"We want to transform how people access fashion. There are just so many stores, so many brands, so many ecommerce websites – any of them could very easily come up with rental platforms, yet they’re still telling you to buy new products. We want rental to rank in there with resale, which has seen an incredible resurgence. People can share and still enjoy that feeling of having something new and different to wear.”
Eshita Kabra-Davies, Founder & CEO
What they do:
By Rotation is a peer-to-peer fashion rental platform which encourages users to rent what they need and lend what they don’t use frequently at a fraction of the retail price. The company doesn’t buy any inventory and, because it aims to create an inclusive community, it doesn’t charge subscription fees. Since launching in October 2019, the platform now boasts over 150,000 users and allows the people renting to set the price of each item per day, along with the rental period. The mobile app mimics social media, allowing users to ‘like’, comment and interact with one another. They have a core focus on building a community of ‘style-aware’ and ‘environmentally aware’ individuals.
Why is it an example of the circular economy?
By Rotation effectively increases clothing use by increasing the number of users per item. It may also displace the production of new clothes if users choose to rent something for a one off event, rather than buy something that they may not wear again. If five people use one occasion dress, rather than each buying their own, the resource consumption and environmental impacts are lower. The peer-to-peer social app enables users to rotate their idle products with one another.
What are the benefits?
The app has a diverse community of users. For example, working professionals in their early 30s, who want to make the most of their wardrobes or Fashion savvy GenZs that don’t have access to designer brands. By Rotation allows them to gain access to more designer clothes than they could afford and also gives them the opportunity to monetise their own clothes. Additionally, most lenders are ‘environmentally aware’ – they tend to be aware of the environmental impact of fashion and often list their items in multiple platforms to resell and rent. By Rotation further empowers those individuals through their ‘Impact scale’ which provides users with data on the environmental impact savings they have made versus buying new.
By Rotation thrives by creating a community of like-minded individuals who engage with one another. They organise face-to-face events and curate specific content that allows users to reconnect with their clothes and local communities. As such, they effectively contribute towards normalising new ways of accessing and enjoying fashion within the society.
How it works in detail
Regardless of looking to lend or rent, all users need to download the mobile app and get their account verified.
For users looking to lend their items, the processes is as follows:
Users list their items in under two minutes with full flexibility on pricing and dates.
Users get notified every time someone is interested, they can communicate with potential renters and approve or reject requests.
Users can send their items in-person or via Royal Mail tracked.
After the rental period is over, lenders are in charge of the cleaning – there is an option to add a cleaning fee if the item is delicate. By Rotation has partnered with Clothes Doctor, clothing care providers. Lenders can go to 'eco-friendly cleaning and repairs' on their profile to be redirected to the Clothes Doctor’s web page to select a service.
Users get paid within five-seven business days after the rental period is complete.
For users looking to rent, the process is as follows:
Users browse for items in the mobile app – they can filter according to size, product type, etc.
Users then send rental requests and communicate with potential lenders directly via the secure messaging system. Renters are only charged when the lender accepts the request.
Users then select and agree on the delivery method.
After the rental period is over, renters can rate and review the lender, which further contributes to the community
By Rotation also offers their ‘wardrobe management’ service to their ‘time-poor and wardrobe-heavy’ users or those who require discretion. Under this service, By Rotation manages the full rental process, including: the listing, renting and cleaning of the whole rental process. Users receive a monthly income report detailing their rental earnings, provided there has been a minimum of 1 rental in the calendar month.
Next steps
In 2020, despite the pandemic and national lockdowns, By Rotation grew its user base and listings by over 350%. A major hurdle to overcome has been the logistics side and infusing trust between lenders and renters – lenders often worry about the cleaning, transportation and potential damages. Therefore, they are currently working on and investing in tech to improve the app to further mimic those of social media, allowing lenders and renters to feel more connected, and to make it as easy and convenient as possible for both lenders and renters. As part of these efforts, they also recently opened their first pop-up at Westfield, inviting a new audience into the fashion rental space while meeting like-minded people through in-person events at the same time.
With a motto of ‘reduce, reusereuseThe repeated use of a product or component for its intended purpose without significant modification., recyclerecycleTransform a product or component into its basic materials or substances and reprocessing them into new materials., rotate’, By Rotation envisions a future where people think of renting before any potential purchase.
Published 23 November 2021
