ACS, which is based at Eurocentral business park, received the funding for two projects: £450,000 for the development of its garment refurbishment, renewal and fulfilment services, enabling UK brands and retailers to offer a circular fashion solution while creating 82 permanent positions; and £500,000 towards a partnership with US clothing rental business CaaStle to establish a subscription clothing rental service in the UK, which aims to tackle the issue of ‘fast fashion’ by reducing clothing waste while leading to the creation of a further 65 new jobs.

ACS has had sustainability at the heart of its business practices for some time, having worked with a Scottish Enterprise sustainability specialist since 2017. Thanks to adopting greener practices the company can now confidently say that zero of its waste ends up in landfill and it is on track to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2025, all while significantly reducing its operating costs.

Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater said: “This innovative and sustainable business helps illustrate the great progress which Scotland is making towards ending our contribution to climate change within a generation – Scotland is already more than halfway to net zero.

“Building a circular economy is a vital part of that journey and we need more initiatives like ACS as we work to ensure Scotland recovers from the pandemic with a stronger, greener and fairer economy. To accelerate that transition, we will introduce a Circular Economy Bill that will help tackle our throwaway culture.”

ACS COO Anthony Burns said: “By addressing many of the environmental pitfalls commonly associated with the fashion industry, we’re moving towards a greener, more sustainable, low-carbon future. It’s great to see a growing number of consumers make environmentally-conscious choices, which has led to significant growth for our business and doesn’t look to be slowing down anytime soon.”

ACS CFO Andrew Rough added: “The ongoing support of Scottish Enterprise allows us to grow, create jobs and manage the increased volumes we are experiencing. Our relationship with Scottish Enterprise facilitates our drive to net zero, and provides a wealth of knowledge, consultancy and networking opportunities. Many of the changes we’ve put in place could be easily replicated by companies across Scotland. Our hope is that the success we’ve achieved will inspire others.”

Andy McDonald, head of low carbon transition at Scottish Enterprise, said: “Funding for these latest projects comes at a time when our collective journey towards net zero and the creation of green jobs have never been more important. With COP26 on the horizon it’s great to see an innovative Scottish company tackling the issue of fast fashion in particular.

“ACS Clothing is a shining example of a business that has sustainability running right through it and it’s testament to the expertise at Scottish Enterprise that our specialists have helped them achieve their ambitious environmental goals while also making operational savings.”