Stockholm Entrepreneurs Introduce the First Fashion Apparel Library

If you’re a book lover, you know how much value a library card can deliver compared to buying books outright. While book sales are moving to digital devices and driving costs down (due to the lack of expenses needed for paper, binding, shipping and such), it’s still tough to beat a library card at the end of the day. No arguments with publishers over sharing rights, no device or file restrictions, not to mention the whole free thing (provided you return your books on time).

A group of Swedish entrepreneurs recently created Lånegarderoben, (what we believe to be) the first fashion apparel library meant for consumers. So instead of checking out books, members can check out everything from dresses to jeans. {Sweden Sustainability Blog}

If you’re aware of Rent the Runway and similar fashion rental startups, you may think this sounds familiar. It is and it isn’t.

Unlike Rent the Runway, which charges a per-item rental fee, Lånegarderoben members pay a fairly inexpensive 400 kronor (approximately $65) 6-month membership fee. Members can borrow three pieces of clothing for three weeks before trading them in for something else. The idea got its start at festivals, but has had a permanent home in Stockholm for 10 months. Similar to Rent the Runway, many people borrow clothing for special events like parties or weddings, but Lånegarderoben offers more casual outfits as well: one man borrows everyday shirts and jeans to curb his shopping habit.

The focus of the clothing library is more on sustainability than expanding access to expensive pieces, so it also includes vintage pieces and local designers with more functional clothing lines to make clothing rental a more everyday (or, every week) practice as opposed to something reserved for events or special occasions.

Would access to a clothing library slow down the enthusiastic consumerism that keeps the fast fashion industry chugging along? We’re doubtful about that – if you have a favorite pair of jeans, or favorite dress or favorite anything, it would probably be difficult to pry it away from your wardrobe. Plus, there are some things you just want to own: anything worn to work out, jeans that finally fit just right after a number of washes, etc.

We do think it’s a good way to encourage more considered purchases though. While we can’t see anyone ever dressing themselves on rentals alone, having a week or so with clothing is probably a good way to know if it’s a piece that will actually be worn, or more likely to take up closet space. Evening dresses and weddingwear are obvious culprits, but many people probably have perfectly casual shirts or pants that don’t make it into rotation very often either.