Metrics

WRAP research has indicated notable consumer interest in hiring or leasing clothes if such practices were to be made more available. Half of respondents said they would consider hiring clothes more frequently if made easier through major high street retailers [1].

Among the most popular types of clothing that would respondents would consider hiring is formal wear (40%), fancy dress (27%) and celebrity/designer dresses (17%). WRAP's research also investigated why consumers would consider clothing hire, as summarised in the figure to the left [1].

Alternative business models such as hiring have potential to provide significant carbon, water and waste savings by reducing the need for new production. This is because the production stages together contribute 75% of the annual carbon footprint of UK clothing, over 90% of the water footprint, and one-third of the waste footprint [1].

^1. WRAP, 2012, Valuing Our Clothes