We are happy to be now at Infinite Closet, a clothing rental service focused on independent ethical and sustainable designer brands, delivered right to your door, born with the mission to help women feel confident and fashionable while creating a more sustainable future. Their eCommerce platform allows customers to discover and hire independent clothing brands while cutting their carbon footprint and supporting “slow” fashion – making it affordable for the average consumer. By creating an “unlimited” designer closet, we allow women to feel great every day.
We met Sarah and Luisa, co-founders of Infinite Closet and we wanted to find out more about their project.
Where did the idea come from?
As women, we all know the daily struggle to figure out what to wear each day. Despite having a closet full of attire, we still just never feel like we have anything to wear. It’s a struggle among many women, particularly millennial women, who are often out taking photos and don’t necessarily want to be seen in the same clothes twice. The desire for a variety of attire is visible among women of all ages, especially in the London area. From formal occasions, to work meetings, to nights out with friends, there is a social pressure to constantly keep up with the latest trends. Many women have strict budgets (us included) and can’t necessarily afford buying clothes all the time. We don’t see the practicality in continuously updating our wardrobe with clothes we may only wear once, and don’t think women should waste their money on those items either. It’s a vicious cycle that we want to break!
Our mission is to help women feel confident and fashionable while creating a more sustainable future. Our e-commerce platform allows customers to discover and rent independent, sustainable and ethical clothing brands while cutting their carbon footprint and supporting “slow” fashion – making it affordable for the average consumer.
Why Fashion Rental?
The average person today buys 60% more items of clothing than they did 15 years ago – consumers keep that clothing for only half as long as they used to, and one in seven consider it a fashion faux-pas to be photographed in an outfit twice. So by renting, we allow customers to take advantage of the environmental, financial, and social benefits of renting. Advantages include:
- Saving money -- consumers who rent generally save money because they get quality pieces for a fraction of the price, and have access to higher quality garments that may normally be out of the budget
- Never wear the same look twice -- renting allows customers to constantly switch up their looks and wardrobe to fit their mood, style, and social needs. No more feeling like you have nothing to wear!
- A bit of a commitment-phobe? Renting allows you to constantly swap your clothes, take bigger risks with your fashion, and feel confident in a new look, without the worry of buying something you’ll never wear again. So now, you can feel good wearing that sequin dress that you’ll only want to be photographed in once-- it’ll go on to the next person and you can avoid the guilt of leaving something stuck in the back of your closet.
- Discover new brands -- renting allows you to find new brands to wear that you wouldn’t normally necessarily try. You have access to hundreds of new designers at your fingertips.
What are the main challenges you are facing?
Like most women we love fashion, but we know the fashion industry has an enormous impact on the environment, both in the number of resources it requires for production and in the waste it produces. Billions of pounds of clothing waste go to landfills each year, and as it decomposes it emits greenhouse gases that harm the planet.
At Infinite Closet, we work hard to make people conscious of their shopping habits. Our goal is to reach as many women as we can and to make them understand that they can always look fashionable without having to spend tons of money on new clothes. It also supports the planet, makes them conscious of their carbon footprint, and can help stop global warming by only making a few changes in their lives that offer a huge impact. For us, ensuring that every step of our supply chain has been thought out is also important, as we want to make sure we show our customers that we care about the planet before profits.
Do you think consumers are ready to rent instead of purchase?
Absolutely! We know that once people understand the benefits of clothing rental, they will feel as strongly as we do about being able to create environmental impact while also getting to feel great about themselves! It’s an opportunity to try out new designers, new styles, and new colours that people would often be hesitant to try, and encourage them to only purchase the items they love. We believe fashion should be fun, but we also believe it’s our responsibility to care about the environment too. With renting, customers can expand past buying and try new looks without feeling like they’re pushing themselves too far out of their comfort zone. That feeling can be incredibly empowering. It’s nice to be able to test out something you’d normally never buy, but know that you aren’t forced to keep that item at the end. It’s fashion without the guilt.
Why did you decide to include Canussa at Infinite Closet?
First off, we love to support independent businesses -- especially other SMEs who care about the environment while encouraging the fashion industry to do better. Canussa not only meets all the requirements we have to partner with a brand including being sustainable, caring for the environment and using appropriate materials, but we also love the style. The bags, colours, and designs are classic pieces that are perfect for our customers looking to match the third piece with any of their outfits.
What do you like most about Canussa?
We love the idea of helping independent brands, especially those that are women and minority owned. But more importantly, we know Canussa’s values and they match perfectly ours. So in addition to offering gorgeous designs to our customers, they can rest easy knowing that they’re renting a sustainable and ethically produced hand bag.