Cape Town, South Africa: Thinkroom today announces its ?rst seed investment into Kloset Klub, a fast-growing circular fashion platform founded by Phumi Körber. The funding, made alongside co-investor Frank Smit, marks the second seed investment into a high-potential startup for Thinkroom. While the investment amount remains undisclosed, this is the ?rst of several more seed-stage investments we will be announcing in the coming months. Our focus is simple: back exceptional local talent early, with small cheque sizes, and partner closely with founders as they build.
Our investment in Kloset Klub re?ects a relationship that has been built over time. Phumi has been part of the Thinkroom ecosystem for several years, and we’ve had a front-row seat to her journey. “We’ve watched Phumi build Kloset Klub through real challenges, real pivots, requiring real grit,” said Catherine Young, founder of Thinkroom. “Phumi’s resilience and her approach to building a business stood out early on. We are incredibly proud to be writing the ?rst cheque into Kloset Klub and to support Phumi as she scales.”
Kloset Klub is building a more intelligent way for South Africans to buy and sell quality pre-loved fashion. The platform combines curated resale, trusted peer-to-peer shopping, and managed kloset services to help sellers unlock value from the fashion already sitting in their wardrobes, while giving buyers access to better-quality clothing at more accessible prices. By bringing together premium sellers, creator wardrobes, managed collections, and community-led commerce, Kloset Klub is shaping resale into a more trusted and culturally relevant shopping experience for the next generation of South African consumers. As a female-founded business, it represents the kind of founder and opportunity we are intentionally backing: purpose-driven, commercially minded, and deeply relevant.
“This investment is more than just capital, it’s a vote of con?dence in the journey we’ve been on,” said Phumi Körber, Founder of Kloset Klub. “Building a business is never linear, and having partners like Thinkroom and Frank, who understand that reality, makes a huge diQerence. We’re excited to keep building something that not only looks good, but does good too.”
The round also includes participation from Frank Smit, an early-stage investor and startup mentor with experience in B2B software, strategy, sales, customer retention, and scaling businesses across growth markets. “Kloset Klub is tapping into a powerful shift toward circular fashion, with a strong local lens,” said Frank Smit. “Phumi has shown the grit required to build in this space, and I’m excited to support her alongside Thinkroom as the business grows.” For over a decade, Thinkroom has worked alongside founders across Africa, helping SMEs build the foundations for sustainable growth. Since the early 2020s, Thinkroom has also made selected small seed investments into businesses where it has developed a long-standing relationship with the founder and a deep understanding of the company’s growth potential.
These commitments are made selectively, where Thinkroom has strong conviction in the entrepreneur, the market opportunity and the defensibility of the business. In many cases, the ?rst cheque plays an important catalytic role, helping founders unlock early momentum, validate the opportunity and become better positioned for future capital. Kloset Klub re?ects this approach: backing founders we know well, in businesses we believe can scale, with support that extends beyond capital.
To mark the next chapter, Kloset Klub will host an open Women’s Day shopping experience in Johannesburg on 9 August 2026, bringing together curated klosets, premium sellers, creators, brands, and shoppers. Guests are invited to meet, shop, and discover a considered edit of premium pre-loved fashion from some of South Africa’s most exciting wardrobes, from content creator klosets to premium resellers and managed collections. The event will also introduce Kloset Cleanout, Kloset Klub’s managed kloset service for women who want to unlock value from the quality fashion already sitting in their wardrobes. Final details will be shared on Kloset Klub’s social channels. Aligned venue, fashion, lifestyle, beauty, wellness, and beverage partners can contact: [email protected].
With this early backing in place, Kloset Klub is well positioned to enter its next chapter: scaling a trusted, locally relevant circular fashion platform that helps more South Africans unlock value, access quality fashion, and participate in a more sustainable future for retail.
Read more: https://www.thinkroom.co
Read more: https://www.klosetklub.com
