Dune Awakening: How to sell or recycle spare items

In Dune: Awakening, your inventory fills up fast. But not every piece of equipment you find is worth holding onto. In fact, many items you pick up are inherently flawed due to reduced max durability, making them poor candidates for long-term use or repair. Instead of hoarding broken-down gear, players have two efficient options: sell it at Trading Posts or recycle it for valuable crafting materials.

Let’s break down when to sell and when to recycle in the harsh world of Arrakis.

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Why found gear isn’t worth the effort

Rather than repairing and reusing them, it’s often best to sell or dismantle (Image via Funcom)

One of the most important lessons early in the game is understanding the quality of your gear. Items found in the wild often come with reduced maximum durability, meaning no matter how much you repair them, they'll never be as reliable as freshly crafted gear.

Eventually, trying to maintain these items becomes a massive waste of time and resources. So, rather than repairing and reusing them, it’s often best to sell or dismantle. Either way, it's profitable!

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Option 1: Selling gear at trading posts

You can only sell at designated Trade Outposts such as Griffin, Anvil, or Pinnacle (Image via Funcom)

If you're looking to earn Solaris, selling unwanted gear is straightforward. But there’s a catch — you can only do this at designated Trade Outposts such as Griffin, Anvil, or Pinnacle. Here’s how it works:

• Locate a Trade Post on your map.
• Interact with the NPC Vendor to sell your excess items.
• Prices vary depending on supply and demand, so it’s worth scouting different posts for better deals.

However, note that NPC merchants don’t offer great prices. Basic gear might only net you a handful of Solaris, and selling too many of the same item can reduce their value further. If you’re saving up for expensive blueprints, vehicles, or rare materials, this can still be a decent option, but only if you’re willing to make the trip.

Pro tip: Avoid selling rare materials like Spice-Infused Copper Dust, Fremen crafting parts, or unique schematics. These are vital for late-game gear and are much more valuable when used wisely or traded with players via the CHOAM Exchange.

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Option 2: Recycling gear for materials

Depending on the item, you'll recover green, blue, or even purple-tier materials (Image via Funcom)

If you're not desperate for Solaris, recycling gear is the more resource-efficient strategy, especially for crafters. Instead of dumping old weapons and armor, you can break them down and reinvest their materials into new, stronger gear.

How to recycle items

To start recycling, you’ll need to build a Recycler at your base:

1) Access the Placeables menu and find the schematic under Copper Products.

2) Requirements:

• 30 x Copper Ingot
• Construction Tool equipped
• Access to base power

3) Once placed and powered, using the Recycler is easy:

1. Interact with the Recycler Station.
2. Select the gear or weapon you want to break down.
3. Confirm recycling.
4. Collect the output materials from the right panel.

Depending on the item, you'll recover green-, blue-, or even purple-tier materials, including essentials like Plasteel Microflora Fiber, which is notoriously hard to farm early game.

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Best practices for recycling in Dune: Awakening

In Dune: Awakening, efficient inventory management is key to thriving on Arrakis

• Recycle higher-tier items like steel- or aluminum-based gear to gain rarer materials.
• Even broken gear (0% durability) recycles well; you’ll get nearly all the components back, making repairs unnecessary.
• Modded gear may return mods or their base parts. It’s not guaranteed, but higher-quality mods increase the chances.
• Recycle in bulk to save time. Since there's no queue, batching your recycling makes loot collection simpler.
• Test craft cheap items to see what materials they break down into. This can help optimize your farming routes.
• Only recycle from your inventory. Items stored in chests or storage won’t be selectable for dismantling.
• Quest and unique items can't be recycled. If an item doesn’t show the option, it’s likely protected for in-game balance reasons.

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When to sell vs. recycle

Situation	Best option	Why
Need Solaris fast	Sell at Trade Outposts	Good for quick cash, especially if you’re near Griffin, Anvil, or Pinnacle.
Want crafting materials	Recycle	Recovered components help with gear upgrades and base expansion.
Holding broken or found gear	Recycle	These have limited lifespan and are better used as raw material.
Rare or modded gear	Recycle (if not usable)	Might return mod parts or rare mats.
Unique schematics or Spice-infused items	Keep or trade	Too valuable to sell to NPCs.

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In Dune: Awakening, efficient inventory management is key to thriving on Arrakis. Found gear might seem helpful at first, but its reduced durability makes it a poor investment. By choosing wisely between selling at Trading Posts or recycling through your base’s Recycler, you can ensure that no item goes to waste — turning broken gear into either profit or progress.

Whether you’re stocking up on Solaris or farming rare mats for your next big craft, knowing when to sell and when to scrap is the true path to mastery in the desert.

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Check out our other Dune Awakening Guide:

• Dune Awakening: How to get Metal Salvage
• Dune Awakening: What’s the max level?
• Dune Awakening: All class trainer locations
• Dune Awakening: Can you relocate your base?