PLASTIC FREE JULY: RETHINKING PLASTIC WASTE WITH ARE YOU MAD

Running from 7–29 July, Are You Mad is flipping the script on how we see plastic by bringing their innovations to life at their pop-up concept store, DISMANTLED, right in the heart of Coal Drops Yard for Plastic Free July.

So what actually is DISMANTLED? In short: it’s a space where plastic waste goes in, and ingenious design comes out. Right before your eyes. Think of it as a behind-the-scenes pass to the plastic recycling process. Plastic is shredded, melted, and remoulded live and on-site into one-of-a-kind pieces. It’s part factory, part gallery, part education hub and it’s seriously worth a visit.

Even the space itself is part of the story. True to its name, DISMANTLED is built to come apart. Every single element of the store is designed using recycled or discarded materials that can be broken down and reused again — because circularity isn’t just a nice idea, it’s built into the bricks (well, recycled boards) of the place.

Here’s the kicker: worldwide, less than 10% of plastic actually gets recycled. Most of it disappears into the ether — out of sight, out of mind. But Are You Mad is flipping that on its head, bringing the whole process into full view. No smoke, no mirrors — just real-time recycling in all its noisy, melty, mesmerising glory. It's tactile. It's transparent. It's interactive. You can even get involved and learn how the machines work, see the transformation from bottle top to keychain, and talk to the team behind the mission.

We caught up with James, co-founder of Are You Mad to find out more about their pop-up:

WHAT IS ‘ARE YOU MAD’?

We make stuff out of waste. We work with businesses, we work with organisations to promote the use of waste, promote the fact that you can reuse lots of different materials and you don't need to get new stuff out of the ground and make it out of virgin materials.

WHY DOES PLASTIC RECYCLING MATTER?

Everybody knows that plastic is a problem, you can’t get away from it. So, by using plastic as like, a medium to educate people about materials and how they can be reused, it’s like a really easy thing to do and that’s what we’ve been doing. Hopefully it inspires some change in people’s being.

WHAT DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO TAKE AWAY FROM THE POP-UP?

That you don’t need to buy new stuff. You can make stuff out of old stuff, you can buy second-hand, you can reuse your plastic. You can find out ways of making something new out of the waste that you’ve got.

Watch the full interview here.

CREATING A MORE CIRCULAR KING’S CROSS

DISMANTLED isn’t just about watching plastic get a new lease on life — it’s about getting the whole community involved too.

Alongside live demos and hands-on workshops, the project is teaming up with Coal Drops Yard retailers and restaurants to pilot something pretty exciting: a full-on waste audit. Sounds a bit serious? Well, it kind of is — but in the best, most hopeful way.

Here’s how it works: local plastic waste is collected, cleaned, and shredded right there on-site to create “rshreds” (that’s recycled plastic shreds, a.k.a. the lab’s magic ingredient). These rshreds are then used as raw material for everything made in the space — furniture, objects, artworks — you name it.

But this isn’t just about recycling for the sake of it. By tracking and measuring exactly what’s coming in and where it’s coming from, the team can map the waste streams in the area, test out new recycling methods, and gather data to write a report that could reshape the way the entire King’s Cross estate deals with waste. Big goals, right?

It’s bold, it’s brilliant—and honestly, it’s kind of the future. A creative, local solution that brings businesses and everyday people together to reimagine waste as a resource.

THE RESKINNED TAKEBACK BIN

When we heard about Are You Mad’s latest venture we knew we had to be involved. It’s got everything we love: community, creativity and circularity. So, naturally, we rolled up with something very Reskinned: our very own textile takeback bin, now proudly stationed inside the DISMANTLED pop-up! But this isn’t just any old bin. Oh no. This one’s been designed and built by the plastic sorcerers at Are You Mad themselves, crafted entirely from plastic waste.

For the entire month of July, you can swing by and drop off your old clothing—yes, even your odd socks, tired underwear, or that jumper that’s worn at the elbow (we’ve all been there). All we ask is that your donations are clean — our team hand-sorts every single item and while we’re big on sustainability, no one wants a biohazard surprise in the textile pile.

Once your takeback is in, you can rest easy. We'll handle the rest — cleaning, repairing, reselling, or recycling your items responsibly. Nothing goes to landfill and everything gets a second chance. Just look for the takeback bin at:

Unit 5, 79–81 Coal Drops Yard, London N1C 4DQ.

And don’t just drop and dash! While you’re there, soak up the incredible energy of the space. There are 42 workshops happening throughout July — from plastic remoulding sessions and upcycling workshops to sustainability chats — and they’re all open to everyone. So come on down this Plastic Free July. Be part of the change. Drop off your clothes. Melt some plastic. Join a workshop. Chat with the team. And together, let’s create a future that’s cleaner, more connected, and built to last.

If you can’t make it down this month, don’t worry. You can still send us your pre-loved pieces through our online takeback.

Want to get involved in shaping the future of fashion? Shop pre-loved from your favourite brands here.