School children to get a ‘smart start’ to the New Year thanks to the Leith Collective’s free uniform exchange

With the cost of living crisis weighing heavily upon people’s minds and the expense of Christmas adding up, many people are understandably worried about how they will afford to pay for even basic essentials in January. And so, one local Community Interest Company is acting now to alleviate that anxiety with the launch of their free unform exchange.

Taking place at The Leith Collective stores in Edinburgh’s Ocean Terminal and Fort Kinnaird as well as the Glasgow’s St Enoch Centre, the ‘Smart Start’ initiative will see locals donate good quality school uniforms to those in need. Items will be available for anyone to collect completely free of charge, no questions asked. 

Speaking ahead of the launch, The Leith Collective founder, Sara Thomson said; “Kids grow so quickly. Parents tend to buy a whole new uniform at the start of the school year in August and often find their child has already outgrown it by the Christmas break.

“Yet these uniforms are often still in perfectly good condition and could easily do another child a turn. Our Smart Start initiative aims to make it as easy as possible for people to donate their unwanted uniforms, so that someone in need can make use of them.”

The unform exchange is not only a practical response to the cost of living crisis, but also to the climate crisis – a cause which lies at the heart of The Leith Collective. As Sara Thomson explains; “Smart Start is a sustainable solution that aims to keep quality clothes out of landfill and in use for longer, thus promoting a circular economy and helping to reduce the environmental impact of the textile industry.”

The Smart Start uniform exchange comes just a few months after the launch of The Leith Collective’s winter coat exchange which has received an overwhelming response, with over 1,000 coats donated and collected by locals so far.  

People can donate and collect garments at The Leith Collective in Ocean Terminal, Fort Kinnaird, and the St Enoch Centre during opening hours. No tights or socks can be accepted but all other good quality uniform items are welcome.