As the two Belfast-based innovators unite, the acquisition strengthens Ireland’s position as a fashion circularity hub in Europe
Today, Belfast-based global circularity platform RESPONSIBLE announced the acquisition of HARU, uniting their cutting-edge re-commerce technologies and circularity solutions to benefit the fashion industry and contribute to the growing technology sector in Ireland.
RESPONSIBLE and HARU technologies enable brands to shift towards circularity by accepting fashion and footwear items, renewing them, and reselling, all with a single platform, unlocking the brands’ participation in the global fashion resale and secondhand apparel market, which is projected to reach a value of USD 218 billion by 2026.* With both brands based in Belfast, a city that offers a wealth of technology and fashion industry talent, the collaboration aims to advance sustainability in fashion across the globe while contributing to the local economy.
“Our acquisition of HARU is a significant milestone for RESPONSIBLE as we continue to push the boundaries of circularity in the fashion industry,” says Mark Dowds, CEO of RESPONSIBLE. “By combining our respective technologies and expertise, we further increase the efficiencies and profitability required to grow the adoption of circular business models by brands and drive consumer behaviour change at
scale.”
The acquisition will enable RESPONSIBLE to strengthen its brand and customer-facing apps with Haru’s advanced operational, digitization, and pricing algorithms. The combined technology offering from both companies will be an essential step forward in supporting the development of profitable circular trading programs, which in turn will support more widespread adoption throughout the fashion industry.
“We’re thrilled to join RESPONSIBLE and bring our complementary technologies and expertise to the table,” says Jacques Hill, CEO of Haru. “Since launching Haru in 2018 as a tech-powered re-commerce solution for second-hand fashion retailers, specifically charity shops, we’ve proudly supported over 550 charity shops across the UK and Ireland, generating revenue where there was little margin. With the
integration of our platforms, we’re excited to unlock even greater value for our customers, retailers, and staff as we build a better future for fashion.”
In the immediate future, RESPONSIBLE and HARU will focus on integrating their technologies and expanding their reach to scale re-commerce in the fashion industry further.
About RESPONSIBLE
RESPONSIBLE is a global circularity platform powered by advanced proprietary technology. The company aims to scale circularity by offering solutions across the product life cycle with a premium take on re-commerce. RESPONSIBLE partners with leading brands through a Buy Back loyalty program; and a state-of-the-art refurbishment service that ensures the customer experience is as good as buying new.
RESPONSIBLE is headquartered in Belfast, Northern Ireland, with satellite offices in London, New York, and California. Renewal partners that handle the company’s refurbishment, repair, and fulfilment are located throughout the UK, Europe, and North America. Follow @get.responsible on social.
About Haru
Haru – HelpAndReUse – is a fashion re-commerce provider based in the UK and Ireland. Specialising in single logistics, their proprietary re-commerce software and operational expertise facilitate the management of high volumes of unique fashion products efficiently. Haru’s technology integrates with sales channels to sell products across multiple online channels simultaneously, in addition to their marketplace devoted to second-hand fashion. Haru partners with second-hand fashion retailers, including charity shops, to power their online offering. Follow @helpandreuse on social and at www.haru.co.uk.
*source: Statista