A Lochaber outdoor sports shop is in the running for a prestigious national business award.
Beinn Nibheis, in Fort William, is a women’s outdoor retailer.
It has made it to the semi-finals of the Scottish EDGE competition, which has a game-changing prize of up to £100,000.
The competition aims to identify and support Scotland’s high-growth potential entrepreneurial talent.
Scottish EDGE recently announced their list of semi-finalists – and Beinn Nibheis’s was among them.
The north store is nominated in the category of businesses who are committed to achieving net zero.
Beinn Nibheis takes on the battle against plastic
Company director Eilidh Sykes opened the store on Fort William’s high street in 2022.
Beinn Nibheis are considered the first Scottish technical outdoor sports retailer for women, led by women.
The company also champions the definition of women to include the LGBTQ+ community.
Eilidh explains that if the team win, the award will go towards the research and creation of PVC-free waterproofing material created in Lochaber.
“We want to create an entirely PVC-free technical outdoor line that is mainly directed at and designed for women.”
Inspiration for the PVC-free outdoor line came from two particular findings, one of which was discovered by Greenpeace.
A few years ago, Greenpeace discovered that the impact and contamination of plastics had reached Antarctica.
“It was then they decided there should be a phase-out ban on PVC plastics being involved in waterproof wear,” explains Eilidh.
Furthermore, a in 2018 study found that women were more likely to shop sustainably than men. Since then, it has been referred to as the ‘eco gender gap’.
Together, these findings proved there would be demand for such a line – both from the environment, and from women.
“At the moment, the market has been massively lagging behind for technical outdoor wear, so that’s what we’re pitching to EDGE.”
Lochaber Chamber are ‘proud’ of Eilidh and the team
Eilidh shares her thanks to Business Gateway for their support, as well as a special thanks to designers Gemma Carver and Lilli Watson.
“We would also like to thank the Lochaber Chamber of Commerce,” she says. “They’ve been a huge support.”
Mark Gibbings, commercial manager at the Lochaber Chamber of Commerce congratulated Beinn Nibheis on their success.
He praises the entrepreneurs as “another example of Lochaber businesses being innovative” as well as “committed to tackling climate change”.
Mr Gibbings says they are “using expertise, passion and an incredible brand to make a difference.”
“Lochaber Chamber is proud of Eilidh and the team, we wish them all the very best for the next stage of the competition.”
Competition winners will be announced at the EDGE Awards dinner on May 25.
Conversation