetics, and functionality can coexist.
TUPA operates through four interconnected impact arms. Our Products division creates handcrafted furniture and décor, including signature pieces like the Bouteille Table, developed from reclaimed wood, bottles, and emerging eco-materials such as geopolymer cement. To date, we have produced 7,452+ upcycled furniture and décor pieces, reducing material waste while supporting local artisans.
Through Sustitch by TUPA, our textile upcycling initiative, we convert denim and fabric offcuts into bags and accessories while equipping women with marketable skills. This initiative has produced 1,200+ upcycled bags, trained 125 women, engaged 8 communities, and diverted an estimated 7,500 kg of textile waste from landfills.
Education and capacity building are central to our mission. The Upcycle Architect Academy delivers workshops, webinars, bootcamps, and fellowships focused on upcycling, circular economy principles, and sustainable entrepreneurship. So far, we have trained 400+ individuals across 15+ states in Nigeria. Complementing this is the Creative Upcycle Community, a growing network of 250+ members who participate in monthly challenges, collaborative projects, and knowledge-sharing sessions that promote creative reuse and low-waste living.
Collectively, The Upcycle Architect bridges design, education, and social impact, creating green livelihoods, fostering environmental awareness, and contributing to a more inclusive and regenerative future where waste becomes opportunity.”
A case study will be The 1,000 School Bags Project. This was a flagship impact initiative by The Upcycle Architect, designed to address both environmental waste and educational inequality. The project transformed discarded sacks and textile offcuts into durable, functional school bags for underserved children, proving that sustainability can directly support access to education.
Through this, waste materials were repurposed into tools of learning and dignity. The project also served as a skills and livelihood program, engaging and training women artisans in upcycling, quality finishing, and small-scale production.
Key Achievements and Impact:
- 500 upcycled school bags produced and distributed (so far)
- Significant diversion of textile waste from landfills (783kg)
- Women artisans trained and employed during production (10 women)
- Bags distributed to Wasa IDP community supporting school readiness
- Increased awareness of circular economy solutions for social good
The 1,000 School Bags Project demonstrates how design-led upcycling can create measurable social, environmental, and economic impact simultaneously.
- Primary Contact: Bilkisu Garba (Founder/Managing Director )
- Email: info@theupcyclearchitect.com
- Phone Number: +2348098891993
- LinkedIn: LinkedIn URL
We seek for Corporate and Private Sector Partnerships with companies who are committed to sustainability, CSR, and ESG goals, especially those interested in waste reduction, ethical sourcing, green interiors, or community engagement programs.
We also seek for foundations, donors, and impact investors interested in scaling proven models with clear metrics in waste diversion, livelihoods, and education.