Our business is performed through an app that runs as a clothing rental service as well as an informative educational platform. Refresh connects sustainable and environmentally friendly fashion designers with like minded customers to offer garments at a cheaper price point. Our app aims to reduce garment consumption by promoting the concept of ‘’borrowing’’ rather than buying. We also aim to increase the number of times a garment can be worn, therefore extending a garments life span and reducing material waste.
Our business will operate as follows… (this is an initial process plan that could be tweaked).
STEP ONE: Establishing relationships with designers and purchasing garments.
It is vital that our business establishes strong relationships with both high-end and emerging fashion designers. These relationships will allow our business to grow. To ensure we are collaborating with designers who fit into our framework we will establish a list of criteria that the designers garments must meet in order to be promoted through our app. The criteria will ensure every garment has transparent information so that we know the garment can confidently be identified as sustainable. If the designer meets our criteria we will select specific garments that we feel will appeal to our customers. We will be looking for unique, one of a kind garments. We will begin by purchasing these garments out right. The designers will in return receive free promotion through our app. Ideally further down the track we would like to have established a strong relationship with our designers in the hope that we may be able to purchase their designs at a cheaper price point.
- We are currently discussing an alternative option in regards to ‘’emerging designers’’. We are thinking emerging designers could donate garments for free in return for free promotion PLUS they would receive a percentage of the cost of a rental, i.e. each time a garment is rented the emerging designer would receive 10% of the rental cost.
STEP TWO: Promote garments on the app
Once we have established a relationship with a designer and have purchased a variety of garments we will get them ready to be published on the app. We will have to photograph each garment on a fit model, write up a detailed garment description and establish a rental price. The garment will then be activated on the app so that customers can view the item as they browse the fashion library.
STEP THREE: Customer & App
When a customer first downloads the app they will be instructed to sign up and select a membership option. When customers sign up they will provide us with their contact details so that we can connect them to our customer data base to send promotional emails to help our business grow.
The customers will then browse the app. The app will be split into garment categories making the search process easier for the customer. When a customer selects a garment to view they will be able to review transparent garment information, view photos of the garment on a fit model, and see style suggestions. If the customer decides they like the garment they will then add the garment to their ‘’closet’’ (similar to a cart).
Once the customer is satisfied with their choices they will proceed to select their rental timeframe (when they wish to receive the rental and how long they would like to rent). The customer will then process an online payment that will cover the garment rental price (25% of the full retail price) and shipping costs. The customer will also have an option to add on an ‘’insurance’’ cost of $10. The extra $10 means that if the customer accidentally creates a minor wear or tear to the garment (such as a stain) they won’t be charged extra post rental.
STEP FOUR: Garment dispatch
We then proceed to package the customers garment(s) in sustainable packaging. The package will include a personalised thank you card and a card that provides transparent garment information (this could include where the garment was made, who made the garment, what fabrics have been used, how the garment is considered sustainable…).
STEP FIVE: Customer wears garment(s)
The customer then receives their rental garment(s) to enjoy. Refresh will have a large focus on social media, particularly Instagram. We will suggest to the customer to post images of how they have styled their rental garments using a designated hashtag. These hashtags will eventually accumulate which will create a platform where other customers can go to view how people of different shapes and sizes have each chosen to style their garments. This concept promotes a circular fashion system and extends the life of the garments by showing that garments can be worn a variety of ways (maximise garment life).
STEP SIX: Garment return
Once the rental period has ended the customer will send their garment(s) back to us using their free returns bag that they would have received with their order. The garment(s) will then undergo a quality control check to ensure the garment has arrived in the same condition that it departed in. If there is significant damage the customer will be contacted and asked to pay a repairs fee. If there is no damage we will give the customer a high rating which will be illustrated on their app account. (We are thinking of setting up some form of loyalty system which this rating would connect to. The loyalty system would come with perks).
STEP SEVEN: Laundering & Repairs
The garment(s) then goes to our laundering partner (yet to be established) who will take care of laundering the garment(s) to get it ready for the next customer. We will also have a repairs partner that will be contacted if a garment requires repairs.
STEP EIGHT: Ready for next customer
The garment(s) then becomes active again on the app and is available for a new customer to rent.
** If a garment is beyond repair (irreparable) we will have a system in place that allows the garment to be composted or up-cycled.
NEXT STEPS:
- Establish a possible laundering and repairs partner. Determine the costs for these two services and the length of time they each require per garment.
- Decide how long a garment can be rented. Could we provide 2-3 options for customers to select, i.e. 1) 3 days, 2) 1 week, 3) 2 weeks. How would the rental prices therefore be effected?
- Determine what our ‘’membership options’’ are.
- Include costs to hire a fit model and photographer into our budget plan.
- Establish a location for our hub. This location will need to be big enough to store the garments, perform photoshoots, package orders, and sit several computers/desks. A small warehouse would be ideal.
- Establish ‘’designer criteria’’ checklist.
Refresh Fashion Library 