UK high street chain with over 500 shops launches clothing rental service

A BRITISH high street chain has launched a clothes rental service in a sector first. The decision was made with the aim of extending the lifespan of donated clothing. The charity is the first in the sector to launch the service Credit: PA:Press Association The retailer launched the rental programme yesterday Credit: oxfam Oxfam has launched a pilot programme to trial a clothes rental service for second-hand goods. Introduced by the retailer yesterday (August 5), this is the first time a national UK charity has offered clothing rental alongside its retail locations. Sign up for the Money newsletter Thank you! Now, shoppers will be able to rent out a select number of donated goods for 14 days, with rental prices starting from £22. Included in the line-up are designer dresses from brands such as Balenciaga, Stella McCartney and Dolce & Gabbana, as well a vintage and one-off pieces. Customers can rent the items via the charity shop’s website and have the clothes delivered to their door. The items are cleaned and prepared before being sent off to shoppers, who then have two weeks to make the most of the used goods. Once returned, the product will go back onto the rental market to be used again. Customers can post the item back free of charge via DPD and there is no need to pay for dry cleaning before you return it. Most read in Money Oxfam’s head of e-commerce and retail sustainability, Julie Tyrell, said: “We see pieces come through our shops that you simply won’t find anywhere else, and until now the only way to own one was to buy it outright. “Rental means people can access that wardrobe for the moment they need it and then not let it sit in a cupboard afterwards.” The brand added that the income generated would help fund overseas charitable projects. In the UK, the online clothing rental market is valued at more than £200million, with growth driven by those seeking sustainable and affordable alternatives for designer wear. Comment now