There are over 225million items of kidswear stored- unworn - in homes in the UK. That's around £2Billion worth of unworn clothing. Enough to clothe every single child in the UK. And yet, 84% of parents are prepared to shop second-hand for their kids clothes. There is a HUGE market for the clothes which children outgrow. So what's the problem? It's simply TOO HARD to recirculate children's clothing. Only 34% of parents resell their kids clothes -- citing inconvenience as the primary reason. And only around 42% of all hand-me-downs are actually worn. Meaning the majority of kids clothes find themselves stashed in cupboards or dumped in the donation bin. Resulting in huge amounts of waste. Wasted clothes. And Wasted money. Not only that, but it perpetuates the fast-fashion cycle, as parents buy cheap clothes knowing they'll most likely throw them away. Ethically made, sustainable brands struggle to compete as parents can't justify the cost if they can't get some money back when their child no longer needs the item. The solution? To make it as easy to recirculate kids clothes as it was to get them in the first place. With this project we will use user-centred design to build upon our existing, market leading rental and resale platform, creating a seamless, brand integrated clothing resale experience for parents. The research we conduct will allow us to create an experience which is truly designed for parents AND brands, so that we might turn every purchase into a potential repurchase, making recirculating clothes a first resort, not an afterthought.

In the aftermath of corona virus, the need for a transformed fashion system, which removes the onus on multiple seasons and fast-fashion, has never been greater. Bricks and mortar store closures, stockists cutting back on orders, and consumers reducing their spending created a huge inventory problem for clothing brands, resulting in cancelled production orders, impoverished suppliers, and untold clothing waste. And, while consumer behaviour was already trending toward more sustainable options pre-pandemic, the "quarantine of consumption" resulting from Covid-19 lockdown, is expected to accelerate the rejection of waste-producing business models and new demands for purpose-driven, sustainable alternatives. An opportunity for change lies in the circular economy, in which high-quality items are given multiple lives, seasonal collections become increasingly irrelevant, and garments are ultimately recycled to reduce the overall impact of their production. Our research and consumer trial have shown an appetite from British consumers for a circular retail experience which offers value, convenience and quality, alongside environmentally-positive outcomes. And conversations with over 20 brands have confirmed that they too are seeking ways to participate in the circular economy, in a commercially-viable manner. We believe that enabling brands to directly participate in rental and resale, and reap commercial reward for doing so, will incentivise them to improve their manufacturing practices, design clothing for the longest possible lifespan, and drive a widespread shift from linear to circular business-models within the fashion industry. This project will enable thelittleloop to build, test and launch a brand-garment management platform which will enable us to manage rental of brands' new garments, and their re-commerce schemes whereby previously sold garments are returned by customers for reconditioning and rental on our platform: * The interface and data tools will make engaging in the circular economy easy to manage and appealing for brands with simple revenue reporting and garment lifecycle tracking. * Garment performance will be monitored according to factors such as composition, fabric, usage and data will be available to brands to guide future manufacture. * Data-driven inventory forecasting algorithms will guarantee maximum usage of each each garment. This will secure brand profitability, further enticing brands of all sizes to participate, and enable keen pricing of the service to provide the essential value needed to drive a change in consumer habits. Finally, it will guarantee the best possible positive environmental outcome. Ultimately, we anticipate that the outcome of this project will transform thelittleloop into a viable commercial proposition in the UK, bringing the circular economy to both brands and consumers, creating jobs and injecting money into the UK economy.