Lithuanian startup Tingit has raised a tranche of pre-funding to launch a platform connecting consumers with repair service providers to promote a circular economy and reduce waste.
The Vilnius-based company is developing what it calls a “zero-effort repair marketplace,” initially focusing on clothing but planning to expand its focus to sporting goods, toys and consumer electronics in the future.
The current system requires users to upload a short video of the item to be repaired, which is sent to the repair network. Tingit then provides a repair estimate and provides a drop-off and pick-up location if the terms are accepted. Most repairs are completed within seven to 10 days, according to Tingit. The company has already completed more than 600 orders and processed over 2,500 repair requests. The company’s vision is a “global, technology-based longevity protocol for your closet.”
The platform recognizes the enormous environmental costs of so-called “fast fashion.” The European Parliament concluded in a 2023 report that textile consumption per person in the EU requires 9 cubic meters of water and 391 kg of raw materials and has a carbon footprint of 270 kg.
The EU generates 12.6 million tonnes of textile waste each year and only one percent of old clothes are recycled into new garments. Tingit’s approach complements ongoing European efforts to encourage more recycling programmes, as well as the efforts of some manufacturers such as Zara and Uniqlo, who also offer repair services.
Over time, the plan is to roll out an API that can be added to e-commerce sites, expand beyond Lithuania, and add new features such as recycling, reselling items, digital passports to track items throughout their lifecycle, and authentication tools to protect against counterfeiting.
The EP is pushing for stricter producer responsibility systems for textiles that cover the costs of collection, sorting and recycling. There is also an obligation for EU member states to collect textiles separately for recycling by 1 January 2025. Further reforms are being considered as part of the revision of the EU Waste Framework Directive.
The funding round was led by Lithuania-based venture capital group Firstpick, with participation from Latvia’s BADideas.fund, PurposeTech from the Czech Republic and Germany’s HEARTFELT.
