Tinder Makes a Creative Venture into Breakup Support with New ExCycle Program

From that old hoodie with his last name on the back to the cardigan that smells of her perfume, the broken-hearted don’t always want tangible reminders of their exes. 

That’s where Tinder’s ExCycle initiative comes in. 

At the dating app’s ExCycle pop-up event on March 22, on-site stylists at New York City’s Tumbao helped singles breathe new life into the clothes that remind them of their exes, and even clothes that once belonged to their exes. 

But ExCycle is more than a one-time event — it’s an initiative. 

This is why Tinder partnered with Sami Miró, a sustainable designer who specializes in transforming old clothes into fresh and fashion-forward pieces. 

ExCycle is as much about new beginnings as it is about breakups, and dating apps across the industry are undoubtedly eager to revive interest from people dealing with both. 

After all, romance scams, sexual harassment, and inauthentic bots have made most dating apps decidedly unappealing to singles in recent years. 

In fact, 46% of those surveyed by Pew Research said they’ve had negative experiences while online dating. 

ExCycle is just one way Tinder is attempting to bring some positivity back to online dating — even amid heartbreak. 

Turning Painful Memories into Positive Change

For Miró’s clients, ExCycle is an opportunity to see once-painful memories with new eyes. 

“Rather than hold onto all these feelings, it’s nice to turn it into something beautiful — to make something new,” one participant said. 

In the video series, one woman held up a shirt she wore during her breakup, and Miró suggested it was time to give the shirt new life. 

“That top has a lot of energy that needs to be released,” she said. 

When Miró’s transformations were revealed at Tinder’s ExCycle pop-up, the consensus was clear: 

“It’s like a piece of art,” one client said as they modeled Miró’s creation. “It will always be this reminder of the power of change and transformation.” 

But ExCycle isn’t only about recovering from breakups; this is a Tinder initiative, after all. 

One client mentioned that the program inspired her to look back on her previous relationships with a new perspective, “especially as I’m thinking about dating again.” 

Daters Value Mental Health Support On Dating Apps 

ExCycle has helped people overcome painful breakups in a unique, emotionally-fulfilling way. 

But the creative initiative also aims to strengthen the user’s relationship to Tinder by making them feel understood and supported during a painful time — which, in theory, could keep them on the app.  

Out of 1.5 million people surveyed by OkCupid, a whopping 99% told the dating app that mental health is as important as physical health. 

With ExCycle, Tinder acknowledges this generation’s mental health advocacy, and gives its users a unique way to heal from heartbreak. 

Miró emphasized the power that a creative transformation, even with something as seemingly-simple as clothing, can possess. 

“It’s actually been very fulfilling, transforming everybody’s exes’ clothing into something beautiful and inspiring, and something that suits who they are in their new journey past their ex-relationships,” she said. 

When Dating Apps Join The Breakup Business 

This isn’t the first time Tinder has offered support to people dealing with heartbreak. The app’s ‘Ink Twice’ campaign in 2024 helped people cover up tattoos inspired by their exes. 

Both Ink Twice and ExCycle found an open-minded and youthful demographic who find value in creative transformations following breakups. 

Other dating apps have combined mental health support with breakup support. Last year, OkCupid partnered with Photoroom to help daters edit their exes out of their favorite pics. 

Bumble’s ‘snooze mode’ allows users to step away from the app without losing data. They simply disengage snooze mode when they’re ready to date again. 

In a way, dating apps thrive on breakups. But with ExCycle, Tinder sends a clear message to newly-single daters, one it even used on promotional materials: 

“Leave the past behind” — and embrace new connections on dating apps.