SOJO Wins eBay's Circular Fashion Fund: Why Repair Is the Future of Fashion
SOJO has been named the UK winner of eBay's 2025 Circular Fashion Fund — one of the fashion industry's most prestigious competitions for circular innovation. For a startup built on the belief that repair should be mainstream, this is more than a grant. It's validation that the industry is finally catching up.
Apr 1, 2025
SOJO has been named the UK winner of eBay's 2025 Circular Fashion Fund — one of the fashion industry's most prestigious competitions for circular innovation. For a startup built on the belief that repair should be mainstream, this is more than a grant. It's validation that the industry is finally catching up.
The eBay Circular Fashion Fund, run in partnership with the British Fashion Council, backs the most pioneering circular fashion businesses in the world. This year it went global — spanning the UK, US, Germany, and Australia — with a judging panel including CFDA CEO Steven Kolb and Australian Fashion Council Chair Marianne Perkovic. SOJO was named the UK winner, taking home a £50,000 grant, before going on to compete in the global final.
More Than a Competition
Over six months, finalists receive bespoke mentorship, exclusive networking, and access to industry experts — all designed to help circular startups scale their impact, not just their revenue.
For SOJO founder and CEO Josephine Philips, the programme was as valuable as the prize itself. "It's been such a pleasure being part of the finalist cohort with all the mentorship and support," she said. Being selected from a highly competitive global pool — and ultimately winning — is a reflection of what SOJO has built: a repair model that is scalable, commercially proven, and increasingly essential to the brands leading the industry.
Why Repair Is Winning
Four years of the eBay Circular Fashion Fund tells a clear story: repair businesses consistently outperform every other circular model. While rental platforms have struggled to scale, repair companies have demonstrated revenue clarity, immediate environmental impact, and the ability to forge meaningful brand partnerships.
SOJO is the most compelling proof of that thesis. Founded in 2021, SOJO is a VC-backed fashion tech startup working with some of the biggest names in fashion — including Marks & Spencer, Selfridges, Paul Smith, and H&M Group — giving brands the technology and operations to offer seamless repair and alterations to their customers. No inventory risk. No complex logistics. Just garments that last longer.
The Bigger Picture
The Fund's evolution over four years is telling. Early cohorts bet on changing consumer behaviour — rental apps, swap marketplaces, secondhand platforms. Recent cohorts have shifted decisively toward B2B infrastructure: technology and services that let established brands go circular without rebuilding from scratch. SOJO sits squarely at the centre of that shift.
For SOJO, the eBay win is a milestone — but the mission hasn't changed. A fashion industry where caring for your clothes is the norm, not the exception.