Carnaby unveils summer installation made with recycled plastic from local shops

Prime London shopping destination Carnaby Street has revealed its newest installation - crafted from recycled plastic from local shops and restaurants – as part of its summer campaign ‘Carnaby in Colour’.

The installation, made in collaboration with the recycling brand Are You Mad, will provide a vibrant feature suspended above Carnaby Street and Newburgh Street.

To create the piece, it took four weeks of collecting waste plastic, 16 days of sheet pressing and a team of 13 people to create the final materials. A total of 684kg of recycled plastic waste was upcycled, ranging from bakery crates to unwanted shop decorations.

James Suckling, Co-Founder of Are You Mad, commented: "We are proud to be a part of this project in such an iconic destination. We are grateful to work with Shaftesbury Capital to highlight the work we do for people and the planet. We hope the installation can encourage people to come to our space on nearby Berwick Street and continue to recycle single-use plastic."

The temporary art piece was unveiled on 6 July and will remain in place until mid-September. The artwork comes in the form of three hand/heart-shaped arches that will sit alongside the existing Welcome To Carnaby Street arches that have also been upcycled with colourful recycled hand embellishments.

Andrew Price, Executive Director at Shaftesbury Capital, said: "We are excited to have collaborated with Are You Mad to create this landmark public art feature for Carnaby Street.

"The installation is a creative take on the importance of recycling, made possible through close collaboration with our local businesses and community spirit. We look forward to welcoming visitors to enjoy the colourful pieces throughout summer."