Swoperz, a U.K.-based marketplace where children can swap used clothing, has raised £250,000 ($312,000 U.S.) in pre-seed funding, which it will use to continue to build its platform.
The site, which is due to go live soon, will let six- to 16-year-olds exchange their secondhand clothing online in a verified environment, with parental oversight.
Subscriptions will cost £14.99 a month, and users will be reimbursed with tokens when they upload an item, which they can exchange for other garments.
School uniforms can be exchanged on the site without a subscription, and the company plans to form partnerships to set up hubs for swapping school uniforms and sports kit, as well as hosting pop-up swap shops nationwide.
“Our platform can help parents budget better with ever-changing clothing requests from children, get kids excited about saving the planet and instil [sic.] a sense of responsibility and empowerment through our token system,” said Charlene Hurlock and Vicky Fuller, who founded Swoperz in 2021, website Tech.eu reports.
“We want to help children build positive, sustainable consumption habits whilst growing the circular economy and never compromising on their individuality.”
The round was led by Jenson Funding Partners.
“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,” said Sarah Barber, CEO of the early-stage venture capital firm.