SECRET Santa – a stalwart of the festive workplace – is sadly something else that we’ve had to put aside in these changed times.How will we cope without receiving a plastic doo-dah from (maybe) Barry in Sales or something that looks a bit rude from (maybe) Margaret in Purchasing?
Well, worry no more – The Leith Collective is helping to maintain the mystery and enigma that is Secret Santa AND ensuring it’s plastic free and one-of-a-kind at the same time as managing the whole process (on Santa’s behalf)!
Continuing with its mission to rid the world (starting with Edinburgh) of single-use plastic, The Leith Collective works with over 150 local artists, crafters and makers to deliver the most stunning pieces – all recycled, upcycled or created plastic-free.
Simply choose how much you want to spend on your Secret Santa gift, provide a bit more info about the recipient and Catherine, gift curator at The Leith Collective and officially approved by Santa himself, will select the perfect Secret Santa gift for your friend and /or colleague. Once we’ve chosen, wrapped and stored the gift, we’ll send an email to the recipient to tell them to come and collect their pressie!
The air of mystery is maintained, and no plastic cheapness needs to be wrapped up for George in Packing!
The Leith Collective leads the way in making 2021 the year of going green
As far as New Year’s resolutions go, to become the UK’s first ever plastic-free shop of its kind is quite an ambitious one. But local business owner, Sara Thomson, is determined to kick off 2021 in the most environmentally friendly way possible, and she’s hoping other businesses will be inspired to follow suit.
Sara is the founder of The Leith Collective which showcases the work of more than 120 artists and makers from all over Scotland, brought together by a common aim to reuse, recycle, reclaim, and resell items that may otherwise have been destined for landfill. As of 1st January 2021, The Leith Collective will ban all new plastic in its Edinburgh store.
However, it is a task that has proved to be more difficult than first expected according to Sara: ‘There is plastic in so many everyday things – things you would never have imagined contain plastic; it can be incredibly deceptive. So we’ve had our work cut out for us researching and sourcing alternatives.’
From re-imagining their visual displays and finding upcycled and biodegradable packaging, right down to the finer details such as switching to non-plastic sticky tape and barcode stickers, they’ve thought of everything.
Describing how it all started, Sara explained; ‘The idea came to me during Lockdown. It was amazing going for a walk each day and seeing nature flourish untouched, right before my eyes. Then came the stark contrast, seeing just how quickly single-use masks and plastic gloves were being discarded on beaches and roadsides, causing untold damage. I couldn’t just sit back and do nothing, I had to take action.’
Sara’s biggest hope is that other businesses will learn from her example and adopt a similar approach. ‘It’s not easy to find accurate plastic usage statistics because generally businesses don’t want to broadcast the fact they have a huge plastic waste problem. However, we just hope our pledge to become a plastic-free shop inspires other businesses to think about their own environmental impact and what steps they too can take to minimise their effect on the world around us.’
With this in mind, The Leith Collective is inviting local business owners to visit their store or get in touch via phone, email or social media where Sara will be happy to pass on any information that might help them in their own quest to go green – from ideas on how to avoid plastic and reduce waste, to tips on where to find the best alternatives.
Ultimately, Sara’s hope is that her New Year’s resolution inspires a new plastic ban revolution.
The Leith Collective can be found at RU65, Ocean Terminal, Ocean Drive, Edinburgh, EH6 6JJ. Opening hours are Monday – Saturday 11am – 6pm, and Sunday 11am – 5pm.
As demand for sustainable shopping alternatives increases, The Leith Collective prepares to come back even bigger than before:
Lockdown restrictions may be easing, but one person hoping the temporary pause in human activity over the past few months may prove to have a long-lasting, positive effect on consumer behaviour is Sara Thomson, founder of The Leith Collective.
The Leith Collective comprises more than 90 artists and makers from all over Scotland, brought together by a common aim to reuse, recycle, reclaim, and resell items that may otherwise have been destined for landfill.
Sustainability is at the heart of all they do, and their approach is proving popular with consumers whose eyes have been opened to the issue during the coronavirus pandemic. As a result, The Leith Collective has moved to bigger premises in Edinburgh’s Ocean Terminal to accommodate this increase in demand.
Commenting on the link between the coronavirus pandemic and the increase in awareness of sustainability, Sara Thomson explained: ‘I think there are a number of factors at play. Firstly, with shops and attractions closed, more people have explored their local countryside, and thanks to the reduction in traffic, wildlife has flourished and birdsong heard more clearly. All this has helped many people connect with nature as never before.
‘Secondly, with many people on furlough enjoying more time on their hands, we’ve seen a marked increase in hobbies such as gardening which naturally opens one’s eyes to sustainability.
‘Thirdly, the closing of the rubbish dumps may have presented some people with a stark realisation of just how much we throw away without thought. I believe it has no doubt spurred some people on to consider how many household items could potentially be repurposed.’
The Leith Collective is anticipating an increase in the number of customers wanting to embrace a more sustainable way of shopping and living as they prepare to open the doors to their larger premises today (Monday 13th July).
The all-new Leith Collective store features an outdoor area, with increased space to shop whilst safely socially distancing. The new shop location is just the latest way The Leith Collective has successfully pivoted in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
When Lockdown restrictions were first announced, The Leith Collective launched an online shop and offered local delivery throughout the Scottish capital. They then turned their attention to making a range of reusable masks, created using recycled material – designed to offer a sustainable alternative to disposable masks, with the added bonus that it would help keep their resident makers in business.
The success of this initiative has been tremendous – not only has it provided a genuine lifeline to many makers not eligible for government assistance, The Leith Collective was also able to donate hundreds of pounds worth of masks to children in care and care leavers, and give proceeds to the mental health charity, North East Edinburgh Counselling Service.
The all-new Leith Collective opens today (Monday 13th July) at RU65, Ocean Terminal, Ocean Drive, Edinburgh, EH6 6JJ. Opening hours are Monday – Saturday 11am – 6pm, and Sunday 11am – 5pm.
Got a spare 6 minutes to save the planet? With a climate crisis looming, every second counts. So local Edinburgh businesses and artists are being invited to give just a few minutes of their time to share their top tips for sustainability at a special ‘Let’s Talk Waste’ event in the capital later this month.
Brought to you by The Leith Collective – crafters, makers, artists and business owners will come together on Thursday 20th February to discuss ways in which they are reducing their waste and making a difference.
Taking place at Ocean Terminal, the evening will feature a diverse range of speakers; from a craftsman who creates unique works of art from items otherwise destined for landfill, to an accountant who has transformed his office into a completely paperless environment.
The event is part of The Leith Collective’s ongoing ‘Plastic Resolution 2020’ campaign which aims to encourage people to reuse, recycle and upcycle everyday items.
‘Let’s Talk Waste’ event organiser and founder of The Leith Collective, Sara Thomson (above), said; “I’m a big believer that knowledge is power, and that by sharing inspirational stories and exchanging top tips in this accessible, easy-to-digest 6 minute format, everyone can learn something new, and together we can make a massive difference.”
EVENT INFORMATION
‘Let’s Talk Waste’ will take place at The Image Collective Gallery, Ocean Terminal, on Thursday 20th February, 6pm – 8:30pm. Refreshments will be provided.
Local businesses, artists and makers are invited to book a 6 minute slot at the event and share their top tips for reducing waste. Slots are free of charge but availability is limited. To reserve your spot email info@theleithcollective.com.
The event is free for anyone to attend but space is limited. To reserve your place head to www.facebook.com/leithcollective.
IN collaboration with Ocean Terminal, Leith Collective has prepared a wide range of FREE weekend workshops and initiatives for anyone interested in re-using, recycling, upcycling or learning new creative skills in 2019.Continue reading Build your sustainablity skills with Leith Collective
