Textile sorting tech company Trosort has been named the global winner of eBay’s Circular Fashion Fund for 2026, with the company recognised for its innovative contribution to advancing circularity within the fashion industry.
The business was selected from eight international finalists spanning the EU, UK, US and Australia. Judges highlighted the potential of Trosort’s artificial intelligence (AI)-powered textile sorting technology to help address one of fashion’s key infrastructure challenges – scalable and efficient textile sorting – while supporting reduced waste and more effective circular retail operations.
As the 2026 global winner, Trosort will have the opportunity to receive a $300,000 investment from eBay Ventures.
Now in its fourth year, eBay’s Circular Fashion Fund supports businesses developing solutions across the circular fashion ecosystem, from resale, repair, and recycling technology to authentication, sourcing, and textile recovery infrastructure. The programme was created to help early-stage businesses scale ideas with the potential to drive long-term industry change, connecting founders with funding, strategic mentoring and access to eBay’s broader circular fashion ecosystem.
Since launching in 2022, the initiative has supported more than 30 businesses globally, with eBay’s total investment through the programme expected to reach $1.9 million by the end of 2026.
What is Trosort?
Trosort develops semi-automated hardware and software systems designed to digitise textile sorting. The company’s technology combines AI-powered garment identification with high-speed data extraction to help sort textiles for reuse, repair, upcycling and recycling through a single-step process.
The business says its modular system is designed to maximise both economic and environmental returns by identifying the highest recovery potential for each garment, while also providing objective compliance data to support textile management and reporting requirements. Trosort currently has systems deployed across textile sorting centres in Belgium, Australia, the UK and France, with plans for further expansion.
Achille Mathot, co-founder & CEO of Trosort, said: “Textile sorting remains one of the fashion industry’s biggest infrastructure challenges, and we believe smarter, AI-powered systems can help unlock greater efficiency, transparency and garment recirculation at scale.
“This recognition is an exciting milestone for both our team and the broader future of circular fashion infrastructure.”
Alexis Hoopes, vice president of global fashion at eBay, added: “The future of fashion depends on building solutions that make circularity more scalable, accessible and commercially viable.
“Through the Circular Fashion Fund, we’re supporting entrepreneurs who are rethinking the systems, technologies and infrastructure needed to drive long-term change across the industry. Trosort reflects the kind of bold innovation that has the potential to accelerate progress toward a more circular future for fashion.”
Previous Circular Fashion Fund winners, as featured on Green Retail World, include Sojo and The Seam in the UK, alongside global winner Refiberd, highlighting the programme’s focus on innovations spanning repair, resale and textile recovery infrastructure.
The eight finalists in the 2026 programme were Circular Sourcing, Ragpiq, Silhouet, Refabric, TRUSS, eComID, It Goes Forward and Trosort. Each received a monetary grant, mentoring and access to eBay’s global network of circular fashion experts, investors and industry leaders.
[image credit: eBay]
