Churn Nights: Make your own recycled product

Looking for a unique and meaningful way to spend your Thursday evening in Sydney? Welcome to Churn Nights — a fun, hands-on sustainability experience where creativity meets impact. Held at the Banish Sustainability Hub in Haymarket, just moments from Central Station, Churn Nights invites you to transform everyday waste into beautiful, functional products made entirely by hand.

For the first time ever, Banish is opening up its much-loved recycling process to the public. Inspired by the viral “Churn Tuesdays” series shared on Instagram and TikTok over the past two years, Churn Nights brings the behind-the-scenes magic into real life. This weekly event allows you to experience the full recycling journey — from bottle tops to finished product — while learning how small actions can create real environmental change.

During each session, you’ll choose your own colour combinations and take part in the recycling process using Banish’s original extrusion machinery. You’ll walk away not only with a one-of-a-kind recycled item but with a deeper understanding of how waste can be reimagined as a valuable resource.

Participants can choose to create either a recycled carabiner or a recycled refillable pen. Each carabiner diverts approximately 6–8 plastic bottle tops from landfill and is perfect for keys, water bottles, or everyday adventures. The refillable pen — made from the same bottle tops — includes an ink refill and features a custom gradient of your choosing, making it both practical and truly unique.

Churn Nights run every Thursday from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM at the Banish Sustainability Hub, located at 490 Pitt Street, Haymarket. There’s no registration required — simply drop in. Prices are affordable and accessible, with carabiners starting at $7.50 (or $8 with a keyring) and pens priced at $15, including a refill. Everyone is welcome, whether you’re attending solo, with friends, or as a creative date night idea.

Beyond the hands-on fun, Churn Nights is about impact. Every bottle top used comes from the BRAD (Banish Recycling and Diversion) Program, Australia’s leading solution for hard-to-recycle items. BRAD accepts materials that traditional recycling systems can’t process, including bottle tops, blister packs, beauty packaging, contact lenses, and more. By taking part, you’re directly supporting a program that has diverted tonnes of waste from landfill across Australia.

Conveniently located near Central Station, the Sustainability Hub is easily accessible by train, light rail, bus, walking, or cycling. While parking is limited, public transport options make getting there simple and stress-free.

Whether you’re passionate about sustainability, curious about recycling, or just looking for something different to do in Sydney, Churn Nights offers a creative, educational, and rewarding experience. Come along, meet like-minded people, and turn trash into treasure — one bottle top at a time.