Meet the Founder: Simon Streblow – How rebe is Revolutionizing Second-Hand Fashion
By Simon Streblow24 min read
From Clean Water to the Textile Revolution – Why I’m Building rebe
Hi everyone! 👋
I’m Simon Streblow. If you’ve been following us for a while, you probably know the story of Erika, who originally founded rebe as a university project. Today, I’d like to introduce myself—as the one who joined a bit later to handle the technical side as Co-Founder and CTO.
You might be asking yourself: Why put yourself through the stress of founding a company? Why not just find a relaxed job, earn good money, and clock out on time every day? Honestly? "Standard" was never my thing. I’ve long been driven by the idea that I want to do something valuable with my time. At the end of the day, I don’t just want to tick tasks off a list; I want to know that I’ve made a real, tangible impact.
Why "Impact" is More Than Just a Buzzword to Me
This drive didn’t just lead me to rebe. Before this, I tried launching a startup called "Rainy." Back then, it was about a completely different topic: access to clean drinking water in poorer countries. We developed a system where users could collect coins and donate them directly to drinking water projects.
Even though Rainy didn’t become what we had hoped for in the end, that desire for impact stayed deep inside me. I knew my next project had to solve a real problem again. And let’s be honest: The fashion industry is a massive problem.
The Problem with Throwaway Fashion
We all know the struggle: You buy a new shirt, wash it three times, and suddenly it’s warped, the seams are coming undone, or the fabric feels terrible. The quality of the past is often a luxury today. We live in an age of overabundance, producing mountains of waste and squandering resources on clothes that barely last a single season.
When I met Erika and got to know rebe, it just clicked. The idea of challenging this throwaway society grabbed me immediately. I want to show that fashion can be sustainable without being complicated.
Why rebe is More Than Just Code to Me
Of course, as CTO (Chief Technology Officer), I’m responsible for the tech. But for me, code is just the tool to make our vision a reality.
- Taming the Data Chaos: I ensure that the various size specifications from our partner shops ("M", "38", "Medium") are standardized so you can filter stress-free.
- AI Search: With our image search, you can upload screenshots and instantly find sustainable alternatives.
What motivates me every day isn't just the software, but the team. Startups are often romanticized, but the reality is hard work. There are phases where nothing works, you get frustrated, and you have doubts. That’s exactly when you see the value of a good team. At rebe, we work in a true partnership. We support each other, laugh a lot, and push one another, even when things get tough. This energy—the desire to move mountains together—is embedded in the platform itself.
My Goal for the Future
I want rebe to become the first stop for fashion. I want it to become automatic for you to think before buying something new: "Wait, let me check rebe first to see if I can find it second-hand."
If we manage to achieve that—to trigger this small learning effect in people's minds and take a bit of wind out of the fast fashion industry’s sails—then we’ve won.
Let’s change something together! Yours, Simon
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