4 September 2024
Five Years of COSH: A Journey of Transparency, Tenacity, and Transformation
- Press
PRESS RELEASE – The data-driven fashion platform COSH! is blowing out five candles. With a big celebration on June 23, the company managed to reflect on their achievements but also their future plans. For example, the platform, whose entire rebranding is now live, is adding a COSH! event planner and is merging with not one but no less than two German companies. COSH! wants to be an accessible partner for consumers, retailers and cities. 5 years of COSH!, 5 mergers and 25 employees: the progressive vision of Niki de Schryver goes beyond any previously developed accessible (Belgian) tool with sustainable ambitions.
Niki de Schryver started in 2018 with the mission to transform the fashion sector into a circular and slavery-free industry. “Today this is still our mission, the foundation of COSH! as it were.” said Niki de Schryver. The platform started with the idea of a Start it KBC track, now called Start it X. In September 2019, the platform went live. “Covid followed not much later. A moment that provided a (necessary) shopping revelation for many people. Buy-local campaigns and sustainable shopping came to the forefront partly because of our efforts.” COSH! gained momentum due to growing awareness along both the retail and consumer sides. In 2021, the platform was admitted to imec.istart. “The admission made us accelerate faster. The financial injection from imec.istart to COSH! provided us with the energy to reach further than we ever dared to dream.”
During recent years, COSH! received support and tenders from several Belgian cities that believed in the strength of COSH! as a partner with sustainable ambitions. Among others, City of Antwerp, Bruges and Hasselt, but also foreign cities such as Rotterdam and Amsterdam partnered with the platform.5 years and 5 mergers later: COSH! merges with not 1 but 2 German companies.
Not only Belgian sustainability was scrutinized by COSH! In January 2022, COSH! merged with ‘Ware Westen’, an Amsterdam-based platform for local sustainable stores. Six months later, August 2022, there was already the next merger with Fairify, also a Dutch platform. The urban collaborations with Amsterdam and Rotterdam created a close relationship with Dutch consumers. In addition to merging with the Dutch market, Spain followed in October 2022. COSH! took over Ethical Time and thus also already launched a very first version of a shopping route during Circular Sustainable Fashion Week in Madrid.
In addition to the Netherlands and Spain, COSH! is now acquiring not one but two platforms that inspire about sustainability in Germany. “The acquisitions ensure that we have truly local experts on board as employees at COSH! who know the circular initiatives inside out. It is important to know what is going on in a community and to respond to it. What better way to do that than with local certified guides.” As of today, Green Fashion Tours Germany and Circular Economy Tours are strengthening the COSH! community. On April 1, the behind-the-scenes takeover was already complete. As of today, all info can also be found on the COSH! website.
“Green Fashion Tours Germany and Circular Economy Tours have 25 guides who give tours in Germany as true change makers. The tours can be booked by companies scouting circular trends but also consumers and groups can take an interactive tour.” Niki de Schryver, founder COSH!
Make new plans with the COSH!” event calender
COSH! is launching the COSH! event planner. At a glance, you can see what local and artisanal events or guided tours of circular fashion entrepreneurs are near you. The events are input from retailers already vetted by COSH! and can range from a repair workshop or mineral makeup class to a local eco-market.
Since COSH! is so widely spread across Europe, the platform is the ideal tool to find unique input for a citytrip. Make your city trip to Ghent just that little bit more special with a craft workshop or stroll through a vintage market instead of the well-known shopping streets in Leuven, Mechelen or maybe even Tilburg.
The future of fashion is COSH!
The future of the fashion world, that’s COSH! The platform recently raised a second round of capital allowing it to start new achievements.
“Based on the data collected, we are now creating urban dashboards to provide insights on how local retail is evolving in a city and how consumer behavior is evolving through certain initiatives.” This allows cities and towns to “co-select” which efforts around advertising or events will actually make a difference in the transition. By working across the board through COSH!, local governments save time and money relative to setting up local initiatives and technologies themselves to map the local, circular or social ecosystem.
COSH! is currently partnering with several traceability tools and companies working on Digital Product Passports. “Linking product chain traceability and transparency with our current data is a crucial and logical step to further grow COSH! Importantly, we do need to filter for greenwashing as there are occasionally deliberate deceptions in the passports currently.” COSH! aims in this way to give consumers a genuine choice and guide them to the right shop, without the need for research from the consumer side.
The platform is always looking for companies offering Digital Product Passports to further connect with. Sign up here if you would like COSH! to contact you.
