08/11/2025
Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes MSP this week lauded the Isle of Arran Candle Company in Brodick as they formally launched the Arran Design Collective, a new social enterprise supported by the Scottish Government’s Ecosystem Fund.
The initiative, created and delivered by the Isle of Arran Candle Company, aims to empower local designers and makers who face barriers to accessing traditional retail models. Through the development of a collaborative retail space, a cohesive brand identity, and digital marketing, the Arran Design Collective is connecting small creative businesses with Arran’s thriving visitor market — helping to boost the island’s economy and preserve its creative heritage.
The Arran Design Collective already features beautiful items from over ten local designers and makers, including knitwear, ceramics, artwork, jewellery, and wooden pieces crafted from whisky staves from the distillery at Lochranza. Each piece reflects the island’s unique craftsmanship and creativity, giving visitors the opportunity to take home something truly made on Arran.
Founded just last year, the Isle of Arran Candle Company has quickly become known for its handcrafted, plant-based candles inspired by the island’s natural beauty. The couple’s passion for sustainability and community has driven them to support other small makers through this new collaborative venture.
During her visit to the island to chair the Convention of the Highlands & Islands, Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes MSP spoke with husband-and-wife team and co-founders, Daniel and Vik Steel, about the new retail initiative which is located within the company’s newly recently opened Brodick shop.
Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes MSP said: “The convention focused heavily on the importance of community wealth building and it’s inspiring to see a young business, which has only been trading for a year, already giving back to its community in such a meaningful way. The Isle of Arran Candle Company embodies the best of Scotland’s entrepreneurial spirit — creativity, collaboration, and care for local people and place. The Arran Design Collective shows how government support, through our Ecosystem Fund, can empower communities to drive their own sustainable economic growth. This is exactly the kind of innovation we want to see flourish across Scotland.”
Daniel Steel, Co-founder of the Isle of Arran Candle Company, said:
“We know first-hand how challenging it can be for small creative businesses to reach customers. Many talented makers on Arran simply don’t have the margins or capacity to supply retailers — and that means a lot of incredible craftsmanship goes unseen. The Arran Design Collective is about changing that. We want to create opportunities, foster collaboration, and build something that celebrates the island’s creative spirit.”
Vik Steel, Co-founder, added:
“Arran is full of creative people with amazing ideas, but too often they face barriers that stop them growing. This project is about community — about lifting each other up, sharing resources, and ensuring that creativity remains at the heart of island life. We’re incredibly proud to be part of something that supports both our local economy and our culture.”
The Arran Design Collective opened its first retail shop in Brodick just two months ago, breathing life back into a vacant former bank building on the seafront in Brodick. Not only has this been transformed into the home of the Isle of Arran Candle Company, but it now showcased work from a growing number of island-based designers, artists, and makers.
