CLOSWAP store opens in London<\/p>\n
A sustainable fashion brand set up by three students has now opened its flagship store in Finsbury <\/p>\n
LONDON, June 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A groundbreaking sustainable fashion brand set up by three students has now opened its flagship store in Finsbury, London after re-circulating over 20,000 garments from pop-ups alone.<\/p>\n
CLOSWAP<\/a> is one of the UK\u2019s most buzzworthy sustainable fashion startups set up by three students who were frustrated at the slow pace of sustainable fashion. They decided to offer a faster, fairer alternative – and build a community around it.<\/p>\n The Finsbury store invites people to bring in their items, and CLOSWAP buys them on the spot either in cash or store credit. No apps, no listings – just instant resale.<\/p>\n CLOSWAP started with a clothing rack on Brick Lane and three students – Maria Remy, Peter Zakhar, and Dominik Vesely – with a cardboard sign that said: \u201cSwap your outfit with a stranger.\u201d That guerrilla stunt went viral, and the response was immediate.<\/p>\n University inboxes and student accommodations were flooded with requests. \u201cWe had to run up to three events a day,\u201d said Remy, CLOSWAP\u2019s marketing lead. The team even hired external crews just to meet demand.<\/p>\n Through 45 pop\u2011ups with UCL, King\u2019s College London, Istituto Marangoni, UAL, University of Westminster and more, as well as working with student housing like Yugo, Chapter, and Scape, CLOSWAP has re\u2011circulated over 20,000 garments, saving approximately 72,900kg of CO\u2082 and 54.7 million litres of water.<\/p>\n The success of the brand has led to it winning the Mayor of London\u2019s Entrepreneur Award 2024, Startup of the Year at the British Business Awards 2024 and more recently it was named Best Innovative Clothing Platform at the Global Leaders & Business Awards 2025.<\/p>\n CLOSWAP\u2019s new Finsbury home is more than a store – it\u2019s a movement. Thursday nights see \u201cCLOSWAP Thursdays\u201d come alive with DJs, community activations, and even impromptu tattooing – a fan once got the brand\u2019s logo inked mid-set. \u201cWe\u2019re not just another thrift shop,\u201d Remy said. \u201cWe\u2019re building a brand people feel part of.\u201d<\/p>\n While in-person experiences drive the brand, the digital is equally ambitious. CLOSWAP\u2019s app, dubbed \u2018Tinder for clothes\u2019, is being enhanced with AI-driven matching and a planned move onto the blockchain, creating a new kind of clothing-backed currency. Remy added: \u201cWe want clothes to have liquidity.\u201d<\/p>\n Now CLOSWAP is actively fundraising, with UAE and foreign investors already committed. That capital will fuel a planned U.S. expansion, targeted at cities like New York and Los Angeles.<\/p>\n For more information, visit www.closwap.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n