The global secondhand fashion market is booming, yet only 5% of resellable clothing makes it onto resale platforms. That leaves an estimated $2 trillion worth of unused fashion gathering dust in closets worldwide. Finnish startup Bought is tackling this untapped market by turning consumer email receipts into ready-to-sell listings — unlocking a new wave of recommerce.
Backed by $1.5 million in funding, Bought’s approach attracted significant early-stage investors. Leading the round is Lifeline Ventures, known for backing unicorns like Wolt, Swappie, and Oura. Other investors include Marianne Vikkula (Wolt COO & Marimekko board member), Sami Marttinen (Swappie CEO), and early Bolt investor Mikko Silventola — signaling strong belief in Bought’s vision.
As part of its aggressive launch strategy, Bought acquired Zadaa, a mobile secondhand marketplace once pioneering the Nordics. Zadaa, which raised $11 million and operated in Finland, Denmark, and Germany, has now been fully integrated into the Bought app. With a simple click, Zadaa’s 500,000 users and their listings transitioned to Bought, creating instant scale.
Erik Kymäläinen, Bought’s co-founder and CEO, shared: “Zadaa introduced half a million Finns to secondhand fashion. Bought’s technology and energy are exactly what the community needed to thrive. That’s brought about the idea of continuing Zadaa’s story within Bought.”
While platforms like Vinted, valued at $5 billion, dominate Europe’s secondhand market with 65 million users, Bought takes a unique approach — solving the supply-side problem. Despite soaring demand, most consumers rarely list items for resale because the process is tedious.
Kymäläinen, a passionate secondhand shopper, explained the startup’s origin: “For years, I bought secondhand but avoided selling because it felt overwhelming. I realized millions must feel the same. That frustration sparked the idea for Bought.”
Industry data supports Bought’s mission. The secondhand apparel market is set to hit $350 billion by 2027, growing three times faster than traditional retail. Yet, 95% of resellable clothing remains unworn and unlisted.
“The platform that cracks everyday selling will unlock the $2 trillion potential stuck in wardrobes,” Kymäläinen emphasized.
Bought’s game-changing solution is simple: use email history to automate resale. The app scans users’ email receipts to instantly generate sales listings — complete with product details, photos, and pricing.
“Every online purchase leaves a digital footprint. Bought reads that trace and creates a ready-made listing — no closet digging or photo sessions needed,” Kymäläinen explained.
Additionally, Bought offers AI-assisted manual listing. Snap a photo, and the app generates the listing. “Our slogan ‘Secondhand Automated’ means even manual uploads feel automated,” Kymäläinen added.
Beyond convenience, Bought’s model delivers climate benefits. Extending a garment’s life through recommerce saves an average 5.7 kg of CO₂ emissions per item. If Bought unlocks even 10% of that $2 trillion in unused clothing, it could prevent millions of tons of CO₂ emissions.
With fresh funding, an established user base from Zadaa, and a scalable AI-driven model, Bought is poised to reshape secondhand fashion — making selling as easy as buying.
“Secondhand demand is exploding. Now it’s time to make selling effortless — that’s where Bought steps in,” Kymäläinen concluded.
