On this episode of the Lead With Purpose podcast host, Tze Ching Yeung talks to Maria Remy about circularity and fashion.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
The problem in the UK is there’s often quite a long time between swapping events where you don’t know what to do with your clothes, you want to consume more because of the fast pace of fashion but you may not have the chance to do so. We created a digital platform to be the bridge between the events.
CLOSWAP is a Tinder-based model, swiping right and left releases dopamine, you then match with people and you can choose to meet up with them or ship the items to them via same-day bike delivery.
People who are in fashion are often artistic people, they care about the purpose and the mission, which is great – that’s what sells the product. But, if you make that a business that can sustain itself the impact will be larger over the long term.
Most people only care about themselves, which might sound pessimistic but it’s reality, so you have to match the behaviours that are there: Over-consumption, dopamine-hit-requirement, short attention spans. Circularity is one of the only solutions to prolong the lifecycle of clothing.
BEST MOMENTS
‘CLOSWAP is Tinder for clothes and Eventbrite for swapping events combined.’
‘Swapping is probably the least financially viable business to get into, we’ve never hosted an event that was profitable!’
‘Impact is the mission I want to pursue throughout my life.’
‘Apps like Vinted take too long, when I buy something I want it right now.’
ABOUT THE GUEST
Maria Remy is a former professional athlete turned marketing specialist, creative director and founder of CLOSWAP, winner of the Mayor's Entrepreneurship Award 2024 and a top 700 startup & social venture (according to Hult Prize) pioneering in circular fashion.
With a background in fashion styling and a passion for social impact, she leads with creativity, strategy, and a commitment to change. Maria is also the president of the Women in Business, driving diversity and innovation in the industry.
ABOUT THE HOST
Tze Ching started her entrepreneurial journey back in 2007 with the launch of a sustainable clothing & home furnishing ecommerce business. Next, she created a sustainable fashion brand.
In 2019, she launched a social enterprise to help raise awareness about the negative impact of fashion at schools & colleges.
Through the 15-year journey, she learned so much, but easily the most meaningful lesson learned was about the importance of marketing. She now focuses on channelling those insights to help others succeed through We Disrupt Agency, a business coaching, mentoring & digital marketing company.
Tze Ching’s mission is to create a community of global change makers and to contribute to positive change in both people & planet.
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