Restoration store national quality certification

An recycling initiative in Uist has gained Scotland’s national re-usequality standard.

Cothrom ReStore supports learners from all areas of the community.

The learning centre offers recycling and upcycling services in furniture, textiles and household items.

The store has now been awarded the Revolve quality kitemark, operated by Zero Waste Scotland, which aims to increase re-use by improving professionalism, customer experience and visibility of re-use organisations.

Some 16 students and seven volunteers attend on a weekly basis and contribute to all areas of the ReStore project which moved into a purpose built premises in Ormiclate last year.

The new building houses a shop and workshops where donated furniture is repaired, smartened up and recycled before being sold.

The initiative was created to cater for learners who wanted to focus on developing practical skills.

Every year, thousands of re-usable items needlessly end up in landfill in Scotland, including around 125,000 sofas and around 365,000 TVs.

Yet by choosing to buy from or donate to re-use stores people can help keep valuable products and materials in use for longer – saving money, supporting local communities, and protecting the environment in the process.

Andrew Pankhurst, re-use campaigns manager at Zero Waste Scotland, said: “The aim of Revolve is to provide Scotland’s re-use organisations with advice, training and support to provide customers with the reassurance that goods are safe and of good quality, and a shopping experience that is comparable to buying new.

“For that reason it’s fantastic to have Cothrom ReStore on board, joining more than 100 Revolve certified re-use stores across the country.”

Nick Crowe, Cothrom ReStore’s development officer, said the certification will aid the project to implement better quality standards, an improved shopping experience and new customer service skills.

“These have helped Cothrom ReStore to improve its services to customers, who have more choice and better information, and also to our learners who benefit from working to the re-use guidelines and safety standards and working within a workplace environment.”

Community furniture restoration store achieves national quality certification

31 March 2018

The community project made this bench out of an old door and gave a new lease of life to these drawer units