John Lewis & Partners is undertaking a trial with childrenswear rental firm thelittleloop to enter the apparel rental industry for the first time.

John Lewis & Partners announced the experiment today (26 May), saying the goal of its collaboration with thelittleloop is to provide parents the option of renting their children's apparel, which it hopes would reduce waste and create a circular solution by increasing the number of wears per item.

The project will begin with 51 goods characterized as apparel basics for children and newborns aged up to 12 and made from more sustainable raw materials such as recycled polyester.

Users may pick John Lewis goods to add to their subscription plan, which starts at GBP18 (US$22.71) per month and allows customers to rent around six to seven products at a time with unlimited swaps.

Customers may replace their rental apparel at any time, return things in the reusable returns pouch, and earn credit to pick their next bundle, according to John Lewis. The returned items have been thoroughly cleaned, fixed (if necessary), and are ready to be leased again at various pricing ranges based on their condition (eg. brand spanking new, gently worn, and well-loved). When the clothing is no longer in good condition, they are broken down and recycled in the UK.

Glynis Williams, John Lewis & Partners kids and baby fashion category lead, said that the partnership with thelittleloop reflects their ambition to offer more sustainable ownership options and forms part of the commitment they made to their customers to reduce the greenhouse gas footprint of their textile supply chains by 50% by 2030.

Charlotte Morley, thelittleloop's creator, said that partnering with John Lewis is a big occasion for thelittleloop as it brings us one step closer to their aim of embedding real circularity into the DNA of all ethical enterprises in the childrenswear industry. John Lewis is justifiably proud of the quality of their children's clothes, and they're thrilled to include it in their range. Both to give more options for their clients and to provide useful data regarding garment quality and performance to John Lewis for future circular design.

John Lewis joins a growing list of companies, including French Connection, Oasis, M&S, and H&M, in examining the possibilities of the clothes rental sector.