Rethinking fashion: why rental, repair and reuse must shape the future of style

Fast fashion might be cheap and convenient, but the environmental costs are mounting. Dr Rebecca Beech, Senior Lecturer in Marketing at Oxford Brookes University, explores how we can stay stylish while looking after the planet.

Fast fashion is everywhere — why is it such a problem for the planet?

Fast fashion has been around since the 1960s when increased disposable income and a drive for style, led to more and more choices. It’s built on speed and volume: clothes made quickly, cheaply and often from synthetic fibres. They’re not designed to last, so they’re frequently discarded after only a few wears.

Fast fashion is driven by marketing tactics which pressure consumers to buy more. In the late 90s/early 2000s, high street chains brought the latest fashions from the runways to the shops within a few weeks. Now online suppliers are bringing fast fashion at an even quicker rate. Using cheap labour and manufacturing processes from China, they can sell items made from cheap, mostly synthetic fibres, which will only last a few wears. Once discarded, these garments end up in landfill with the microplastics ending up in rivers and oceans.

What does your research reveal about attitudes to renting clothes?

Most people still see rental as something for special occasions – not everyday wear. Many participants in my research didn’t know UK rental companies even existed, or that rental could complement a sustainable wardrobe by providing high-quality pieces that mix easily with what they already own. They didn’t know they could rent a ‘capsule’ wardrobe of statement, good quality garments that could be accessorised, mixed and matched to make a range of outfits.

Participants also said they’d like more visibility: clearer renting processes, brands working with influencers who have sustainable values and even pop-up events to understand how rental works and to feel and try on the garments. 

What stops more people from trying clothing rental and does renting genuinely help the environment?

Hygiene concerns are the biggest barrier, along with worries about cleaning quality, pricing, and the practicalities of returning items. Many people fear being charged extra if they damage a garment during the rental period, and others worry about fit and appearance — whether the sizing will be consistent or if the colour and fabric will suit them.

Environmentally, rental can be beneficial, but only when done thoughtfully. Recent research I carried out with Professor Minna Lammi and Dr Katie Louise Leggett from Anglia Ruskin University found that some UK rental companies already use eco-cleaning, lower-impact couriers and more transparent circular practices.

However, there’s still room for improvement, especially in showing what happens to garments at the end of their life. Rental isn’t automatically sustainable; the whole model has to be designed to minimise waste. Some companies are already using eco-drycleaners and electric or hybrid courier vehicles to reduce their environmental footprint.

How can brands make rental and reuse appeal to everyday shoppers?

Visibility and trust are key. Rental companies need to explain processes clearly, show why rental isn’t just for luxury items, and highlight real-life wardrobes built around rented pieces.

Working with credible influencers, using transparent and trustworthy sustainability data, and avoiding greenwashing — overstating or exaggerating environmental claims — are all essential. Re-use is already rising in popularity, helped by language such as “pre-loved”, and brands can build on this by demonstrating how second-hand clothes fit into current trends. Rental and reuse models can also be advertised in traditional print media, on billboards and magazines to help make the everyday consumer aware of their benefits.

What simple steps can people take to make their wardrobe more sustainable?

● Sort through what you already own and identify what can be repaired, tailored, swapped or stored for another season.
● Learn basic mending skills – even small repairs extend a garment’s life significantly.
● Donate thoughtfully and use textile-recycling bins for items beyond repair.
● Be more mindful when buying new: choose well-made pieces from transparent brands that offer repair or take-back schemes.
● Beware of schemes that send pre-loved clothes to the Developing World. This can take trade away from local businesses and seamstresses and those clothes often end up in landfill due to poor infrastructure.

Do you see renting, repairing and re-wearing becoming the norm?

I think we’re moving towards slower, more mindful consumption. Patagonia’s campaign — which encouraged people to buy less and choose more durable clothing — is one example of companies promoting the longevity of their clothes. Consumers can slow consumption by sewing up a hole or refreshing a garment with a new embellishment rather than replacing it.

This is the concept of slow consumption. People are sewing, knitting or crocheting their own clothes — this means they have a stronger connection with the garment and are less likely to throw it away. Rental sits alongside these behaviours as part of a broader shift towards slow consumption, offering a way to access variety without the environmental cost of constantly buying new. 

It’s worth questioning what companies are doing to be more environmentally friendly. By being mindful about where clothes come from, consumers are more likely to buy from brands that use sustainable, ethical practices.

Dr Beech recently published the paper ‘Who Said Growth Means Losing Sight of Circularity? A Futuristic Conceptualisation of a Circular Fashion Rental Model in the UK’ in the Journal of Macromarketing with Professor Minna Lammi and Dr Katie Louise Leggett from Anglia Ruskin University.