Graceful Changes, an Edinburgh based ethical baby and toddler clothing rental service has been awarded a £19,900 Zero Waste Scotland grant to support them scale their operations in Scotland as well as accommodate nationwide fulfilment.
The family run business caters for newborns up to age 3 years and provides a complete wardrobe for parents seeking a sustainable alternative to clothing their children. Subscribers are granted access to an online inventory platform, allowing them to customise their clothing selection and exchange items as and when required.
The grant is provided from Zero Waste Scotland’s Circular Economy Investment Fund, which is supported by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
Jayne Stirling, Project Manager Circular Economy Investment Fund, Zero Waste Scotland comments, “Graceful Changes is a vital initiative and we are very proud to be supporting them to expand their operations which will in turn contribute to growth of the circular economy in Scotland and beyond.
“A circular economy is one that’s sustainable, and by using and reusing items as much as possible eliminates waste. It’s an alternative to our current ‘take, make, dispose’ approach and means that products and materials are kept in a high-value state of use for as long as possible. Graceful Changes is a perfect example of a business working to achieve this.”
Josefa Buckland, founder of Graceful Changes said: “This funding will help us fulfil our true potential as a business. Working with Zero Waste Scotland has been a pleasure and we are so grateful for their support.
“Fashion is the second most polluting industry in the world and we must change the way we shop and dress ourselves and our children to make it sustainable. At the same time, we want to ensure our service is enjoyable, convenient and cost effective for parents.”
Jess Twemlow, Circular Economy and Sustainability Business Area Manager at Ricardo, a sustainability consultancy has been engaged by Zero Waste Scotland to provide consultancy support to Graceful Changes, supporting them to scale their operations as effectively as possible.
Twemlow comments: “Josefa and her team have been a delight to work with and we are really enjoying our consultancy role with them.
“The business concept is a very sound one and we hope to see many parents across the UK turn to Graceful Changes as both an affordable and sustainable clothing solution for their children.”
Zero Waste Scotland provides leadership and practical support to encourage growth of the circular economy in Scotland.
They are investing £18 million as grant funding to small and medium sized enterprises who are helping to create a more circular economy thanks to support from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
The Circular Economy Investment Fund is a funding opportunity for businesses and organisations in Scotland working in all business and social economy sectors.
For more information on Graceful Changes visit www.gracefulchanges.co