Recycly
What is Recycly

Sort smarter,
live cleaner

Recycly is a mobile app designed to help people quickly and accurately sort their household waste using AI photo recognition.The app not only identifies what kind of material an item is, but also provides nearby depot information for special items like batteries or electronics making sustainable disposal easier for everyone.
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This project started with a simple question
‍“Why is recycling still so confusing?”

Problem
Design Challenge
Solution
Target Users
User Experience
Solution
UI

Problem

Despite growing interest in sustainability, recycling is still confusing for many people. Local rules vary, labels are unclear, and special items like batteries or electronics require extra steps which are often unknown or hard to follow.

Design Challenges

How might we help users quickly figure out where and how to recycle tricky items through a simple scan?

Solution

Using image recognition technology, Recycly instantly identifies recyclable materials and guides users with clear sorting rules and local drop-off locations making sustainable disposal more accessible and less confusing.
“I got to the parking lot for a trail but couldn’t find the entrance. I ended up walking the wrong way for a while.”
“At some forks, it’s really unclear whether to go left or right. And the map only tells me I messed up after I’ve taken the wrong path.”
“One time the sun set way faster than I expected. I had to turn back early because I wasn’t sure if I’d make it out in time.”
“One time the sun set way faster than I expected. I had to turn back early because I wasn’t sure if I’d make it out in time.”
“Even if I save a good trail, I often can’t find it again when I actually want to go.”
“Sometimes there’s no one around on the trail and no internet, so I really want reliable information I can trust offline.”
“I got to the parking lot for a trail but couldn’t find the entrance. I ended up walking the wrong way for a while.”
“At some forks, it’s really unclear whether to go left or right. And the map only tells me I messed up after I’ve taken the wrong path.”
“One time the sun set way faster than I expected. I had to turn back early because I wasn’t sure if I’d make it out in time.”
“One time the sun set way faster than I expected. I had to turn back early because I wasn’t sure if I’d make it out in time.”
“Even if I save a good trail, I often can’t find it again when I actually want to go.”
“Sometimes there’s no one around on the trail and no internet, so I really want reliable information I can trust offline.”

Target Users

Eco-conscious but Overwhelmed
Moving Households

Using image recognition technology, Recycly instantly identifies recyclable materials and guides users with clear sorting rules and local drop-off locations making sustainable disposal more accessible and less confusing.

Understanding the User Experience

Wireframe

This flow demonstrates the complete user journey of Recycly, from onboarding to identifying recyclable items and locating proper drop-off points.

Key Takeaway

At first, I tried to include too many features, thinking more meant better.But through trial and error, I learned that a clear and focused user flow is more valuable than packing everything into one app.Simplifying the experience helped me prioritize what truly matters to users.