The global fashion resale market was valued at $182.4 billion in 2022, as used clothing has become popular among all age groups. However, pre-loved options for children are limited both in terms of the quality of clothes and the choices in style. The lack of options can lead to overconsumption of fast fashion as families struggle to keep up with growing children’s need for new clothing, often buying new clothes, which is expensive and harmful to the environment
Realising that second-hand clothing options were limited for children under the age of 16, two female founders and best friends Charlene Hurlock and Vicky Fuller founded Swoperz in 2021. The subscription-based marketplace empowers children in their style choices whilst being environmentally friendly as they can swap pre-loved clothes on the platform as many times as they like in a fully user-verified environment.
Investment from Jenson Funding Partners
Swoperz, the pre-loved marketplace, has secured £250,000 in a pre-seed funding round led by early-stage venture capital firm Jenson Funding Partners, which invested in ZappedSkin and Ascension-Q.
Swoperz will use the funding to further build a robust, scalable platform that is a safe, online-verified environment for the next generation.
Charlene Hurlock and Vicky Fuller, Founders of Swoperz, said: “We want our kids to be in control of their fashion, but also environmentally conscious in their choices. This is why we’ve created Swoperz. Swoperz gives children safe access to a huge range of age appropriate, preloved clothing so they can showcase their style every day. Parents can also feel safe in the knowledge that the platform is fully verified and controlled by them..”
Sarah Barber, CEO of Jenson Funding Partners, says: “Swoperz is a sustainable solution that is having a positive impact on the environment by decreasing overconsumption of clothes, an industry that is notoriously wasteful. It’s also empowering children to express themselves through style, which is amazing to see. When children have so much independence in other aspects of their lives, such as by owning their own bank card or purchasing products online, it only makes sense that Charlene and Vicky have created a safe environment for children to enjoy clothes without breaking their parents’ budgets, or putting further strain on our planet.”
Pre-loved clothing platform for kids
Swoperz is a subscription-based marketplace costing £14.99 a month. It empowers children in their clothing choices whilst being environmentally-friendly as they can swap great quality, pre-loved clothes as many times as they like. Children are reimbursed with tokens when they upload an item and can use these tokens to “pay for” a different item on the platform. The user verified environment allows children to swap in safety.
Swoperz will also allow children across the UK to swap their pre-loved school uniforms free of charge, without requiring a subscription, so adults will have one less expense to worry about whilst protecting the environment. The founders of the company are passionate about helping families save money and protect the environment and know that school uniform can be a large yearly cost.
Furthermore, Swoperz plans to develop partnerships to create hubs for swapping school uniforms and sports kits, as well as creating pop-up swap shops throughout the country.
The company is committed to building a platform that prioritises safety and security. It has partnered with TrustElevate, a secure, accurate and privacy-preserving provider of child age verification and parental consent to create an age-appropriate safe space for children and their families.
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