Instead of spending thousands of dollars on new clothes, Hyderabadis turns to a rental wardrobe that’s as stylish as it is sustainable
Posted Date – 08:00 AM, Sun – 6/11/23
Wrapd’s Ritu Malhotra displays an outfit at her store in Hyderabad. Photo: Surya Sridhar
Hyderabad: Instead of spending thousands of dollars on a new dress every time she’s invited to a special event, Hyderabadis is turning to a rental wardrobe that’s as stylish as it is sustainable.
A few years ago, mentioning that you were wearing rented clothes would have caused some rolled eyes. But in recent years, the dynamic has changed, and today, it’s considered “cool.”
Ritu Malhotra of Wrapd, a popular rental service in Hyderabad, says a combination of factors have contributed to the shift. “When I opened the Hyderabad store in 2015, people told me it was a bad idea and no one would rent the clothes. But today, we have people from all walks of life visiting our store and renting our clothes.” According to her, people are increasingly turning to rental services due to the fast-changing fashions these days and due to limited space. Besides that, they are not only portable, but also environmentally friendly.
Every year, the fashion and apparel industry generates huge amounts of waste, which has a severe impact on the environment. “I was hooked on the concept of renting clothes, and I’ve been doing it for a few years. You have a lot of options, and the quality is good,” says Vaishnavi, an urban psychology student.
If hygiene is a concern, Ritu says all clothes are dry cleaned after the customer returns, and they also change clothes. In town, both men and women can wear suits and traditional clothing. The prices are also very reasonable, especially if it’s a once-in-a-lifetime piece of clothing that you only buy once in a lifetime.
