Christmas party-goers can make waste-free decorations at Edinburgh Remakery

Learn to make your own wreaths at Edinburgh Remakery workshops.

Party-goers can pick from a range of workshops at Edinburgh Remakery on Leith Walk, such as hand-printed wrapping fabric, Christmas decoration making, rag rug wreaths and Christmas stockings.

Staff at the social enterprise hope to teach people to create their own sustainable and waste-free gifts and decorations, and give something back to the community. The award-winning charity – at the forefront of the Capital’s repair and reuse movement – has joined forces with fellow Edinburgh social enterprises Social Bite, Punjabi Junction, Ginerosity, and Brewgooder so revellers can add food and drink to their Christmas party.

They share a common goal to provide support, skills and opportunities to those in the community who need it the most, whether it be people coming out of homelessness, disadvantaged young adults, ethnic minorities, refugees and asylum-seekers, or those experiencing water  poverty.

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Edinburgh Remakery events and communications manager, Steph Bowring, said: “Every year we see more and more customers wanting to live more sustainably and ethically, but this is especially a challenge around Christmas when there is more pressure to spend money on goods that are inessential or single use.

“Our party packages give our customers the option to make their own waste-free decorations and gifts, and learn a new creative skill that they can use time and time again throughout the year.”

These upcycling workshops run from two hours and includes the option to book a six-hour couture design workshop to help transform your Little Black Dress to an on-trend original.

Customers also have the additional option to include a cocktail-making masterclass with Ginerosity, a London dry gin that pours its profits into supporting disadvantaged young adults into education, employment and training, or an Indian cooking class with Punjabi Junction, a Leith Walk based social enterprise who provide minority ethnic women with training and employment opportunities to develop confidence and reduce social exclusion.

Maker Cassandra Barron teaches how to make upcycled mini books.

She said: “I get a real buzz out of sharing my passion for bookbinding and inspiring others to see the creative potential of pre-loved materials that might otherwise end up in landfill.

“My workshops cover a range of decorative bookbinding techniques, transforming everyday materials into something unique and usable.

“Everyone who takes part in a workshop will leave with at least one finished book, which makes for a great personal journal or gift for someone special, plus the skills and know-how to make more at home.”

To make an inquiry visit the Edinburgh Remakery website with bookings now available.

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