South African “re-commerce” startup Faro has launched operations in a bid to make quality fashion accessible and combat textile waste in Africa.
Launched in June, Faro partners with global fashion brands to source high-quality unsold clothing for resale in Africa, disrupting the inflow of problematic textiles by giving customers a sustainable alternative.
“Our commitment to the circular economy goes beyond waste prevention; we’re dedicated to addressing the existing problem,” said Faro co-founder David Torr. This dedication has given rise to Faro Impact, a textile recycling initiative. “For every kilo of high-quality sustainable clothing we sell, Faro Impact will recycle an equivalent kilo of textile waste.”
Faro’s leadership team – comprising Torr, Michelle Sibanda, Amber Penney and William McCarren – boasts a wealth of experience in building and promoting ventures in Africa. Torr co-founded UCOOK, while McCarren, equipped with experience at Amazon and Jumia, co-founded and built ZUMI, Africa’s largest B2B platform for clothing with a mission to reduce textile waste.
It was during his time at ZUMI, which at its peak sold three million garments every month but closed earlier this year after failing to secure necessary funding, that McCarren realised that more needed to be done to tackle the problem.
“We spent three years trying to reduce waste in the second-hand clothing market, but people wouldn’t change their ways. To fix the problem, I knew we had to build a new supply chain,” he said.
Faro has partnered with the Bestseller group, whose fashion brands include Jack & Jones, LMTD, Only, Vero Moda, Vila and Noisy May, to bring its unsold brand-new stock directly to the South African market, where it will be sold at up to 70 per cent off retail prices.
Having secured pre-seed funding, the startup is embarking on a rapid store roll-out, with the first outlet scheduled to open in Mitchell’s Plain on the Cape Flats in October. Five more bricks-and-mortar stores are set to open at different locations within eight months, with 20 stores planned over the next year-and-a-half.
“The roll-out could have incredible environmental implications,” said McCarren.
