A second-hand recycled goods department store in the Highlands is intended as a model for a new chain of re-use hubs, across Scotland.
The Dingwall Superstore, run by Blythswood Care, opens today in the town's High Street, backed by sustainability organisation Zero Waste Scotland, and will offer carpets and rugs, baby clothes, prams and other goods and equipment, furniture and kitchen appliances, toys and clothes.
It will also feature a Repair Club, with staff demonstrating 'make do and mend' sewing and furniture repair skills to members of the public.
Those behind the initiative say it will transform the scale and economic clout of re-use in Scotland, while providing a new retail experience for shoppers.
Blythswood has teamed up with re-use businesses from around Scotland including Glasgow-based Spruce Carpets and Second Opportunities and Inverness-based Everything Baby - to offer customers a huge choice of goods in one location.
Thee store has so far created four jobs, but more are promised.
Zero Waste Scotland says more superstores are set to open at locations across Scotland later this year.
ZWS argues that jobs could be created by rescuing hundreds of thousands of re-usable items which end up in landfill every year, including 304,000 sofas and 151,000 washing machines.
It says a 10% increase in re-use of items in the Highlands that currently end up in landfill, would generate almost £50,000 for re-use organisations in the Highlands and carbon savings equivalent to taking over 300 cars off the road.
Louise McGregor, Head of Circular Economy, Zero Waste Scotland, said: "We will be rolling out more superstores across Scotland this year, aiming to take the re-use sector to the next level, and make it a big player in Scotland's retail sector. As well as preventing items going to landfill needlessly, encouraging consumers to choose re-use helps boost the Scottish economy and create local jobs - all part of reducing our reliance on an unsustainable economic model of take, make and dispose."
James Campbell, Chief Executive, Blythswood Care, said: "This new Revolve-accredited Blythswood re-use superstore will make a great contribution to the Christian organisation's social care projects at home and abroad."
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