When obsolete tech becomes creative gold

The average computer keyboard contains nearly 100 individual keys, a plastic housing, metal components, and electronic circuitry that can take centuries to decompose in landfills. With an estimated 350 million keyboards disposed of annually worldwide, the environmental impact is staggering. Yet within this growing waste stream, innovative creators see raw materials waiting to be transformed.

Sarah Chen, a San Francisco-based industrial designer who creates furniture from e-waste, explains the appeal: “Keyboards represent this perfect intersection of familiarity and obsolescence. Everyone recognizes them instantly, but few people think about what happens after they’re discarded.” Chen’s coffee tables featuring keyboard keys arranged in gradient color patterns sell for upwards of $2,000 at boutique furniture galleries, demonstrating the potential market value of repurposed tech waste.

From waste to wall art: The new keyboard aesthetics

The most visually striking trend in keyboard upcycling is large-scale art installations. At Berlin’s annual Elektro-Müll Festival, artist collective DigitalDetritus unveiled “QWERTY Cascade,” a 30-foot waterfall-like installation composed of over 7,000 salvaged keyboards. The piece, which took six months to construct, uses subtle LED lighting to illuminate different sections of keys, creating waves of light that ripple through the installation.

“People interact with it almost reverently,” says collective member Tobias Weber. “There’s something powerful about seeing these objects—that we’ve all touched and used intimately—accumulated in such massive numbers. It forces us to confront our consumption patterns.”

Smaller-scale wall art has become increasingly popular among tech professionals. Etsy now features hundreds of sellers offering framed keyboard art, from simple key monograms starting at $25 to elaborate mosaics commanding several hundred dollars. The tactile nature of keyboard keys, with their satisfying clickable design and familiar lettering, makes them uniquely appealing as decorative elements.

The jewelry makers typing their way into fashion

Perhaps the most unexpected keyboard afterlife is in the jewelry market, where artisans have found endless possibilities in the small plastic squares. Portland-based maker Jenna Lyons creates earrings, necklaces, and bracelets from salvaged mechanical keyboard switches and keycaps, with prices ranging from $30 for simple key earrings to $250 for elaborate statement necklaces featuring multiple keys and electronic components.

“The response has been incredible,” Lyons says. “Tech workers especially love wearing these pieces that reference their daily work lives. And mechanical keyboard enthusiasts go crazy for jewelry made from vintage Cherry MX switches or rare keycap designs.”

The trend has expanded beyond niche markets. Last fall, Urban Outfitters introduced a line of keyboard jewelry designed in collaboration with upcycling collective ReCompute, bringing the aesthetic to mainstream fashion audiences. The collection sold out within weeks, suggesting mainstream appeal for tech-waste fashion.

The environmental equation: Is keyboard upcycling sustainable?

While creative reuse is visually appealing, questions remain about its environmental impact. Dr. Margot Chen, environmental science professor at MIT, sees both promise and limitations in the keyboard upcycling movement.

“Any time we extend the useful life of products, it’s generally positive,” Chen notes. “But we should be clear-eyed about the scale of the problem versus the scale of these solutions. Creative reuse is capturing perhaps 0.01% of discarded keyboards. The real solutions need to come earlier in the product lifecycle.”

Some keyboard manufacturers are taking note. Logitech recently introduced a line of peripherals with 65% recycled plastic content and designed for easier disassembly and recycling. Mechanical keyboard company Drop offers a trade-in program where customers can return used keyboards and keycaps for store credit, with usable components refurbished and resold.

Hacking hardware: The keyboard’s functional afterlives

Beyond decorative uses, a growing community of hardware hackers are finding ways to repurpose keyboard components for new functional applications. Keyboard switches—particularly high-quality mechanical switches—are being harvested for custom MIDI controllers, unique game controllers, and specialized accessibility devices.

Jason Wong, founder of KeyboardRescue in Oakland, has developed a thriving business reclaiming mechanical switches from discarded gaming and enthusiast keyboards. “A single high-end keyboard might contain switches worth $30-40 if sold individually,” Wong explains. “Companies and universities discard thousands of these during upgrades, not realizing they’re throwing away components with significant residual value.”

Wong’s team disassembles keyboards, tests switches, and sells them to hobbyists building custom input devices. They also conduct workshops teaching basic electronics and keyboard customization, spreading awareness about e-waste reduction through hands-on experience.

The keyboard upcycling movement highlights a broader shift in our relationship with technology—from disposable consumables to materials with ongoing potential value. As our electronic waste continues to mount, these creative approaches offer not just sustainable alternatives but a powerful visual reminder of our consumption patterns. While systemic changes in manufacturing and recycling are still needed, these keyboard graveyards-turned-art suggest how creativity might help us rethink our throwaway tech culture.