The Leith Collective launches new store at Livingston Designer Outlet
Christmas is coming and the shops are getting busy. But did you know us Brits throw away approximately £42million of unwanted presents each year? And of all the Christmas purchases made, just 1% will still be used six months after the big day?*
One Community Interest Company is hoping to help put an end to that waste and change consumer attitudes with the launch of its new sustainable store.
Opened today on Monday 9th December, The Leith Collective at Livingston Designer Outlet stocks a wide range of mindfully made items, each one handcrafted by local artists and designed to be treasured for a lifetime.
The Leith Collective makers are committed to ditching single-use plastics and opting for eco-friendly alternatives throughout their entire creative process.
From clothing and jewellery, homeware and furniture, to toiletries and gifts – the majority of goods have been created by reusing, recycling, reclaiming and repurposing items that may otherwise have been destined for landfill.
The result is a shop full of truly unique items, one that challenges the ‘throwaway’ mentality of Christmas gift giving and encourages everyone to think before they buy.
The Leith Collective at Livingston Designer Outlet is the latest addition to the award-winning CIC’s group of stores which consists of sites at Edinburgh Ocean Terminal, Edinburgh Fort Kinnaird and Dundee Overgate, as well as a temporary pop-up store at Edinburgh Waverley Market.
The stores are not just retail spaces but hubs of creativity, hosting a range of inspiring workshops, exhibitions and initiatives designed to engage, support and inspire the local community, with the ultimate aim of creating not just a more sustainable retail industry, but a more sustainable future for all.
Speaking ahead of the launch, The Leith Collective founder, Sara Thomson, said; “Opening a store within Scotland’s largest designer outlet is a major milestone. Our makers now have a place alongside some of the world’s most iconic brands, which just goes to show how much consumer attitudes are changing.
“There is now a significant appetite amongst shoppers to support local artists, makers and designers, and a real demand for items that have been thoughtfully crafted with the future of our planet in mind.
“It’s time to go green and switch to shopping sustainably, and not just at Christmas.”
*Statistics courtesy of GWP Group.