ABOUT

The Challenge:
Christmas is one of the most wasteful periods of the year, with the UK generating around 3 million tonnes of additional waste each year.* Items such as wrapping paper, cardboard boxes, food waste, and unwanted gifts pile up and much of it goes unrecycled, putting additional strain on waste management systems. This spike highlights the environmental impact of seasonal habits and the importance of reducing, reusing, and recycling wherever possible.

The Insight:
The pressure to spend at Christmas remains strong, with 61% of Brits feeling Christmas is a crucial event to buy for. Yet attitudes are shifting. 60% of Brits have considered thrifting Christmas presents for families, reflecting a growing appetite for choices that feel more considered than costly. Personalisation is driving this too, with shoppers increasingly prioritising meaning over price tag**.

The Solution
It’s easy to see our planet’s waste problem as too big to solve; easier still to wait for someone else to fix it. At Born Ugly, we believe that doing something always beats doing nothing. So rather than tackling the world, we started with our own backyard in Leeds. Having trialed a small scale pop-up shop idea in previous years we saw there was potential. Therefore, this year we created a 'pop-up shop event' under the name and brand identity 'Stocking-fill not landfill'. One that could become a regular, recognisable name for the local community at Christmas time.

Every item in the shop is handmade by our team and local partners, using only waste materials or objects rescued from landfill, many of which were donated by local businesses. That's the rule, no exceptions. To draw people in, we developed a name, iconic logo, and identity for the project to catch the attention of passers by, making the serious challenge immediately obvious but in an approachable way that embraced the festive spirit.

The Impact
All proceeds of the event go to charity and since the project began, we have raised thousands of pounds for local organisations, including the Leeds Children’s Charity and Leeds Baby Bank, whilst raising awareness of waste and upcycling, at a time of year when it's easy to forget.

We created team building opportunities for colleagues, creating things together and learning new creative skills. (From lino-cutting and print making to foil embossing and concrete sculpting).

It’s brought the community together with local businesses donating materials and local creatives contributing to the upcycling. Not forgetting the local businesses who attended the pop-up open night (a festive get-together with mulled wine, hot chocolate and mince pies and an opportunity to buy from the shop. Even the Christmas tree was completely made from waste materials.)

The project has also received press coverage with a global reach including Design Week.

*dreamofhome
** Canvas8