Charity Oxfam is piloting an online clothing rental scheme in the UK – in a pioneering extension of its traditional goods-for-sale stock in retail shops.
The initiative, offered in partnership with circular fashion hub ACS Clothing, gives customers access to “one-off” pieces from Oxfam’s stock to hire for a set period.
Standout pieces available at launch, according to Oxfam, include a Balenciaga blue and white spotted dress, a Stella McCartney yellow tailored jacket, and a Dolce & Gabbana strapless black dress.
Oxfam said it has spent decades collecting unusual and well-made clothing through donations, recirculating millions of items through its shops rather than letting them go to waste. The charity is now keen to see if offering an online clothing rental service provides a long-term alternative route for some of that stock.
The key message from the charity is by offering unique items for rental, the goods can stay in circulation longer. It suggested some people might buy from charity for one-off occasions, but this new model stops people doing that and then keeping the goods in their wardrobe forever more.
Prices start at £22 for 14 days, suggesting this will appeal to those who are minded to participate in a circular economy. The rental stock offering was launched on 3 August.
Items are drawn from donated stock and are defined as vintage finds, well-made one-offs, pieces too distinctive for the regular rail. They are cleaned and prepared for hire, sent to customers, then returned for someone else to hire next.
Green Retail World editor Ben Sillitoe presented a session at the Charity Retail Association’s annual conference in 2024, where he encouraged charities to take the lead in the circular economy and suggested the benefits of offering rental schemes that would drive multiple revenue opportunities from one single item.
Julie Tyrell, head of e-commerce & retail sustainability at Oxfam, commented: “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.”
Tyrell suggested the pilot would indicate whether there has been a shift in how clothes get used. The move comes ahead of the charity’s annual Second-Hand September campaign where it ramps up the benefits of buying preloved garments and the social positives of keeping clothing and other items in circulation for as long as possible.
Anthony Burns, chief operating officer at ACS Clothing, said this circular economy scheme delivers “both environmental and social value”.
“By providing the operational infrastructure behind Oxfam’s online rental proposition, we are helping to extend the life of garments, increase access to more sustainable fashion choices, and support the generation of vital funding for Oxfam’s important work around the world,” he added.
[image credit: FIONA FINCHETT AND OXFAM]
