Rent, Return, Repeat

As social media trends continue to grow, clothing rental accounts have taken the internet by storm. Search “closet rentals” on Instagram to find your next gameday outfit or sorority formal dress. Simply looking up the word “rentals” on Instagram expands the options, including clothing subscription services such as Nuuly, FashionPass and Rent the Runway. These platforms offer sought-after brands like Anthropologie, Farm Rio, Reformation and Staud, making high-end fashion more accessible for everyday wear. Instead of paying full price, subscribers can wear expensive pieces for a limited time. With so many options, renting and returning clothing can be both cost-effective and eco-friendly. But how much does renting actually soften your carbon footprint?

Fast fashion dominates the textile industry, with major brands such as H&M, Zara and Shein targeting consumers with cheap and trendy clothing. What many shoppers overlook is the environmental cost. Companies like Shein release hundreds of new designs each week to drive constant consumption. Their business model often depends on a lack of empathy toward social responsibility, including labor laws and sustainability. The business is built on outsourcing the manufacturing process to low-cost countries with weak labor protections and environmental oversight. As a result, fast fashion depletes natural resources, pollutes oceans and creates waste. According to Earth.org, 85 percent of textiles never even reach store shelves and end up in landfills. So, the next time you are about to click “purchase” in your Shein or Zara cart, consider the damage these companies are doing to the environment. 

Choosing to rent clothing — whether through individuals or subscription services — can help disrupt the fast fashion cycle and reduce personal consumption. Renting instead of owning can be a more sustainable alternative, but it is not without drawbacks. Many rental platforms promote sustainability, yet shipping emissions and packaging waste can offset some of their environmental benefits.

Local options often provide a simpler and more sustainable solution. Borrowing from friends or using nearby rental accounts reduces the need for shipping, cutting down on emissions and packaging waste. In the Chapel Hill area alone, students have access to hundreds of Instagram-based rental accounts for virtually every event or occasion you could possibly think of. A quick search for “rentals” can connect users with a wide range of accounts to choose from. Meeting locally to pick up items is the most sustainable choice, eliminating shipping emissions and single-use packaging.

The next time you are unsure what to wear, check out an Instagram rental account. There are no limits!