Fast fashion has gone down the same route as skinny jeans and is officially out! Instead, slow, circular, and sustainable trends are the latest look we love. And, to celebrate this growing movement, eBay Australia, in partnership with the Australian Fashion Council (AFC), has just crowned Shopfront as the winner of its eBay Circular Fashion Fund, awarding them $100,000 to turbocharge their mission of making resale smarter, simpler, and more sustainable. And they’re not alone. Runners-up HATCH + make and Hello Tailr will each pocket $50,000 to fuel their circular fashion solutions.
This annual fund, now in its second year, is all about tackling Australia’s textile waste crisis. Because, in 2025, there’s really no acceptable reason for living in a world where 222,000 tonnes of clothing end up in landfill every year. The eBay solution? Championing the brands that are flipping the script on wasteful wardrobes and creating innovative, planet-friendly alternatives.
Meet the Game-Changers
Shopfront is on a mission to make fashion resale as easy as snapping a pic. Their AI-powered tool streamlines listing across multiple marketplaces. Think of it as the ultimate digital stylist-meets-personal shopper for your pre-loved pieces. Just upload a photo, and Shopfront handles the rest, from removing backgrounds to generating listings and posting them on platforms like eBay. More listings, less hassle, and a circular economy that actually works? That’s a win.
HATCH + make is redefining knitwear with sustainability at its core. Their low-waste designs, natural fibres, and eco-friendly production methods mean they’re not just making clothes – they’re making a difference. Their Brood line, launched in late 2024, helps brands cut development costs and reduce textile waste through innovative knitting methods and local production. Translation? Less waste, more wearable art.
Hello Tailr is bringing the art of tailoring back into fashion – literally. Their online tailoring and alteration service makes extending the life of your clothes effortless, offering door-to-door pickups, mail-in options, and even drop-off services at 7,500+ locations nationwide. They also work with brands to facilitate large-scale garment repairs. This means that businesses and consumers alike can keep their favourite fits in rotation longer. The bonus: Over 72% of their services are completed by social enterprise partners, so it’s not just your wardrobe that benefits – it’s the community, too.
A Global Stage for Circular Fashion
As if the prize money wasn’t exciting enough, Shopfront will also represent Australia in eBay’s global Circular Fashion Fund competition. Here, they will join winners from the UK, US, and Germany for a shot at an additional $300,000 USD investment from eBay Ventures. It’s a huge opportunity to take their sustainability game to the next level and prove that the future of fashion isn’t just about what’s new – it’s about what lasts.
According to Anne-Marie Cheney, eBay Australia’s Fashion Lead, “Circularity is no longer an aspiration. It’s a necessity for fashion’s future. At eBay, we’re proud to support businesses reimagining every stage of the fashion life cycle, from design to resale and repair.”
The Future of Fashion is Circular
With eBay committing a total global investment of $1.2 million USD into the Circular Fashion Fund by the end of 2025, plus over 200 hours of expert mentoring and networking opportunities, this initiative is proving that fashion can be fabulous, functional, and friendly to the planet all at once.
So, whether you’re a thrift queen, a vintage connoisseur, or just someone who loves a killer second-hand find, eBay’s latest winners are making sure your next wardrobe refresh is as stylish as it is sustainable. The future of fashion? It’s looking pretty circular from here.
