The latest articles and insights direct to your inbox.
As part of Recycling Week, we’re reflecting on the journey that waste can take after it has been placed in the correct bin.
This was something we saw first-hand through a recent project at Houghton Festival, where we produced 200 reusable bin toppers across four waste streams: Food Waste, Plastics, Cans and Other Waste.
Starting with the Right Waste Stream
Our custom bin toppers featured clear branding and waste labelling, helping festivalgoers identify which waste stream their rubbish belonged in.
While the bin toppers were designed to fit seamlessly into the festival environment, their purpose went beyond appearance. Clear waste separation can help reduce contamination and support more efficient collection and processing of different materials.
But what happens after the waste has been collected?
The Further Journey
At Houghton Festival, Are You Mad were also helping to explore what can happen to waste materials beyond the bin.
Are You Mad are creative waste designers who focus on transforming waste materials into new products. At the festival, they hosted activities including litter picking and workshops, giving people the opportunity to learn more about waste, recycling and reuse.
Their work provided an interesting example of how materials can be reimagined rather than simply discarded.
Giving Waste a New Purpose
During the festival, materials were transformed into a range of products, including the carabiners shown above.
Our marketing team had the opportunity to get involved in the process and make some of these products ourselves.
The process was both creative and interactive. The waste plastic was first shredded before being fed into the machinery used to recycle it. The material was then heated and extruded, with the recycled plastic being shaped ready for the mould. Once placed into the mould, it was left to cool and set before the mould was taken apart to reveal the finished product.
It was a great reminder that the journey of waste doesn’t necessarily end when something is placed in a bin.
What We Contributed To
Our Houghton Festival bin toppers formed one part of this wider journey by helping individuals identify the correct waste stream.
From clearer waste separation to recycling, reuse and upcycling, each stage can play a part in helping materials stay in use for longer.
So, the next time you throw something away, think again about where it could go — and what it could become.
