The Clothes Library is a fashion rental store in Sydney, which gives Australian shoppers an alternative to fast fashion. With shoppers seeing low price clothes as disposable, the lending shop encourages people to see the value in their unwanted garments and cherish what they have more. We explore the insights behind the startup and understand how it’s helping shoppers get their retail therapy fill in an eco-friendly way.
At the Clothes Library in Sydney, shoppers pay a monthly subscription to borrow and return secondhand clothes. They can also choose to buy something outright, or sell their old clothes for cash or in-store credit. The aim is to provide an easy and affordable but sustainable alternative to fast fashion. "Most people choose fast fashion because it is affordable and convenient but mainly because they don't know anything else," says Sarah Freeman, the store's founder. "I am hoping people who are trying to be bit more conscious about the choices they make […] it could potentially revolutionise the way we shop for clothes in general."
In Australia, the fast fashion sector has grown by a fifth in the last five years, and is now worth AUS $1.8 billion. It's driven by high levels of purchasing as well as a tendency to chuck things out quickly; a quarter of Australians have thrown away an item after wearing it only once, in the last 12 months. "They don't always see [fast fashion clothes] as something that is a valuable product to keep in your wardrobe," says Alison Gwilt, a sustainable fashion researcher at the University of South Australia.
As attitudes towards clothing waste change, consumers are beginning to demand a more circular approach to retail to enable them to shop in a more eco-friendly way; 91% of global consumers expect companies to operate responsibly to address social and environmental issues, while for 45% of consumers ‘environmentally friendly’ is a key driver for purchasing and 66% of global consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable goods. If we can detach a products value from its lifespan, it's possible we can alter our consumption habits to becoming less wasteful and more circular – and initiatives like C&A Cradle to Cradle and the Clothes Library are leading the charge in encouraging eco conscious clothes shopping.
Katy Young is a behavioural analyst at Canvas8, which specialises in behavioural insights and consumer research. She has a degree in American Studies and Film, and an MA in Journalism. Her interests include wild swimming, thinking of podcast ideas and singing in an all-female choir.
