Tingit Develops a ‘Zero-Effort’ Repair Marketplace, Initially Focusing on Apparel

Ever found yourself staring at a beloved jacket with a gaping tear or some sneakers covered in grime, tucked away and forgotten? Tingit, emerging from Lithuania, is on a mission to breathe new life into worn garments through its innovative repair marketplace.

This service allows you to quickly capture and share a video of the item in need using your smartphone, receive a repair or restoration quote, and if you’re satisfied, make a payment via the Tingit app. Your item is then sent to the selected repair provider. This removes the hassle of searching for specialized repair services and dealing with inconvenient shop hours — Tingit simplifies the entire process.

However, currently, Tingit’s services are exclusive to Lithuania, following its launch in the capital, Vilnius, in February. Following a successful €500,000 pre-seed funding round, the company, led by CEO and co-founder Indrė Viltrakytė, has ambitions to expand across Europe. The team plans to pursue further funding next year to facilitate this growth.

Having Vinted, a major player in the fashion re-commerce field, as a compatriot, Lithuania proves to be fertile ground for such ventures. Tingit seeks to carve out its own space by uniting individuals with worn and damaged clothing with capable repair professionals.

“Growing up alongside the founders of Vinted was incredibly inspiring to witness their journey from a small, local initiative to an immense global platform,” expressed Viltrakytė in a conversation with TechCrunch. “With Tingit, I am hopeful we can mirror that success within the restoration space and collaborate with entities focused on sustainability.”

Viltrakytė’s journey into Tingit was fueled by her extensive background in fashion and a desire to address the sustainability challenges within the industry. Prior to Tingit, she ventured into the tech start-up scene with a social media project for teens and explored digital fashion and the crypto/web3 space.

Nonetheless, stepping into the realm of physical item restoration has presented a unique set of hurdles to overcome.

“I have always been driven to fix problems I encounter. Attempting personal repairs always turned out to be overly complicated, such as the six-week ordeal to fix my hair dryer. In this modern age, there should certainly be an easier solution. When I couldn’t find one, I decided to create it,” she explained.

Presently, Tingit links customers with professional services for clothing, footwear, and accessory restoration, offering everything from specialized sneaker refreshes to conventional dry cleaning options.

The focus on fashion was a natural decision, given the founders’ background, according to Viltrakytė. As the platform grows, she sees no reason why the service couldn’t expand into repairing other items like sports equipment or gadgets, as long as there’s a demand and service providers available.

Influential to Tingit’s mission are European Union regulations endorsing the right to repair, alongside expanding eco-design rules. These initiatives are aimed at fostering a more sustainable, circular economy, contributing to the EU’s climate goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Tingit has already managed over 650 repairs and received upwards of 2,500 requests, collaborating with three local businesses covering various service needs, Viltrakytė highlighted.

While the focus is on upcycling and modding, Viltrakytė notes that more personalized adjustments such as tailoring are better suited for in-person consultations.

Interestingly, shoe repairs dominate the platform’s orders, and their typical user is described as a “busy working mum” seeking efficient solutions. Despite the male-dominated sneaker enthusiast community, usage among men has been lower than expected, potentially due to a lack of awareness about the available restoration services, she opined.

Viltrakytė envisions promoting a culture of ‘seasonal maintenance’ for items like footwear, suggesting that adopting repair services bi-annually could significantly extend their lifecycle. “I aim to normalize repairs as a regular habit, much like brushing your teeth,” she added.

Service costs at Tingit span from a basic €9 protective treatment for shoes to more complex jobs like €25+ zipper replacements on garments and up to €139+ for high-end handbag restorations.

The platform has seen its share of luxury items for restoration, indicating a trend towards recognizing the untapped potential of vintage and second-hand fashion markets. According to Viltrakytė, there’s a significant opportunity for repair services to enhance the value of used goods, given the transformative work possible, especially on high-quality pieces.

While Tingit begins with a direct-to-consumer approach, there’s potential for expanding into business-to-business-to-consumer models. “There’s already a proven business model for acting as official representatives for brands. Plus, we’re looking into API integrations for retailers or other marketplaces,” Viltrakytė outlined.

Lastly, Tingit is exploring ways to leverage technology further, including employing AI to streamline the process of assessing damage and generating quotes, thereby making repair services even more accessible for users.

The initial funding round for Tingit was spearheaded by Firstpick, a Lithuanian VC fund specializing in tech startups, with additional support from investors across Latvia, Czech Republic, and Germany. Jonė Vaitulevičiūtė, managing partner at Firstpick, emphasized the potential for Tingit to enlighten consumers regarding sustainable habits through technology.