Sustainable fashion: Nordic ‘rent-a-rack’ concept store launching in Bondi Junction
Based on the runaway success of VENLA resell+relove in Mosman, where the game-changing ‘rent-a-rack’ concept store opened earlier this year, the VENLA team are excited to announce the launch of a brand-new location in Oxford St Mall in Bondi Junction on Thursday 14 October.
VENLA’s mission is to encourage consumers to recycle and resell their quality pre-loved clothing, shoes, and accessories. Sellers rent a rack for a fortnight, price their items, then keep their racks stocked as items sell over the course of the rental period. Or they can hand the whole process over to VENLA!
Sellers can look forward to:
- making extra cash
- decluttering their wardrobes and selling dozens of items together, quickly and easily
- feeling comfortable with the process and welcomed by the VENLA team
- making a positive impact on the environment
- choosing to donate the proceeds from the sale of any remaining garments to VENLA’s chosen charities
VENLA stores look and feel like retail outlets, stocked with designer brands at affordable prices. Buyers can look forward to:
- saving money
- slowing their fashion choices down
- discovering quirky, past season fashion finds
- getting to know their regular local sellers
- supporting a new local enterprise & sustainability
“The concept allows fashion lovers to make some return on their investment and additional income in these difficult times. But more importantly, the garment gets a second, or third life and it’s saved from landfill,” says VENLA co-founder Minna Monaghan.
“When we looked at the trends from Nordic countries that had yet to make their way to Australia, we noticed the lack of rent-a-rack second-hand stores that are a mainstay of Finnish fashion retail,” she adds.
Venla is the first of this concept to open in Sydney. Self-service second-hand fashion stores generated over €550M ($870M) in total sales in Finland in 2019, part of a fast-growing trend towards sustainable fashion and away from the global environmental impact of fast fashion.
Monaghan and co-founder, Satu Raunola-Spencer, both believe the shift in Northern Europe away from disposable fashion will gain momentum in a post-COVID world.
Venla aims to help reduce the fashion waste crisis in Australia. Australian households generated 247,000 tonnes of textile waste in 2019, or 6000kg of waste every 10 minutes.
“This is a massive problem, with 85% of the clothes we buy each year ending up in landfills,” said Ms Monaghan.
“At the moment, charity shops are the only real option for people wanting to recycle their clothes,” Raunola-Spencer explains. “But as much as we love the work Vinnies, the Red Cross and Lifeline are doing, there might be items you don’t feel like donating to charity.
“Similarly, some second-hand designer consignment stores can be extremely picky about what they buy from people. We offer consumers the opportunity to sell good quality items and make some money themselves. We want our customers to feel good about reselling their preloved fashion, “ she added.
About VENLA:
Venla is a second-hand fashion store with a Nordic twist. The rent-a-rack solution makes it possible for anyone to monetise their quality preloved fashion items and sell them in our store in an easy and convenient way. Racks can be rented online for one or two weeks. Venla charges a rack rental fee and a commission on sales. Venla’s first retail stores are now open in Mosman and Bondi Junction.
