EP84 Building For A Circular Economy with Emma Shaw

This week meet the founder of Library Of Things, Emma Shaw. Library of Things is a women-led social enterprise on a mission to make borrowing better than buying. Alongside her co-founders Rebecca and Sophia, Emma is building a circular economy business model to provide an affordable alternative to buying occasional-use products, helping people save money and reduce waste. Members can borrow items like drills and sewing machines from self-serve kiosks installed in local libraries, high streets and housing blocks. The concept was first developed in 2014 when the trio was inspired by a tool-sharing movement in Berlin and Toronto. Living in a cramped houseshare in South London, they launched the first Library of Things in their local high street library.The co-founders have since gone on to secure support from Innovate UK’s Sustainable Innovation Fund and were awarded the £1 million Contract for Circular Economy Outcomes through the Women In Innovation project. This conversation was recorded on 7th May 2021.Want to share your view on something we discussed on the podcast? Email us [email protected]. Guest - Emma ShawHost - Frankie CottonSound Editor - Beth DavisonTweet us https://twitter.com/raisehq_Join us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/raisehq_Visit https://raisethebar.world/Connect with Emma Shaw and Library Of ThingsWebsite: https://www.libraryofthings.co.uk/Twitter: https://twitter.com/libraryofthingsInstagram: http://instagram.com/library.of.thingsEmma Shaw on Twitter: https://twitter.com/embl_emConnect with Frankie CottonWebsite: https://www.frankiecotton.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/