eBay Australia has launched a Circular Fashion Fund to finance circular solutions for the fashion industry.
$200,000 worth of funding will be made available for start-up businesses, social enterprises and charities across Australia using technology, products and services that advance circularity in fashion.
The program is supported by the Australian Fashion Council (AFC), with applications open now via eBay’s website until Friday, November 10, 2023.
eBay will support the winner and two runners-up of the Circular Fashion Fund by providing financial support via the Fund, alongside mentorship, industry networking and promotional opportunities. The winner will receive a $100,000 grant, and the two runners-up will each be awarded a $50,000 grant.
In addition, the three recipients will enter into a six-week program of mentoring, networking opportunities and workshops, including a workshop hosted by The Wardrobe Crisis founder Clare Press.
Six finalists will be shortlisted from initial entries, and each will then pitch their ideas to a panel of seven judges listed below, who will select the three overall funding recipients.
Judges include KITX founder Kit Willow; AFC project director Danielle Kent; Sendle founder and CEO James Chin Moody; Liandra founder and creative director Liandra Gaykamangu; director of UTS and TAFE NSW’s Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Fashion & Textiles Dr Lisa Lake; The Growth Activists CEO Rosanna Iacono; and eBay Australia head of fashion Brooke Eichhorn.
Eichhorn confirmed that eBay has become patrons of the AFC, further prompting the launch of the Circular Fashion fund.
"These initiatives will help revolutionise how fashion is created, consumed and recycled, making sustainable fashion practices more accessible for everyone," Eichhorn said.
“We understand that eBay can play a role in circular fashion by using our scale and expertise for good. We are committing support to small businesses to drive positive change through innovation in the fashion industry."
Eichhorn said the Fund comes as appetite for pre-loved items continue to grow, with recent eBay research finding 45% of Australians claiming they’ve increased their purchases of second-hand goods in the past two years.
The research further reveals that one in three Australians (30%) surveyed stated half of their wardrobe is made up of pre-loved fashion and accessories.
AFC CEO Leila Naja Hibri said Australia needs to fundamentally transform how clothing is designed, produced, consumed and disposed of in order to reach a circular economy by 2030.
“For decades, eBay has been leading the charge in recommerce, driving the circular economy through its resale marketplace, in particular for fashion,” Naja Hibri said.
“eBay’s Circular Fashion Fund not only compliments but helps accelerate the roadmap for Seamless, the national clothing stewardship scheme, bringing us closer to our goal of achieving clothing circularity in Australia by 2030.”
Funding applicants must have an established business that has been trading for a minimum of six months and a maximum of six years. The applicant’s company must be based in Australia, hold an ABN, and can be a charity, social enterprise, or registered company. The Fund is open to both eBay and non-eBay sellers.
The Circular Fashion Fund has launched in tandem with eBay United Kingdom’s own initiative.