Singapore startup tackles textile waste with a new model

This article is a part of Startup Spotlight, a series that features young, up-and-coming startups.

Image credit: Timmy Loen

While working at a decentralized exchange, Cara Kim and Vrinda Kudaisya found themselves discussing Singapore’s best thrifting spots. This conversation sparked an idea to apply decentralized market mechanics to preloved fashion.

They soon launched Refit, an online marketplace designed to mirror how people discover and shop for clothes in the real world.

😟 Problem

Singapore generates 168,000 tonnes of textile waste annually, yet fashion resale remains underdeveloped. Existing secondhand platforms are search-driven, requiring users to know exactly what they want. This model hinders discovery, limits impulse buys, and reduces exposure for sellers.

💡 Solution

Refit is a discovery-first marketplace for preloved fashion, built for browsing rather than searching. It aims to make secondhand shopping more intuitive and engaging.

Key features include:

• A curated, scrollable feed that surfaces items organically to users.
• 0% seller fees to remove the primary barrier to listing items.
• A buyer protection fee (5% + US$0.78) that funds payment processing and dispute resolution.

Image credit: Refit

📊 Market size

Singapore has an estimated 400,000 active secondhand fashion buyers online. Refit is targeting the most engaged 10% of this group, representing a base of 40,000 users. 

At this level, the segment could generate S$3.4 million (US$2.7 million) in annual revenue for the platform.

Expansion into major urban markets in Southeast Asia, like Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta, could increase the opportunity by eight to ten times. This points to a potential S$25 million (US$19.7 million) to S$30 million (US$23.6 million) in revenue at scale.

🤝 Team

• Cara Kim. Co-founder and CEO. She built the full iOS and web product solo in five weeks and has a background in business development in Web3.
• Vrinda Kudaisya. Co-founder. Leads the community and event strategy that has driven all of the company’s user acquisition to date.

🚀 Traction

🏆 Competition

💰 Financials

🚩 Risks