Oxfam is piloting an online clothes rental scheme and claims to be the first national charity to do so alongside its chain of more than 500 retail shops.
The scheme, which opened on Monday, gives customers access to select items drawn from Oxfam’s donated stock to hire for a set period.
Prices start at £22 for 14 days, with “vintage finds, well-made one-offs, pieces too distinctive for the regular rail” on offer, all of which have been cleaned and prepared to be sent to customers.
The charity said it wants to see if rental offers an alternative route for some of its stock – including a Balenciaga blue and white spotted dress, a Stella McCartney yellow tailored jacket and a Dolce & Gabbana strapless black dress – instead of selling in a shop.
Julie Tyrell, head of e-commerce and retail sustainability at Oxfam, 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 actually need it and then not let it just sit in a cupboard afterwards.
“This is another interesting option which gives people access to pieces that are genuinely different, without adding to that wear-once cycle.
“If our pilot shows people want to rent rather than buy for a single occasion, that's a real shift in how clothes get used, not just where they come from.”
Advanced Clothing Solutions (ACS) is providing the operational infrastructure behind Oxfam’s rental scheme.
Anthony Burns, chief operating officer at ACS said: “This partnership is a strong example of what can be achieved when organisations come together with a shared purpose and a commitment to driving meaningful change.”
