Tag: Meander Apparel

Edinburgh entrepreneurs: Virgin StartUp free event next week

Are you thinking about setting up your own business? Or maybe you’re already your own boss and want to learn more about how to grow and scale your company? Next week, Virgin StartUp is coming to Edinburgh to host a free Founder Meet Up event. 

On Wednesday 20 March at 6pm, Virgin StartUp will be coming to the Virgin Money store on George Street to chat about all things entrepreneurial. The Meet Up event is a great way to meet other budding founders in the area, to share advice, make connections and inspire you to take the next steps.  

Jill and Steve Henry, husband and wife team and co-founders of Edinburgh-based outdoor clothing brand Meander Apparel, will be joining the conversation and sharing their experience of starting and scaling a successful business.

Meander Apparel started life in 2018 using a Start Up Loan from Virgin StartUp and the sustainable clothing brand is now targeting revenues of £1.5 million in 2025. 

Virgin StartUp is Virgin’s not-for-profit hub for entrepreneurs and its team of experts will be on hand to answer all your questions about start-up funding, investment and business growth.  

Virgin StartUp is one of the largest National Support Partners for the British Business Bank’s Start Up Loans programme. Since 2013, it has distributed more than £75 million in funding to more than 5,500 business founders and is aiming to distribute a further £36 million in Start Up Loans before the end of 2025. 

Guests attending the Meet Up will also have the chance to win some exciting rewards thanks to Virgin Red, Virgin’s Group-wide rewards club. Virgin Red is bringing its Points Board to the Virgin Money store during the day, and there will still be prizes up for grabs in the evening.  

Andy Fishburn, Managing Director at Virgin StartUp, explains: “We know that Edinburgh is a hub for entrepreneurship as we’ve supported many talented early-stage business founders in the city over the years.

“I’m delighted that Jill from Meander Apparel can join us and I know she will have lots of fantastic insights and advice to share. 

“Whether you’ve been running a business for a few years and are looking to scale, or you have an exciting idea for a new business and aren’t sure where to start, we’d love for you to join us.” 

Spaces are free but strictly limited, so book ahead at www.virginstartup.org/events 

The Curiosity Shop: Scottish start-ups showcased at Virgin Hotels Edinburgh

Welcome to The Curiosity Shop – Virgin Hotels’ first curation of Virgin StartUp products

·        Virgin Hotels has teamed up with Virgin StartUp to launch The Curiosity Shop at Virgin Hotels Edinburgh. 

·        The six businesses are all sustainably focussed offering guests products to make their stay even more luxurious with an offering spanning skincare, apparel, gin and even silk pillowcases. 

·        The Curiosity Shop features six Scottish start-up businesses whose founders have all received funding and mentoring support from Virgin StartUp. 

·        The area is exclusive to Hotel guests who can explore and purchase products from the businesses. 

·        All the brands featured are purpose-driven with a focus on sustainability. 

Six Scottish start-up businesses have secured a place in The Curiosity Shop, a new space at Virgin Hotels Edinburgh, dedicated to showcasing sustainable Scottish businesses. 

Created in partnership with Virgin StartUp, Virgin’s not-for-profit incubator for entrepreneurs, The Curiosity Shop features a wide range of beautifully crafted Scottish products, all from businesses whose founders have been supported by Virgin StartUp to start-up and thrive.  

The Curiosity Shop is exclusively available to Virgin Hotels’ guests and offers them the opportunity to discover and support new Scottish brands. All the companies featured in The Curiosity Shop have considered sustainability throughout their manufacturing and packaging processes.

From wild-harvested Hebridean seaweed to Scottish spun yarns and hand-crafted gin; The Curiosity Shop is full of Scottish treasures ready to explore. 

Andy Fishburn, Managing Director of Virgin StartUp, explains: “Virgin has always been entrepreneurial at its heart, so it’s great to see Virgin Hotels providing this space to showcase Virgin StartUp companies, particularly those that are making sustainably-driven products right on the doorstep here in Scotland.” 

Scott McArdle, General Manager at Virgin Hotels Edinburgh, comments: “We are proud to have a space of the hotel dedicated to championing small Scottish businesses and we have already received great feedback from hotel guests who are enjoying exploring the shop and discovering new sustainable Scottish products.

“All Virgin Hotels are unique and draw inspiration from their location, so the Curiosity Shop is one of many things we are doing at Virgin Hotels Edinburgh to tell the story of this spectacular country.” 

Rutland Square Gin is one of the six businesses featured in the Curiosity Shop. Nishant Sharma, the Founder, says: “We launched Rutland Square Gin last year in November with a vision to make small batch artisan gin that has Scottish spirit with an Indian soul.

“Each batch is distilled in the heart of Edinburgh, with inspiration from the far east.

“The support we have received from Virgin StartUp has been brilliant from the beginning and now, to get this opportunity to share our products with international visitors at a landmark new hotel in the city is incredible.

“We are really excited to see what interest it generates in our products.” 

The Curiosity Shop Businesses 

1.      Doctor Seaweed’s Weed & Wonderful – Founded by a Scottish marine biologist, a wide range of seaweed supplements made using organic Hebridean seaweed that is sustainably wild-harvested from pristine Scottish waters. 

2.      Genevieve Sweeney – Timeless knitwear, made in Scotland with both traditional artisan and innovative knitting techniques that showcase the natural beauty of Scottish spun yarns. 

3.      Meander Apparel – Edinburgh-based outdoor clothing brand. Around 90% of the collection is made using natural or recycled, low-impact materials. 

4.      Rutland Square Gin – Small batch craft gin, handcrafted by most talented and experienced master blender in the heart of Edinburgh. Rutland Square Gin makes the world’s first oolong white tea infused Chai Spiced Scottish Gin made using sustainably sourced oolong white tea from Assam, India. 

5.      Seilich – A small, family-run company based in the Lothians and created by botanist, Dr Sally Gouldstone. Inspired by a passion for Scottish wildlife, the family sell an award-winning range of natural skincare products, made using ingredients grown in their wildflower meadow.  

6.      Sensi – launched in 2022 by 25-year-old Jennifer Norrie. Jennifer discovered a love of silk when she tried sleeping on silk pillowslips for the first time and found that her skin was glowier and her hair less frizzy.