Clothing rental service ACS has signed a new long-term deal with Moss Bros, to clean and fulfil the ranges that comprise the retailer’s UK Hire business.
ACS will carry out the entire cleaning and fulfilment operations for Moss Bros Hire from its menswear, womenswear and baby wear rental fulfilment centre in North Lanarkshire, Scotland.
ACS and Moss Bros have worked together for 20 years, with Andrew Rough, chief financial officer of ACS – which stands for Advanced Clothing Solutions, describing the collaboration as “a strong partnership”.
“The contract also joins together the strategic objectives of ACS and Moss Bros in offering the modern consumer alternatives to traditional menswear retail by showcasing clothing rental as a truly fashionable, economic and sustainable service,” Rough added.
ACS services traditional brick-and-mortar retailers across the UK and Ireland, including Hobbs and Whistles, as well as working with online-only businesses such as Asos and Hirestreet.
It says it simplifies garment refurbishment services for organisations, and extends the life of a clothing. This sustainability angle is a key marketing message for the business.
Just prior to the coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent periods of lockdown across British retail, ACS agreed to fulfil Next’s rental operations in 60 UK stores. Each store participating in the clothing rental trial, which was announced in February 2020, was to have access to white label formalwear garments to complement existing retail ranges.
It remains to be seen how the operation functions when stores reopen again once the government eases the current lockdown. But new rental concepts continue to crop up across UK retail, as many players in the market look to ramp up their circular fashion credentials as a direct, more sustainable offering to that offered by fast fashion companies.
ACS says on its website: “In recent years, technology has really driven cultural change, and fashion rental has become so much more accessible now that you can do it online.
“With our IT infrastructure, proprietary technologies, and operational capabilities, we are perfectly positioned at the head of this rental revolution.”
Read more about the retail rental and reuse revolution on Green Retail World
[Image credit: Moss Bros]
