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.

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Guest - Emma Shaw
Host - Frankie Cotton
Sound Editor - Beth Davison

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Website: https://www.libraryofthings.co.uk/
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Emma Shaw on Twitter: https://twitter.com/embl_em

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