Sustainable fashion is all the rage and it’s so refreshing to see the fashion world backing environmental efforts.
According to a study by Business Insider, the fashion industry emits more carbon than international flights and maritime shipping, combined. The fashion industry also produces a total of 10% of carbon emissions produced by humans.
On average, consumers bought 60% more garments in 2014 than in 2000.
With that being said, it’s not all doom and gloom. There are fashion-forward efforts by environmentally conscious fashionistas who believe you don’t need to sacrifice a look to save the planet. Instead, there are ways to work around it.
Introducing garment rentals.
How is renting garments better for the environment?
1. Cost-effectiveness
Garment rentals encourage consumers to borrow clothing items for specific occasions instead of buying new clothes for every single event. If you’re a social butterfly as am I, you might find that purchasing new items for every single event comes with a hefty cost. Renting garments means that you will only pay a fraction of the cost for each event.
This reduces the demand for new clothing production and, in turn, reduces the resources and energy required to manufacture new garments.
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Decreased Textile Waste
By renting clothes, you are less likely to discard garments after just a few uses. This reduces the amount of clothing ending up in landfills or incinerators, which is one of the biggest issues in the fashion industry.
Image credit: Unsplash
3. Efficient Use of Resource
The fashion industry is resource-intensive, from raw material production to manufacturing processes. Garment rentals can help optimize the use of these resources by ensuring that each clothing item is used to its fullest potential.
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Reduced Carbon Footprint
Renting can lower the carbon footprint associated with clothing, as there is no need for packaging, shipping, or transportation to and from stores when garments are rented online or from local rental services.
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Lower Water and Energy Use
Garment manufacturing and laundry processes consume significant amounts of water and energy. Rentals typically involve professional cleaning and maintenance, which can be more efficient and eco-friendly when compared to individual washing and care.
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Consumer Awareness
Renting clothes can promote awareness of sustainable fashion practices, encouraging consumers to make more conscious choices and consider the environmental impact of their clothing decisions.
Where to rent affordable garments in SA?
Glamrail
Model, serial entrepreneur, and style influencer, Laverne Turner Manuel has just launched her garment rental venture, Glamrail. As a fashionista, Laverne’s closet is fully stocked with looks that have taken her on red carpets, to television shows and even The Cape Town Met.
Rentals at Glamrail are valid for 7 days and there’s no need to worry about cleaning the garments before you return them. Laverne and her team will take care of cleaning the garments, professionally – once again, reducing their carbon footprint.
Centred around sustainability and affordability, her rentals start at just R400. Her mission is to make glamorous looks accessible, with inclusive pricing and sizing. As a curvy girl myself, so often garment rentals seem to exclude my physique, but thanks to Glamrail that’s a thing of the past.
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Feature image: Unsplash
