Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Fashion & Style

Sustainable E-commerce Startup Cerqular ‘Version Two of Shopping’ Platform Gets Seeded

By

Cerqular's sustainable e-commerce platform contain thousands of goods, ranging from this Voyager Utensil Kit made from bamboo to Unspun jeans.
Cerqular’s sustainable e-commerce platform contains thousands of goods, ranging from this Voyager Utensil Kit made from bamboo to Unspun jeans. Cerqular

Cerqular, which just closed a $1 million pre-seed financing round, wants to build an e-commerce platform for “version two of shopping,” co-founder and CEO David Friedrichs told the Morning Brew newsletter.

Recommended Videos

A pre-seed round is a funding round that brings in a small initial investment (often under $1.5 million), doesn’t create Series A stock, and has no institutional investors. This is among the first rounds of funding a young company will receive, generally while the company is young and working to gain traction. Cerqular, in this case, has only been around since 2020 and received about $1 million for the funding round. 

This investment will go toward upgrading the company’s platform to support and expand the e-seller’s ecosystem of sustainable goods — apparel, beauty, grocery, and much more. It’s Cerqular’s mission to support firms selling products that come with clear “end-of-life solutions” (like upcycling, recycling, and resale options), carbon-neutral shipping, and other green aspects. After showing serious growth upon opening its U.S.-based website last year, Cerqular’s success shows that there’s demand for a digital place to sell green goods.

According to Ecotextile News, the funding round was led by Green Space Investments, a sustainability focused fund seeking to enable green tech that’s supported by several strategic angel investors. Cerqular fits Green Space’s profile as an environmentally conscious company with an executed plan that shows potential for massive expansion. Cerqular has grown to over 135 verified brands selling more than 50,000 products in just one year. 

Related Guides

This profusion of vendors goes toward Cerqular’s mission to make sustainable shopping more accessible and affordable. The company’s definition of ‘sustainable’ includes organic, vegan, and eco-friendly goods.

“We believe in sustainable products — to us, that means they’re things made without harm to animals, natural resources, or other people just like us — both now and tomorrow,” Cerqular states in its company description. “We’ve checked them all one by one and poured a lot of time and energy into making sure they care about the planet just as much as we do.”

Ecotextile News reports that Cerqular also partners with Sendle, an Australian courier providing carbon-neutral shipping service by connecting consumers with local sellers, thus further reducing the environmental impact of online shopping.

“We connect the dots at every touchpoint of a product’s lifecycle,” Cerqular CEO David Friedrichs told Morning Brew. “The power of change really lies in our spending dollars.”

In addition to devoting its new capital to upgrading its platform, Cerqular has already opened the next round of financing to continue catalyzing development plans and creating a more sustainable shopping experience.

“Our goal is to make sustainable shopping the norm – no longer will it have to be expensive or inconvenient.”

Read More: YY Nation — Stylish Shoes Looking to Stomp Their Environmental Impact

Topics
Matthew Denis
Matthew Denis
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Matt Denis is an on-the-go remote multimedia reporter, exploring arts, culture, and the existential in the Pacific Northwest…
Caterpillar celebrates a century of building the world with CAT Centennial collection
CAT Apparel has been the go-to for the hardest working people for 100 years, now they celebrate it
CAT Centennial navy tee

Men have been building the world since the industrialized society took hold and grew to encompass empires. Everything from the pyramids to skyscrapers is the product of ingenuity and grit, all on the backs of the hardest-working men in the world. Since 1925, they have been one of the leading manufacturers of heavy equipment across the globe. From defense work and engines in World War II to building every major city in America, they are a name every engineer and construction company trusts. Because of that, the name expanded to workwear, becoming one of the first names you see on the men and women actually building the structures we use every single day. To celebrate the 100th anniversary, the brand launched the Caterpillar Centennial Collection, a number of items including graphic tees and articles inspired by the very machines that inspired them. Whether you follow the trends and want to embrace the workwear aesthetic or you are a fan of the brand, these are the perfect fit.

Pieces inspired by classic machines from Caterpillar

Read more
Wax London believes polos shouldn’t be boring
Get creative with your polos with Wax London
Wax London polo black floral

The men's polo is one of the staple shirts every man needs. It is something that has endured since the days of LaCoste wearing them on the tennis courts. Nowadays, it is the paramount piece for any man looking to wear a basic business casual wardrobe. Of course, that doesn't mean it has to be basic. Most men tend to opt for a solid golf polo and a pair of basic chinos, paired with a hybrid dress shoe. While that has led the polo down a path to gaining a dad shirt image, that doesn't mean it needs to stay there. Wax London is one of the leaders in making everyone, from celebrities to dads, look stylish, and they don't think a polo needs to be boring or basic. Instead, Wax London polos this season emphasize patterns, standing out, and being seen as a celebrity, even if you're just a dad.

Wearing the polo like a celebrity

Read more
Now is the perfect time to layer with UNTUCKit spring pieces
The spring collection for UNTUCKit is stocked with seasonal pieces
UNTUCKit quarter-zip

As the April showers come to a close, the May flowers will be in full bloom. While that sounds like a great time of year (unless, of course, you struggle with allergies), there is one thing that stubbornly sticks around this time of year, especially if you are north of the Mason-Dixon Line, and that is the cold snaps. The unpredictability of the spring means you are bound to have those days where you are a bit chilly in the morning and a little warm in the afternoon. The best way to combat this little problem is with the subtle art of layering. UNTUCKit is known for creating some of the most comfortable shirts of the last decade and a half, and they have released a spring collection that makes layering the simplest it's ever been.

Layering made simple

Read more