Sustainability

Mission

By Rotation was created to transform the way we consume fashion by challenging overconsumption habits. With a more affordable and inclusive approach to enjoying “new” fashion, we have created a self-sustaining and conscious community of fashion lovers. We’re making sustainable fashion more accessible and prolonging the life cycle of quality items already in circulation and avoiding the £140 million worth of textile waste that goes to landfill every year (WRAP).

Circular Economy

Since our launch in October 2019, we have always been a purely peer-to-peer fashion rental app. It is our belief that there are already so many clothes in circulation and we want to encourage people to rotate their wardrobes and share their items through a trustworthy platform. Unlike other rental models we do not buy inventory and thus avoid adding more items to circulation.

The Impact Scale

Our Impact Scale is a feature on the app that tracks positive savings made by renting rather than buying. We have researched the environmental impact of different items from clothing to accessories, so that users can make an empowered choice when it comes to consuming fashion. It is our belief that consumers want to understand why and how peer-to-peer fashion rental goes beyond affordability.

Eco-Friendly Cleaning & Repair

As part of our commitment to becoming a fully sustainable business we have partnered with - the UK’s number one aftercare specialist BLANC, to offer our users a sustainable alternative to dry-cleaning and to encourage them to mend and restore items to lengthen their lifecycle.

Logistics

As a fully-digital startup, our environmental footprint remains considerably lower than if we were to host a physical presence. When our users are rotating an item, we encourage them to either meet up in a public location or via Royal Mail Tracked delivery. When this is not possible, we have partnered with on-demand courier service Peyk who mostly operate with bikes (currently available in London only).

Eco-Age Brandmark

In November 2019, By Rotation was awarded the Eco-Age Brandmark “in recognition of championing the sharing economy with the UK’s first peer-to-peer fashion rental service, discouraging over-consumption and encouraging us to love the garments in our wardrobes”. We regularly pen articles for Eco-Age, please see below:

Seven Steps to Starting Your Own Sustainable Business

Life As I Know It: Eshita Kabra

Bringing Business to Life: By Rotation

Ones To Watch - Drapers Sustainable Fashion Awards 2020

With the aim of highlighting sustainable fashion champions, Drapers launched their inaugural Sustainable Fashion Awards in July 2020 with By Rotation awarded as "Ones to Watch". The category was introduced to recognise emerging fashion companies that are "built on sustainable values, as well as demonstrating signs of commercial viability”. We are thrilled to have been handpicked. Read more about the award here

Sharing Economy

In September 2020, By Rotation joined Sharing Economy UK, the trade body representing the UK's sharing economy businesses. Sharing Economy UK works closely with policymakers including the Government to advocate for a more circular economy, set standards for responsible practices and call for policy changes. We are incredibly proud to be members of the sharing economy community and further drive our mission to change the fashion industry by sharing more and wasting less.

By Rotation X Ellen Macarthur Foundation

The Ellen Macarthur foundation is committed to creating a circular economy and highlighting brands that are putting this into practice today. In 2021, By Rotation was featured in EMF’s “Circular Design For Fashion” book as a brand that is disrupting the production of new clothing and championing the circular economy. As quoted by The Ellen Macarthur Foundation, “If five people use one occasion dress rather than each buying their own, the resource consumption and environmental impacts are lower.” We are honoured to be included as a circular brand in The Ellen Macarthur Foundation: you can read more about us here.

P2P model

At By Rotation, we pride ourselves on being the UK’s first peer-to-peer fashion rental platform. Our P2P business model is entirely built on sustainability: we do not purchase any stock or inventory as this would only add new items into circulation and eventually landfill, which, in our opinion, defeats the purpose of renting.

Compostable Mailer Bags

We want to ensure that we are as sustainable as possible, from our peer-to-peer business model to the packaging we send out rentals in. All By Rotation rentals are packaged in our compostable mailer bags, which are equipped with a secure seal and a double adhesive feature that allows them to be reused. Our bags are made from a bio-based polymer PBAT and a plant-based polymer PLA, which means that they can break down fully in a home compost in 180 days, or in a commercial compost in 90 days. All nutrients are returned back to our planet.

We are committed to minimising the environmental impact of our service and know that improvement will be continuous. By Rotation will foster environmental awareness both internally and externally and communicate any policy or news updates here.