EP34: The first rental clothing service for children - Everlasting Wardrobe
Not So Fun Facts
Instead of recycling, consumers throw away an average of 70 pounds of shoes and clothing per person annually.
Founder
Joshua Luft and Drew Malbin
LAUNCHED
February 2016
Flagship Product
Monthly subscription box with 8 pieces of children’s clothing
Funding
$150k
HQ
Brooklyn, NY
Background
Children grow, but our clothes don’t - so why are we buying all these items destined for short life cycles and landfill? It’s dynamics like these that underpin what amounts to be one of the more wasteful and environmentally-taxing industries in the world: fashion.
Solution
Enter Everlasting Wardrobe - the company building the Rent the Runway for kids. For $40/mo, families get 8 different pieces of everyday children’s clothing. These pieces are selected to match a child's current size, family's taste preferences, and the weather in their area. At the end of the month, Members can send everything back in a prepaid mailer included within the box, or purchase the clothing outright at a discount.
Episode Brief
Joshua Luft, Co-Founder and CEO of Everlasting Wardrobe, joins Peter on this week’s episode to discuss:
The inspiration to start Everlasting
Pitching to their first brand partners
Convincing brands to give inventory for free
How they bootstrapped the initial marketplace
The cost, convenience, and sustainability benefits of renting
Navigating COVID-19 and it's impact on the renting category
Learnings from managing one of the highest grossing bars in the US
The best idea rotting in his idea graveyard
Credits
HOST
Peter Levin
PRODUCTION
Dan Mahoney
MUSIC
Eddie Knuckles