Whether it’s a wedding dress, luxury bag or suit: renting fashion is becoming increasingly popular, as a recent survey shows. For Greenpeace, this is a ray of hope in the fight against fast fashion.
Derya Yilmaz stands in front of the mirror next to the dressing room in an embroidered wedding dress and examines herself. “That’s a good start, I really like it. There’s a lot going on at the top, it’s simpler at the bottom,” says the 30-year-old.
Their wedding will take place in June. Yilmaz is already looking for a summery dress at Brautmoden Walter in Weiterstadt. Around 700 wedding dresses hang on the racks in the store. Yilmaz at least knows what she doesn’t want: spaghetti straps aren’t her thing, she says. She also didn’t like vintage and boho dresses. “But some tulle and glitter embroidery are allowed.”
Yilmaz wants to rent a dress for her wedding. “I’m a very pragmatic and rational person. Of course I want to wear the wedding dress, but what happens to it afterwards?” She is also concerned about the environment, says Yilmaz. She thinks it would be a waste if the dress is no longer worn later. “The sentimental value behind it isn’t there like it used to be.”
KPMG survey: A quarter of respondents rent fashion
It’s not just prospective brides like Yilmaz who rely on fashion sharing. In addition to dresses, more and more people are renting tuxedos, luxury bags or traditional costumes and costumes for special occasions. Borrowing fashion is no longer a small niche, says Stephan Fetsch from the Frankfurt auditing firm KPMG. He has been studying developments in the fashion industry in Germany for years.
A recent KPMG survey from January shows that 25 percent of those surveyed have already rented fashion. Fetsch speaks of a “tremendous movement” compared to previous years. Rental offers on online platforms or in stores are primarily used by people up to their mid-40s. “That means: people who are good at digital walking and are familiar with modern concepts of temporary use,” summarizes Fetsch.
“People’s consciousness is changing”
Fetsch assumes that the trend will continue. “I believe that markets are changing because people’s consciousness is changing.” The topic of sustainability is spreading and people are thinking carefully about whether they really need certain items. In his opinion, renting “makes a lot of sense.” The second-hand market is boosting the rental market, in which commercial providers have not yet operated on a large scale.
500 people between the ages of 18 and 65 took part in the KPMG online panel entitled “Fashion Sharing”. Both women and men rent clothes; according to Fetsch, there are no big differences.
Wedding dress for half that original price borrowed
When it comes to renting wedding dresses, female customers naturally predominate. “25 to 30 percent of brides-to-be want to use this service from us,” says Fahad Teymouri, who runs Brautmoden Walter in Weiterstadt together with his wife Christina. The trend is increasing. An important aspect is that the dress doesn’t end up hanging in the closet later.
The Teymouris’ business model: Anyone who rents a wedding dress pays 50 percent of the original price. For a dress that is offered for 3,000 euros, the bride invests 1,500 euros. After she returns the dress, the store then resells it to area thrift stores. “Then each dress is used at least twice,” says Teymouri. Tuxedos are rented for 149 euros and will also be resold later.
Fashion sharing also a ray of hope for environmentalists
The fact that renting fashion is becoming socially acceptable is a ray of hope for environmentalists. The fashion industry is considered one of the biggest climate sinners. “Renting reduces the consumption of resources. That’s why this should initially be viewed as positive,” says Sibylle Möller from Greenpeace Frankfurt. She is the contact person for the consumer transition.
In her opinion, it depends on the extent to which customers rent clothing or other products. For example, sending parcels back and forth and driving to the post office by car is bad for the climate balance. “Lending should not become a fast fashion model,” she says. She understands fast fashion as cheap, low-quality fashion designed to quickly satisfy consumer desires.
Environmental sin fast fashion
According to the Federal Environment Ministry, customers in Germany buy an average of sixty items of clothing per year. Online shopping reinforces this trend. One in five items of clothing is almost never worn.
Resource-saving Circular economy
According to Möller, the goal in the textile industry must be a resource-saving circular economy. She is in line with politics: According to the EU Parliament, the textile industry causes around ten percent of global CO2 emissions, uses huge amounts of water and pollutes the oceans with microplastics.
For the Greenpeace expert, in addition to second-hand purchases and renting fashion, there are other alternatives to buying new: “There are also clothing exchanges and the opportunity to repair clothes yourself.” This is not only good for the environment, but also for your own wallet.
“You advised me against buying”
However, for bride-to-be Yilmaz, price plays a minor role in the idea of renting a wedding dress. “In terms of price, you think you’re cheaper. That’s not necessarily the case. If you want to rent a designer dress that costs 6,000 euros, you still pay your 3,000 euros,” she says.
Many of her friends are already married, reports the 30-year-old. After wearing them once, the wedding dresses would be in the attic, in the closet or in the basement. “You advised me against buying it.”