Duncan’s ‘upcycled’-clothing business impresses Shark Tank judges

By Chuck Gordon

Eva Duncan's effort to cover up a stain on a shirt has snowballed into a successful business.

On Wednesday, the judges of the University's annual Shark Tank competition rewarded her with the $2,000 first-place prize. Duncan's story of teaching herself to sew and of "upcycling" clothing through her company, Col 312, was also a big hit with the audience, which granted her the $250 Audience Choice Award.

A few years ago, Duncan covered up a pesky stain on a shirt with a patchwork design she came up with. As she wore the amended garment out and about, "people started asking questions about it," she says.

After the business she worked for closed in 2024 just as she was getting engaged and preparing to transfer to Wingate in a few months, Duncan decided to offset her lost income by making more designs and selling them via Instagram and word of mouth. She named her business after the Bible verse Colossians 3:12: "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." She scours secondhand stores for the right fabrics and then uses her artistic flair to adorn hoodies, turtlenecks, sweatshirts and T-shirts with ducks, crosses, cowboy boots and words of inspiration.

Duncan, a senior from Unionville, has sold birthday and graduation banners, hair bows, Christmas ornaments and stockings, and jean jackets. At her first pop-up event, she cleared nearly $3,000. Selling to strangers encouraged her to keep at it.

"All my friends and family were telling me they liked the stuff I make, but, you know, your friends and family are always going to be supportive and encouraging," she says. "After I saw that people who didn't know me wanted to buy stuff, that was super-encouraging. That motivated me to keep going."

Duncan is entirely self-taught, having mastered the sewing machine she bought in 2021 with help from YouTube.

"You can learn just about anything from YouTube," she says. "I just started watching videos and tinkering with it and figuring out things for myself. I messed up a lot. That's really how I learned the most, by messing up."

Duncan keeps her overhead low by working out of her house, but she is considering using her Shark Tank winnings to rent display space in stores in downtown areas.

Adjunct professor Sam Spencer, who organizes the Shark Tank competition, was impressed with Duncan's presentation.

"Eva demonstrated a quiet, reserved confidence in class, which came through clearly in her presentation and the professional examples she shared," he says. "She communicated her ideas effectively and with purpose. Her business model was straightforward yet well-structured, reflecting both clarity of vision and a strong foundation for success."

Other Shark Tank winners:

• Second place ($1,000), Dario Rivera, Smart Spend.
• Third place ($500), Ivan Mariche, Chrome Auto Detailing.
• Fourth place ($250), Steven Abercrombie, Carl's Creations.
• Fifth place ($125), Lucas Holleman, 101 Dips.

Judges for the competition were Stephanie Busenbark, vice presdent and enterprise data analyst for First Citizens Bank; Matt Villmer, founding partner of the Villmer Caudill law firm; and Joel Barham '84, CEO of SellEthics Marketing Group.

April 24, 2026