Neem London launches Take Back Scheme that puts £100 back in customers pockets

Named after the beautiful Neem tree in India, famed for producing leaves with healing properties, the eponymous brand is designed as an antidote to the modern ways of consumption – an antiseptic for fast fashion. Neem London produces low emitting menswear, designed to achieve a cleaner way of living.

As it launches SS24, the brand works with the Charles App to introduce the Take Back Scheme that will provide £70 in cash, and £30 in credit, on anything bought from the brand that is returned after six months. Items returned will then be sold in pre-loved market places, or recycled.

The scheme is a further step forward towards circularity for the brand, which produces ‘Power Casual’ pieces in Regenerative Cotton, Recycled Cotton and ZQ Merino – the world’s leading ethical wool.

Regenerative Cotton. Shirts are produced in fabrics sourced from farms working towards the highest organic standards, which aim to rehabilitate soil, respect animal welfare and improve the lives of farmers. These practices reduce greenhouse gas emissions and could help trap more carbon than conventional agriculture. Everything produced using Regenerative Cotton at Neem London is traceable to the farm.

Recycled Cotton. By regenerating textiles that would otherwise go to waste, Neem London works within a circular economy. The yarns are just as luxurious, the shirts just as soft, and the cuts just as comfortable. The pieces are made in RecoverTM Recycled Cotton Fiber. A sustainable cotton which uses recycled raw materials diverted from landfill, zero chemicals and water, and minimal CO2 emissions. Neem London measures the full impact of its production lines. From carbon and water footprints, to the use of chemicals or how many shirts are saved from landfill. The recycled cotton shirts from Neem London are believed to be the lowest emitting on the market, at 2.91kg CO2e.

ZQ Merino. The world’s leading ethical wool – low emitting, traceable yet stylish. Neem London works with ZQ who farm sustainably, to ensure the merino wool is renewable and biodegradable. The natural fibres mean it rarely needs washing and is ZHDC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals) certified. It’s sourced from regenerative New Zealand farms, and performance enhancing, zero chlorine treatment is added. Over 50% less C02e than a standard wool garment.

Neem London was founded by Nick Reed, a menswear specialist with over 20 years’ experience and has a very distinct handwriting; always smart, but with understated quiet luxury underpinning each piece. Soft, comfortable and exceptionally easy-on-the-eye, its warm colour palette has almost restorative qualities; wear this to the office and you’re in for a good day, wear it off-duty and the results will be equally as favourable.

Nick Reed, founder of Neem London added, “As a brand we’re always striving to be better. We believe the Neem London Take Back Scheme, which provides a significant amount of cash as well as credit in return for old items, is one of the best Take Back Schemes on the market. Our customers will benefit financially from this initiative, and of course anything that goes some way to reduce the ecological impact of fashion is always something we at Neem would push for.”

Their latest collection is built predominantly around shirting, it also includes t-shirts, sweatshirts, jackets and long sleeve polos. The shirts come in an array of styles; Oxfords, popover shirts and short sleeves.

From business to creativity: The top skills people want to learn this year

Learning new skills throughout your career is a key factor in staying motivated and progressing in a business.

A new survey of 2,000 UK adults conducted by The Knowledge Academy sought to find out which skills most people are planning to learn in 2024. Interestingly, over a quarter of Brits want to learn general work related skills such as project management or leadership (27%).

Key Findings:

  • General work related skills such as project management and leadership ranks in number one position, with more than a quarter (27%)Brits looking to learn these skills in 2024.

  • Half of Brits (50%) are eager to learn their chosen skill in order to improve their overall knowledge and awareness, with over a third (36%) looking to open further workplace opportunities.

  • Almost three in ten Brits are looking to learn their chosen skill to aid them in securing a job (29%).

We hope you find this release useful. If you do end up using it, we would appreciate a link to https://www.theknowledgeacademy.com/, who commissioned the data.

The top skills Brits plan to learn in 2024

Rank

Skill that respondents wish to learn

Percentage of

respondents (%)

1

General work related skills

(e.g. project management/leadership)

27%

2

Improving business management skills

26%

=3

Enhancing business skills

24%

=3

Creative skills (e.g. photography/art)

24%

=5

Improving written skills/ spelling and

grammar

23%

=5

Improving computer literacy

23%

7

Improving analytical skills

22%

8

Skills for practical tasks/ hobbies (e.g. woodwork/

decorating/plumbing)

21%

9

Learning to code

20%

10

Picking up a new language

19%

*The full survey data is available to view here.

The Knowledge Academy has found that work related skills such as project management and leadershipare the top skills UK adults want to learn in 2024, as more than a quarter (27%) of respondents opted for this.

Brits looking to improve their work related skills may gain more fulfilment in their roles, as research shows that learning can keep you feeling happy and purposeful at work.

Secondly, improving business management skills (26%), and enhancing business skills (24%) also rank among the top choices, with around a quarter of Brits choosing to focus on these skills this year.

With one in five Brits hoping to find a new job for 2024, these skills may be a focus for many looking to seek out a career change this year.

Improving computer literacy also ranks among the top skills Brits are planning to learn this year, with almost one in four (23%) looking to upskill these abilities. A recent study found that almost half of Brits don’t feel ‘tech savvy’, which many may look to improve on in 2024, with the ever-changing tech landscape constantly advancing.

The top reasons why UK adults want to learn new a new skill in 2024

Rank

Reason for learning skills

Percentage of

respondents (%)

1

To improve my own knowledge and awareness

50%

2

To help me in everyday life

37%

3

To open further workplace opportunities

36%

4

To help me make better/more informed decisions

35%

5

To help build up my confidence

32%

6

To help me get a job

29%

The top reason for Brits opting for their chosen skill in 2024 is to improve knowledge and awareness, withhalf of respondents (50%) sharing this as their reason.

Whilst almost two fifths (37%) of those surveyed admit they want to improve on their chosen skill inorder to help them in everyday life.

Finally, opening further workplace opportunitiesranks third, with over a third (36%) of Brits choosing to learn skills in order to increase opportunities within their career. Meanwhile, almost three in ten Brits are looking to learn their chosen skill to help them with securing a job (29%).

Talveer Sandhu on behalf of the The Knowledge Academy provides comment on the survey findings, and how this can help Brits throughout 2024:

It is fantastic to see a willingness among UK adults to adopt and learn new skills this year, both inside and outside of the workplace. With many looking to open more workplace opportunities for themselves, learning more business and project management skills is always a great way to increase employability, as well as chances of promotion and greater responsibility. 

“Learning skills such as this can not only improve your career, but also leave you feeling more motivated and fulfilled at work, resulting in greater productivity and quality of work produced. Giving yourself this motivation can improve mental wellbeing, and learning a new skill can give you a sense of accomplishment.

“Whilst work skills seem to be a focus for many respondents this year, it is great to see many looking to learn more creative skills too. Creativity can improve mental wellbeing, and provide many transferable skills such as better communication and problem solving abilities. 

“Overall, whatever skill it is that you choose to learn in 2024, learning and educating yourself not only comes with cognitive benefits, but also boosts confidence, happiness, and improves motivation.”

HOLIDAY HOTSPOTS – THE DESTINATIONS MOST IN DEMAND

New research has revealed where Brits dream of going on holiday throughout the year, with Rome, Amsterdam, Santorini and Paris topping the list as the most Googled European destinations by the UK public.   

The study by personal finance experts Forbes Advisor analysed millions of holiday-related searches over the past four years to discover which European locations people in the UK were most attracted to. 

The results revealed the UK’s four most Googled destinations as the French, Italian and Dutch capitals and the Greek Island, each of which received an average of more than 40,000 searches each month between November 2019 and October 2023. In total, the four most popular destinations have been Googled more than eight million times over the period.  

The top ten is made up of other classic beach holiday destinations, including Spanish favourites Majorca, Ibiza, Malaga, Benidorm, and Greek Islands Zante and Crete.  

The study revealed how the nation’s holiday preferences change with the seasons, as Amsterdam emerged as the most popular search in both autumn (September, October, November) and winter (December, January and February).  

Rome was the most searched holiday location in springtime (March, April, May). Meanwhile Majorca topped the summer searches (June, July, August) despite only being the fifth most searched location overall.  

The latest statistics from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) reveal that in September 2023, more than 1.4 million people flew from UK airports to the top four most Googled destinations of Rome, Amsterdam, Santorini and Paris combined. This makes up almost 8% of the total 17.6 million passengers who flew to Europe. 

The UK’s top ten most Googled European holiday destinations  
Rank   Place  Monthly average 
1   Rome   42,295  
2   Amsterdam   42,006  
3   Santorini   41,788  
4   Paris   41,217  
5   Majorca   37,510  
6   Ibiza   35,592  
7   Malaga   32,787  
8   Benidorm   27,212  
9   Zante   26,416  
10   Crete   25,964  

Carl Friedrik launch Limited Edition Heritage bags

Contemporary travel goods brand, Carl Friedrik have launched three of its signature Heritage bags in a new limited edition Midnight Green colourway.

The launch includes Carl Friedrik’s Palissy Briefcase, Palissy Double, and Palissy Weekend. These hero styles, all of which have a minimalist Scandinavian aesthetic, have been updated in this rich yet earthy tone, adding warmth and a refreshing touch to the collection. 

Inspired by woodlands, nature and the natural vegetable tanning process that this Vachetta leather collection is made from, the Midnight Green Palissy was born out of customer demand for contemporary colour palettes and will complement any journey.

Carl Friedrik’s Palissy range is sleek, luxurious, and crafted from quality materials. The Palissy Briefcase is a master organiser with design features that cater to every need. The Palissy Double offers ample space with two zipped compartments and multiple pockets to keep your essentials organised. Meanwhile, the Palissy Weekend combines elegance and functionality, perfect for weekend getaways. 

All bags included in this collection are produced by the brand’s long-standing Tuscan partner tannery, who source the highest-grade hides from trusted suppliers and have generations worth of experience in the art of vegetable tanning.

Co-Founder Mattis Oppermann commented: “Our new Foresta colour is rich yet subtle, offering a hint of colour but without being too overpowering. We’re excited to update these popular bags in this new limited edition tone, highlighting our commitment to the natural, vegetable tanning process we’ve been using since our launch and creating pieces that are designed to last”.

Welcome to the Jungle – The Tiger Camo collection

Triumph Heritage is a contemporary menswear collection born from the rich history of Triumph Motorcycles. A British icon globally revered, the Triumph Motorcycles brand has transcended the world, becoming adored and adorned by riders, non-riders, stars of the screen and style icons. Triumph Heritage is the collection that funnels 120 years of knowledge and prestige into quality pieces for the everyday wardrobe.

The Triumph Heritage design team has delved into the archives to take inspiration from defining moments, visuals and stories that elevated the brand to the forefront of the industry to stand the test of time. From Desert Sled racing tops to iconic advertising graphics like the much-loved leaping tiger motif, which first emerged in a 1950s T110 Johnson Motors advertising, claiming that riding the bike was like riding a leaping tiger due to its high speeds.

This season they have introduced the Tiger Camo collection, including of bold mix of moto-inspired jackets, gilets, bags and hats. Hero pieces from the collection include;

Dodger High-Pile Fleece

This versatile full-zip fleece jacket offers functionality and warmth, throw it over anything for an extra layer of elevated style. Finished off with Triumph Heritage embroidered badge on the front. Constructed from a 100% polyester high-pile fleece with a soft air-mesh lining for comfort and breathability.

Sykes Fleece Gilet

Constructed in a bold tiger camo print with a soft air-mesh lining for comfort and breathability. Finished off with a Triumph Heritage embroidered badge on front.