eBay, a leading destination for new and pre-loved fashion and luxury, has announced today the global expansion of its Circular Fashion Fund (CFF). The fund is designed to help fashion start-ups scale circular solutions, from production to end-of-life, including rental and repair services. Applications are open from now until November 15, 2024, and innovative tech start-ups and small businesses can apply via eBay's website [here].

Since it launched in the UK in 2022, the CFF has helped 15 businesses scale their circular solutions including The Seam, which allows businesses to offer garment care & repair services at scale to extend the life of clothes, and RCYCL, creators of the innovative at-home fashion recycling program for unwearable clothing. Now in its third year in the UK, the CFF is set to launch in the US and Germany for the first time having successfully expanded to Australia last year.

As part of eBay's commitment to the circular economy, the global expansion of the CFF extends its reach to invest in businesses that bring new technology and services to the market and help people think and shop differently. eBay is transforming the buying and selling experience so that more brands, sellers and buyers can participate in circular fashion.

The CFF will provide a global investment of $1.2 million to start-ups in the global markets by the end of 2025, and over 200 hours of mentoring and networking support for applicants from industry experts. Past judges have included Hugo Adams, CEO of Kelpi Sustainable Materials and KITX Founder Kit Willow. To further amplify its impact, eBay Ventures will select one winner from the global selection of finalists to become "Circular Fashion Innovator of the Year" and receive an investment of $300,000.