Is Clothing Rental the Hottest Trend in Kids Fashion?
Here’s what we know: the market for clothing rental is poised for growth. In fact, the online clothing rental market is expected to grow by nearly $1 billion between 2024 and 2028, with 46% of market growth expected in North America. While renting clothes first became popular when women started renting designer fashions for special occasions, clothing rental is gaining traction for another reason. Green-minded parents are trying to figure out how to afford high-quality clothes for kids that won’t end up in the landfill.
Renting can be a great option for parents, but …
What is clothing rental?
Is renting clothes a thing?
Can you rent baby clothes and kids clothes?
Does renting clothes save money?
We asked Manymoons Founder and CEO Carolyn Butler to explain how clothing rental works, how it factors into the circular economy and what parents can expect from an affordability and “I want cute clothes for my kiddos!” perspective.
What is clothing rental?
If you’re wondering how to rent kids clothes or how to rent clothes online regardless of age, it all depends on what rental programs the specific online retailer uses. According to Carolyn, “In general, renting clothes is similar to renting other items. You pay a set price up front, use the item for a specific period of time and return the item to the retailer once the term is up. Some retailers also offer additional options, such as rent-to-own clothing, give-back programs, subscription OR no-subscription rentals, recycling, composting and other services.”
Most online clothing rental retailers also handle the cleaning and repair of items once they are returned. Depending on the retailer, you may pay a fee for damage to a garment beyond normal wear and tear, so read the fine print. (Knowing kids can be kids, Manymoons takes back all items, then recycles or composts them to mitigate textile waste.)
Why is clothing rental good for the circular economy?
“Circular retail is one of several aspects of the circular economy, which is built around three pillars: regenerating nature, keeping products in use and eliminating waste. When you consider how rapidly children change sizes—there are seven sizes alone from 0-24 months (8 when you include preemies)—renting preloved children’s clothes is a great way to ‘keep products in use,’” Carolyn says.
Unlike some online clothing rental platforms, Manymoons, America’s First Circular RetailerTM fulfills all three pillars of the circular economy. Parents have the option to purchase or rent new and gently used sustainable clothing from Manymoons. Rental terms run from two months and up, and customers can choose to pay the balance of the retail price and keep the items or return clothing for credit toward a future purchase.
According to Carolyn, “We love making it easy for our customers to take part in the circular economy. As a certified B Corp circular children’s fashion platform, we encourage parents to rent, use and return their used purchases to fuel the circular model and keep wearable items in rotation. Once a child has outgrown an item, the parent ships it back to us, and we take it from there. To avoid landfilling, recycling and composting of unwearable garments is all handled by Manymoons.”
Does renting clothes save money?
If I rent, will I still have access to cute clothing options for my kids?
“Considering how often kids need to size up their wardrobes, children’s clothing rentals are a great solution for parents who want to keep their family budgets in check. Just like leasing a vehicle, renting clothing for kids allows you to only pay a portion of an item’s full retail value. It also allows you to clothe your kids in adorable, high-quality, sustainable garments for less,” says Carolyn.
Manymoons also offers a Give Back program, which rewards customers who return garments they purchase with a 20% credit for contributing to circularity. By renting and giving back garments, parents can spend less on their kids’ clothes, while playing an important role in minimizing fashion’s growing waste crisis.
Your journey to renting high-quality kids fashion starts here
Manymoons truly makes it easy to rent sustainable children’s clothing. To find out how to get started with renting kids clothing from Manymoons, visit our Rent from Manymoons site.
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