The value of participatory co-design: a case study of upcycling in rural Thailand

Abstract

Participatory design (PD) has been increasingly applied to support community-based sustainability initiatives, particularly in rural contexts where local knowledge and material constraints shape upcycling practices. However, limited access to design expertise may affect the long-term viability of such initiatives. This study explores how PD principles intersect with upcycling practices in small communities in Thailand through semi-structured interviews with 22 experts from two groups: community-participation experts and upcycling-design experts. An inductive reflexive thematic analysis identified five themes related to participatory upcycling practices, including creative participation as a pathway to community engagement, culturally appropriate communication for sustaining involvement, the integration of local craftsmanship into product development, the influence of material availability on design feasibility, and limited access to technical skills. The findings suggest that participatory upcycling practices support locally grounded innovation through collaborative knowledge-sharing and culturally relevant design processes. However, their implementation remains dependent on external technical support and resource access in rural contexts. The study highlights the importance of context-sensitive design collaboration in supporting sustainable community-based upcycling practices.