Recycle is more than just the municipal recycling stream, you can use that kind of shavings for some things. For example use glue to add fur to a cardboard creation.
Recycling means making new cardboard or paper out of old material.
“Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recycling
Old tires to footwear is recycling even if you can see the old tread pattern you don’t have a tire at this point it’s a new item, or as I suggested cardboard crap waste to fir on a piece of artwork. The difference is you’re modifying the underlying item for use as part of something new.
It can feel like a grey area. Upcycled is often used when much of the original item remains, but shredded cardboard isn’t really cardboard as it lacks some of its fundamental properties arising from the 3D structure.