Following two successful launches in the UK, eBay is expanding its commitment to more sustainable fashion, bringing the Circular Fashion Fund to Australia for the second time and to Germany and the US for the first time. In collaboration with the Fashion Council Germany (FCG), eBay aims to promote innovative ideas that will transform the fashion industry towards sustainability and a circular economy. Young designers, established brands, startups, and tech companies with ideas on how to sustainably impact the fashion industry are all eligible to apply.

In Germany, a total of €100,000 in prize money will be awarded, distributed among three winners: First place receives €50,000, while second and third place each receive €25,000. In addition to the financial incentive, the Circular Fashion Fund offers the winners a comprehensive mentoring program. Through individual support and industry-specific expertise, the winning ideas will be further developed in a sustainable and responsible manner.

For the first time, eBay's Circular Fashion Fund is taking place simultaneously in all four countries. As a special feature, the winners will have the opportunity to participate in a further international competition stage. In a second application phase, a cross-border winner will be chosen from among them, who will receive an additional $300,000 on top of the original prize money.

The jury places particular emphasis on four key areas when evaluating the submitted projects: innovation, circular economy, scalability, and sustainability. The ten most promising companies or projects will be invited to pitch to a high-caliber jury comprised of leading industry experts. The jury members include: Eirik Frøyland Rime (Founder & CEO, Tise), Eva McGeorge (Head of Marketing & Communication, Lenzing), Henri Jaanimägl (Global Head of eBay Ventures), Julia Kirschner (Impact & Innovation Director, Armedangels), Kirsten Siegler (Co-Founder & Managing Director, vbc Agency), Kirsty Keoghan (General Manager Global Fashion, eBay), Mandy Krüger (Head of Fashion, eBay Germany), Scott Lipinski (CEO, FCG), Silke Friedrich (Publisher, Berliner Zeitung), and Prof. Dr. Thomas Gries (RWTH Aachen University). They combine extensive knowledge in the fields of fashion, technology, and sustainability to ensure that the most innovative and impactful concepts are selected.

Scott Lipinski, CEO of the Fashion Council Germany, emphasizes the importance of the initiative: “ We are delighted to be part of this pioneering project as a partner of eBay and thus take another step towards a sustainable fashion industry. It is particularly important that industry giants like eBay recognize the urgently needed change in the fashion sector and are willing to support innovative ideas from young designers and brands.”

“ The Circular Fashion Fund is a catalyst for collaboration, combining the global scale and expertise of established companies like eBay with the creativity and innovative power of startups. We not only help scale circular solutions, but also bring together knowledgeable and respected experts in the industry. Together, we have a positive impact on the circular economy and are truly reshaping the future of fashion,” emphasizes Kirsty Keoghan, General Manager Global Fashion at eBay.

The Circular Fashion Fund aims to bring new technologies and services to market that not only have the potential to sustainably transform the fashion industry, but also make a genuine contribution to promoting the circular economy. Applications can be submitted HERE from now until November 15th.

Details regarding the terms and conditions of participation can be found at: https://pages.ebay.de/circular-fashion-terms/