The Edinburgh Tool Library (Charity Reg - SC045162)

What The Edinburgh Tool Library (Charity Reg - SC045162) does

The Edinburgh Tool Library (Charity Reg SC045162) is a Scottish registered charity founded in 2014, operating as the United Kingdom's first tool library. It maintains an inventory of more than 3,000 tools that it lends to members across at least five physical locations in Edinburgh, including Meadowbank, Portobello, Leith, Colinton, and Wester Hailes. The organisation is staffed by 8 part-time employees and supported by a volunteer base of more than 100 individuals branded as "Tooligans." Beyond tool lending, the charity runs repair-oriented programming including workshops, the Cycle Kitchen (refurbishment and resale of bicycles), and community events.

The operating model is a hybrid charity/membership platform. Standard individual membership tiers range from £10 to £40, organisational memberships are priced at £100 for charities or £250 for businesses (covering up to 10 staff), and additional revenue is generated from donations, grants, workshop fees, and merchandise. Reservations and inventory are managed through the third-party myTurn platform, with payments processed via Stripe. Physical access is being diversified through ShareBox self-service lockers, a cargo-bike delivery partnership with Cadi Couriers, and home delivery. There is no proprietary software, data moat, or AI/ML capability; the underlying technology stack is composed entirely of standard SaaS tools.

Strategically, the charity is positioned within the broader UK circular-economy and right-to-repair ecosystem, partnered with Circular Communities Scotland and the Scottish Share & Repair Network. Its forward trajectory is defined by geographic and capability expansion within Edinburgh rather than product diversification: the planned Leith Community Workshop (2026) will be its largest facility to date, and Colinton opened as a satellite site in mid-2024.

Name

The Edinburgh Tool Library (Charity Reg - SC045162)

Legal name

The Edinburgh Tool Library

Website

https://edinburghtoollibrary.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Edinburgh Tool Library is a Scottish registered charity that lends an inventory of 3,000+ tools to members across multiple Edinburgh locations, supplemented by workshops, repair events, and volunteer-driven community programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Sharing / Tool Library Services

NAICS

Libraries and Archives (51921), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Help Supply Services (7363)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Libraries & Information Services (BPAIACAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Library-Based Learning Programs (Public Libraries) (EDAAAFAA), DIY & Home Skills Workshops (Woodworking, Carpentry, Home Repair, Gardening) (THAJAKAI)

Keywords

• Tool lending library
• Community sharing economy
• Charity nonprofit services
• Workshop and repair services
• Volunteer-led community programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Edinburgh

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership subscriptions providing access to tool borrowing, workshops, and community events. Standard, concession, and pay-it-forward tiers available.
2. Tool Sharpening Services: Volunteer-run tool sharpening and renovation service available to members and non-members. Generates funds to support charitable programs.
3. Workshop Classes: Paid woodworking and skill-building classes offered throughout the year. Open to members (with discount) and non-members.
4. Donations and Fundraising: Accepts one-off and monthly donations, adopt-a-tool programs, and corporate partnerships. Also sells gift cards for memberships and workshops.
5. Consumables and PPE Sales: Sale of small consumables (screws, nails, sandpaper), PPE (ear defenders, goggles), and donated items.
6. Organizational Memberships: Discounted bulk memberships for businesses and charities (10+ staff members).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Edinburgh Tool Library operates a membership-based tool lending library, allowing members to borrow from an inventory of over 3,000 tools for DIY, gardening, and home improvement projects. Members pay annual subscriptions (from £10 concession to £50 pay-it-forward) and access tools through multiple physical hubs across Edinburgh, supplemented by community workshops, woodworking classes, repair cafés, tool sharpening services, and a Cycle Kitchen programme. Additional services include home delivery via Cadi Couriers, Adopt-a-Tool sponsorship, and gift cards.

Product overview

The Edinburgh Tool Library is a charity operating a tool-sharing library model (the first in the UK) based on the concept of 'libraries but for tools instead of books'. The core offering is the Tool Lending Library, which allows members to borrow from over 3000 tools for DIY projects. This core service is supported by Community Workshop Access at multiple locations (Leith, Portobello, Meadowbank) where members can use workspace and tools after completing safety inductions. Woodworking Classes are offered as paid modules taught by freelance instructors. Key sub-brands include the Cycle Kitchen (cycle maintenance workshops) and Repair Café Edinburgh (community repair events). Additional services include Tool Sharpening & Renovation, Home Delivery via Cadi Couriers, Adopt a Tool sponsorship programme, Gift Cards and Membership Vouchers, Organisational Membership packages for businesses/charities, Corporate Partnership opportunities, Little Free Libraries (book exchanges), and Music Broth pick-up point. The overall product portfolio functions as a community-sharing platform combining physical tool access, workshop facilities, skills training, and environmental sustainability initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Repair Café Edinburgh: Monthly pop-up events where volunteers help people repair their broken items. Run in partnership with the Edinburgh Tool Library.
• Cycle Kitchen
• Tooligans
• Retrofixers

Products and services

• Tool Lending Library The core service allowing members to borrow from an inventory of over 3,000 tools for DIY, gardening, and home improvement projects. Memberships start at £10 per year for concessions or £40 for standard annual membership. Available to individual members, businesses, and charities.
• Community Workshop Access Woodworking workshop spaces at Leith (32 Tennant Street), Portobello (lathe facilities), and Meadowbank where members can use tools and workspace after completing a safety induction. Available to ETL members.
• Woodworking Classes Paid woodworking classes taught by freelance instructors covering skills like making toolboxes, stools, shelves, and bowls. Members receive 10% discount. Booked through the Humanitix platform.
• Cycle Kitchen Community-driven DIY cycle maintenance workshop at Meadowbank offering assisted group workshops, maintenance courses, and independent wrenching workspace for bikes, wheelchairs, and human-powered wheeled machines. Free and open to cyclists and the community.
• Repair Café Edinburgh Monthly pop-up repair events where volunteers help people repair their broken items including electrical, electronic, and mechanical devices. Free and open to all community members.
• Tool Sharpening and Renovation Service Volunteer-run tool sharpening and renovation service available at the Portobello location. Available to both ETL members and non-members for a suggested donation to support the charity.
• Home Delivery Service Tool delivery service via partnership with Cadi Couriers cargo bike couriers cooperative for members who cannot attend regular pick-up sessions in Edinburgh.
• Adopt a Tool Programme Tool sponsorship programme where donors contribute a monthly minimum of £5 to support specific tools in the inventory, receiving regular updates on the tool's community impact.
• Gift Cards and Membership Vouchers Gift cards available from £20 redeemable for new or renewed memberships and early-bird class tickets at Edinburgh Tool Library.
• Organisational Membership Bulk membership packages for businesses and charities, offering discounted team memberships at £250 for 10 business staff members or £100 for registered charities with 10+ staff.
• Little Free Libraries Community book exchange boxes installed across Edinburgh. ETL builds and maintains these street libraries, with sponsorship options from £250-300.

Quantifiable outcome

• Members have saved £3 million by borrowing tools instead of buying
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Circular Communities ScotlandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2021Leading organization behind the Scottish Share & Repair Network. ETL contributed expertise to develop a proposal for Scottish Government and Zero Waste Scotland funding (£300k+ package announced at COP26).
• Porty Community EnergyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner supporting the Cycle Kitchen initiative with expertise and resources.
• Cargo Bike MovementminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity cycling organization supporting transport equity and cargo bike adoption in Edinburgh.
• ShrubCoop / Wee Spoke HubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEdinburgh community organization providing support and collaboration for the Cycle Kitchen.
• Cadi CourierscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCargo bike couriers cooperative providing home delivery service for tools reserved by members, enabling access for those unable to visit physical locations.
• Music BrothminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlasgow-based musical instrument library that uses Edinburgh Tool Library's Meadowbank location as an Edinburgh pick-up point. Separate membership required.
• The Edinburgh RemakeryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated to bring repair expertise to the Scottish Share & Repair Network proposal, supporting proliferation of the repair café model.
• Colinton Village Enterprise SCIOcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProvides storage space for Colinton satellite location where SW20 volunteers manage tool borrowing and returns.
• SW20 (South West Edinburgh volunteers)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTeam of volunteers managing the Colinton satellite location with cargo bikes for tool transfers between Meadowbank and Colinton.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/edintoollibrary
• Facebookfacebook.com/758316967520377
• Instagraminstagram.com/edinburghtoollibrary
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-edinburgh-tool-library

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Edinburgh Tool Library (Charity Reg - SC045162)