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§ Private Profile · Edinburgh, United Kingdom
This is Unfolded is a technology company.
This is Unfolded operates as a sustainable fashion brand dedicated to eliminating waste within the apparel industry. The company offers a range of clothing produced on a made-to-order basis, directly addressing the prevalent issue of unsold inventory in traditional retail. Its operational model integrates community co-design, where garments are developed with input from a large customer base, ensuring relevance and minimizing speculative production.
The company was co-founded in 2021 by Cally Russell, Jamie Sutherland, and Hilde Frydnes. Their collective insight stemmed from previous experience consulting for major fashion brands, where they observed significant waste. This realization spurred them to create a direct-to-consumer model that manufactures clothing only after a purchase is made, thereby circumventing the environmental and economic costs associated with excess stock.
This is Unfolded primarily serves consumers who prioritize ethical and environmentally conscious clothing choices. The company's vision extends beyond waste reduction, aiming to foster a more equitable fashion ecosystem. By eliminating waste, Unfolded reallocates savings to provide fair wages for garment workers and fund educational opportunities for children, positioning itself as a platform for positive social impact in addition to sustainable commerce.
This is Unfolded has raised $1.0M across 1 funding round.
This is Unfolded has raised $1.0M in total across 1 funding round.
This is Unfolded has raised $1.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $1.0M Seed in October 2022.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2022 | $1M Seed | Techstart Ventures | Asylum Ventures, Electric Capital, LaFont, Meritech Capital Partners, Nauta Capital, Pareto Holdings, Sapphire Ventures, Solid Bond Capital, Stellar Capital, World Fund, Mario Götze, Mulenga Agley, Scott Belsky, FJ Labs, Sweet Spot Capital | Announced |
This is Unfolded is a UK-based sustainable fashion company founded in 2021, headquartered in Edinburgh, Scotland. It builds an on-demand clothing production platform offering affordable, ethical apparel made only after customer orders to eliminate waste, using savings for higher worker wages and child education in India.[1][2][3][5] The company serves eco-conscious women seeking quality, low-waste fashion, solving fast fashion's overproduction, high returns (industry ~30%), and disposal issues—achieving under 3% returns and 40% repeat customers while funding community impact.[3][5] With pre-seed funding of ~$1.35M and over 50,000 women in its community by 2024, it shows steady growth in the slow fashion niche.[2][3]
This is Unfolded was founded in 2021 by Cally Russell (CEO), Jamie Sutherland, and Hilde Frydnes in Edinburgh, building on their prior experience running Mallzee, an insights business that aggregated nearly a billion customer opinions to help UK retailers predict demand and cut waste.[3][4] The idea emerged from frustration with fast fashion's inaction; during COVID, they pivoted Mallzee to "Lost Stock," selling canceled retailer clothes to support 113,000 Bangladeshi garment workers via 125,000 boxes sold across 10 countries in 7 months.[3][4] This success proved demand for change, leading them to launch Unfolded as a direct-to-consumer model fixing the industry themselves—starting with data-driven designs co-created by thousands of women.[1][2][3]
This is Unfolded rides the slow fashion and circular economy wave, countering fast fashion's 108,000+ daily dumped items by leveraging data insights (from Mallzee heritage) and community tech for demand-driven production.[4][5] Timing aligns with rising consumer scrutiny on sustainability—post-COVID waste awareness and regulations like EU textile rules favor low-waste models.[2][5] Market forces include e-commerce growth, AI/data for personalization, and investor interest in impact fashion (pre-seed raised $1.35M).[2] It influences the ecosystem by proving scalable alternatives: inspiring brands via <3% returns, worker funds, and co-creation, accelerating shifts to on-demand and ethical supply chains in a $100B+ sustainable apparel market.[1][5]
Unfolded is poised to scale its proven model—expanding collections, global reach, and tech for faster on-demand (beyond 4-6 weeks), targeting 100,000+ community members amid booming slow fashion demand.[3][5] Trends like AI design tools, Web3 community ownership, and stricter waste laws will amplify growth, potentially attracting Series A funding. Its influence may evolve from niche disruptor to ecosystem leader, redefining ethical retail and proving waste-free fashion can be cheaper and better—echoing its origin as a "brand new way to shop that removes waste from the production process."[1][4]
This is Unfolded has raised $1.0M in total across 1 funding round.
This is Unfolded's investors include Techstart Ventures, Asylum Ventures, Electric Capital, LaFont, Meritech Capital Partners, Nauta Capital, Pareto Holdings, Sapphire Ventures, Solid Bond Capital, Stellar Capital, World Fund, Mario Götze.