Rent-a-racks are surging in popularity, here’s how they work
Words by Jenna Flood
Out with the old, in with the pre-loved.
Jenna Flood is a slow fashion stylist and sustainable fashion advocate based in Melbourne. She runs the website Ironic Minimalist and is a buyer at Mutual Muse, a size-inclusive, secondhand clothing chain with three stores in Victoria.
Remember that jumper everyone was wearing in 2021? That particular shade of shade of Bottega green – bright, but not Brat. Remember how you feverishly hunted down the perfect one and wore it everyday for months? But now, it hangs sadly in your wardrobe, waiting to be paired with a pleated skirt and knee-high boots once again.
Sometimes you fall out of love with the things you once coveted, whether that’s because you fell prey to clever marketing or found a great deal on eBay when you purchased them. But what do you do with the threads that were once your best friends?
For more sustainable style inspiration, head to our Pre-loved section.
As a slow fashion stylist who has worked in the secondhand clothing industry for nearly six years, I’ve become intimately familiar with the many markets, consignment stores, op shops and online platforms available to shift my pre-loved gems.
I’m passionate about preventing textiles from going to waste, advocating for thrifting, mending or swapping your garments instead. As a buyer for Mutual Muse, I have seen many, many sizeable bags full of clothing longing to be reused. If garments aren’t the perfect fit for our rails, I always recommend a better suited spot for the seller to consider.
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Recently, I’ve noticed a new way to sell your clothing in Australia, rent-a-racks. These spaces are a welcome addition to the secondhand scene due to their convenience, and ability for the seller to have more control over their prices. Sellers can simply use an app to book a rail, upload their stock, set prices and print tags. Once the admin is done, you simply show up to the store and arrange your garments on the rails with the hangers provided. Your pre-worn items are then in the care of the knowledgeable staff, meaning you only need to collect the unsold goods once your rental period is up.
The rent-a-rack model aims to solve some of the pain points of other resale platforms. Instead of struggling with rails and hangers at 6am for an outdoor market on a cold day, or wondering why the local consignment store didn’t take your lace-up boots (they are still on trend right?!), you can take full control of your items and know they’ll be on their way to a loving new home soon. While rent-a-racks are still an emerging concept, let me introduce you to four across Australia.
Let’s Take Two
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This new addition to Fitzroy fits in nicely with the plethora of independent fashion stores dotted along Brunswick street. Carman, founder of Let’s Take Two, has spent most of her life in the fashion scene. After working for big surf brands like Quiksilver, she was quick to notice the surge of textile waste happening in Australia. Her rent-a-rack store has already attracted many sellers, including Donovan of @donovandripsvintage who says, “It feels like a revolving wardrobe, it’s so easy to drop off my items and know it’s well cared for”.
229 Brunswick St, Fitzroy
Better Together
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Better Together’s founder, Eden, is dedicated to keeping fashion circular for adults and children alike. Based in Adelaide, it offers three rack sizes for your declutter haul. If you need to get your rack set up pronto, the Better Together staff even offer an extra tagging service. Eden also personally shares her ‘top pick’ for sale on their Instagram for those who can’t physically pop by.
74-76 King William Rd, Goodwood
bettertogetherprelovedfashion.com.au
Love Me Again Market
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Love Me Again Market has been re-homing pre-loved pieces in Brisbane for four years the traditional way. But now, their boutique style rent-a-rack service is helping find homes for many more garments. For a flat monthly fee, a dedicated Love Me Again Market staff member will act as your personal selling agent, caring for your clothes and promoting your wares. Within your fee, you can endlessly restock your rail, personalise your signage and take home 100 per cent of the profits.
46 Douglas St, Milton
Venla
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Finland natives Minna and Satu missed the re-use and re-love culture of Helsinki, so they brought it to Sydney. The locals fully embraced the rent-a-rack system and Venla opened four more stores across the city. Offering an all-inclusive service, Venla is truly for the time-poor. Their experienced sellers will set up your rack, price your pieces and maintain everything for you during your rental period, so you can just drop off and pick up your garments.
658 Military Rd, Mosman
To learn more about rent-a-racks, head here.
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