Collaborative Consumption: A Study of Sustainability Presentation in Fashion Rental Platforms

Abstract

Despite the increased research into the business potential and environmental impact of fashion renting, no previous research has studied the sustainable presentation of fashion (apparel, textiles, shoe, accessory, or jewelry) rental company platforms, which is the purpose of this study. The triple bottom line framework and content analysis methods were used to identify themes in their communications. An open coding method was applied to develop first-level concepts and sub-categories, followed by a calculation of the frequency of the aspects addressed on each website. A total of 56 active fashion rental businesses in the U.S. were identified and analyzed. A total of 11 main themes and 27 sub-themes emerged. The companies with the overall most mentioned sub-themes were REI and The Lauren Look by Ralph Lauren. The results indicate that sustainability information on company websites needs to be more organized for clear presentation and easy access to the public. Many companies can make simple adjustments such as educating consumers on the sustainable nature of their business model and providing data-related evidence for determining the social and environmental impacts. Companies must also provide more detailed information on COVID-19 cleaning/sanitizing practices to reduce the perceived risk while promoting consumers’ willingness to try fashion rental services.

Renting than Buying Apparel: U.S. Consumer Collaborative Consumption for Sustainability

“…They can enjoy the latest fashion trends and experiment with different styles without having to make a long-term commitment to a particular piece of clothing. Instead of buying an item that they may only wear once or twice, they can rent it for a special occasion and then return it to the rental service, where it can be reused by other customers [8]. In addition to reducing personal clothing waste, fashion rental services also have the potential to reduce the overall environmental impact of the fashion industry.…”

“…In addition, renting clothes can be a more affordable and accessible option for consumers who may not have the financial means to buy new clothes regularly. They can also help to shift the focus from ownership to access, which can lead to a more circular and sustainable model of fashion consumption [8,17].…”

“…Companies such as Rent the Runway and Le Tote offer subscription-based services that allow consumers to rent apparel for a set period. This model provides convenience and flexibility, as consumers can have new items delivered to their doorstep and can easily return them when they are finished [8].…”

“…The worsening environmental problems have evoked wide concern among consumers [6]. There has been a surge in awareness levels with regard to the environmental issues regarding climate change, air pollution, water scarcity, the depletion of natural resources, waste generation and management, food safety, and population growth [1, 7,8]. Consumers are making the conscious efforts to alleviate the growing damage that human activities have imposed on the environment [3].…”

“…Environmental issues posed by the consumption of apparel products may be addressed without denying consumers' desire to enjoy trendy and fashionable apparel [8,9]. Consumers may engage in collaborative consumption, which involves having access to use products at a price for a temporary period of time [2,10].…”