Upkept, a Rogers, Arkansas-based tech-enabled garment repair startup focused on building nationwide infrastructure for clothing repair and circular fashion logistics, has raised $100,000 in a friends-and-family funding round as it continues expanding its early-stage operations and platform rollout.

The round, which was oversubscribed, included participation from nine investor groups, six of whom were first-time startup investors, reflecting early grassroots backing from individuals entering the climate and circular economy investment space. The financing was structured as an early pre-seed raise to support the company’s technology development, operational scaling, and expansion of its repair infrastructure across the United States.

Upkept operates a dual-model platform combining direct-to-consumer garment repair services with business-to-business solutions for apparel brands. Customers can submit clothing items through an online system, receive repair quotes, and ship garments to centralized facilities where trained specialists complete alterations, seam repairs, and restorations before returning the finished products. The company positions itself as “repair infrastructure,” aiming to replace fragmented local tailoring services with a standardized national system.

The company was founded in 2025 by CEO Robin Wallis Atkinson, who previously built workforce development programs in the apparel repair and manufacturing space. Co-founder Dr. Cash Acrey serves as chief financial and technology officer, bringing expertise in financial systems, analytics, and startup operations. Together, the founding team is building both the software layer and physical logistics network required to scale garment repair into a national service category.

The funding comes at a time when the apparel industry is facing increasing pressure to adopt circular economy practices. Industry data cited by the company suggests Americans discard roughly 81 pounds of clothing per person annually, while demand for repair services is rising as sustainability becomes a more central consumer and regulatory concern. Upkept estimates that even modest increases in garment repair rates could unlock a multibillion-dollar addressable market.

Investors in the round include a group of early angel backers participating through private early-stage financing, including Angel investors (Upkept round participants), though the company has not publicly disclosed individual names or institutional venture capital firms associated with the raise. The round primarily reflects participation from community and first-time startup investors rather than established VC funds.

The company has also begun building partnerships across both consumer and brand channels, positioning itself as a backend infrastructure provider for apparel companies seeking repair, resale, and sustainability compliance solutions. Its model integrates software-driven intake and pricing systems with centralized repair operations, enabling consistent turnaround times and quality control across multiple states.

Funds from the $100,000 raise are expected to support continued platform development, expansion of repair capacity, and scaling of business-to-business offerings for apparel brands. The company is also investing in operational tooling to improve logistics coordination, order tracking, and customer communication across its national repair network.

Upkept’s early traction includes nationwide service reach from its Arkansas hub and growing interest from apparel brands exploring repair-as-a-service models. The company’s leadership has emphasized that building scalable repair infrastructure is key to addressing both environmental waste and industry supply chain gaps.

As demand grows for circular economy solutions in fashion, Upkept’s early funding round represents a foundational step in building a national repair ecosystem designed to extend the lifecycle of clothing while creating a more structured and scalable alternative to traditional tailoring services.

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