Rent-a-Romper’s take on sustainability

My path to sustainability: How my first steps in sustainability inspire Rent-a-Romper

When I became a mom, I immediately felt overwhelmed by my new responsibilities. Between nap schedules and work calls, I sensed the pressures of parenting in everything I did. On top of that, my kids were growing constantly. No matter how quickly I dressed them in new clothes, another leap or growth spurt forced me to stock up yet again. 

I love my boys with every part of my being, but I felt like I was drowning in to-dos that had little to do with being their mom. And, I didn’t understand how two tiny people could accumulate so much stuff. I knew something had to change, but most of the solutions I found came with a hefty price tag or a mountain of packaging. I couldn’t rationalize the cost to my bank account (or the planet) so I started thinking of alternatives. 

My frustrations became my biggest inspiration. Along with the stress and an overactive credit card, motherhood also brought me a mindfulness I didn’t have before. And as my kids became more aware of their surroundings, I became more aware of my actions and decisions.

Even though the idea appealed to me, going “zero-waste” or revamping my whole lifestyle to become sustainable felt too overwhelming to me, I decided to give our household habits a makeover—one small step at a time. 

Since I knew I wouldn’t become a sustainability pro overnight, I started with the easy stuff. From ditching plastic wrap to packaging presents in anything I already had on hand, I focused on making swaps that could stick. Some things worked, others didn’t but little by little, I saw evidence that sustainability could work in our lives. Eventually, the idea for a community kids’ closet was born. 

Rent-a-Romper was built on the same philosophy I used at home—that one small change in behavior can make a huge difference. Since my journey to sustainability wasn’t easy, I wanted to make other parents’ efforts as painless and worry-free as possible. 

Sustainability isn’t just a mission statement or an annual commitment at Rent-a-Romper. It’s woven into everything we do. By sharing baby outfits through our community closet, we help families dress sustainably without even thinking about it. (Because don’t we all have enough to worry about?) 

So, in the spirit of Earth Day, we figured we’d update you on what we’ve done so far (and what we still hope to accomplish).  

Rent-a-Romper’s 2022 sustainability goals 

Our sustainability goals are simple. 

Studies show that by extending a garment’s life for just nine months, we can reduce its water, waste and carbon footprint by up to 30%*! And through our shared closet, we extended the life of thousands of articles of clothing and saved 1.8 million gallons of water in 2021 alone. (That’s enough water to power 150 households for an entire month!)

Rent-a-Romper by the numbers

And we’re just getting started! Here’s a preview of what’s to come.  

1.     More sustainable and durable products. Our year ahead is all about inventory tracking, so we can learn the most resilient and high-quality pieces to bring to our community. 
2.     Reusable packaging. After lots of research and testing, we’re almost ready to launch our reusable bags and boxes. Unlike cardboard boxes or plastic mailers, these parcels can handle up to 40 uses before recycling. 
3.     More members in our community closet. We’ve built sustainability into every piece of our business, so parents no longer sacrifice their sanity or savings for the environment. This year, we plan on inviting more members into our community to support them in their sustainability journeys at home.  

How to get involved 

Thank you for being part of the Rent-a-Romper community. We love watching your littles grow as we grow along with them. And we couldn’t do what we do without your shared support and investment.  

I started this business to help myself and other parents preserve our resources for future generations. The best time to restore the  planet for our kids is now. Together, we can make a huge impact even if our individual actions feel small. My hope is that all companies will integrate sustainability into their practices one day, so parents can focus on what really matters — spending time with the ones we love. We’re not there yet, but I’ll do everything I can to be an example for what’s possible.  

Thank you for being a part of our journey.

Lauren Gregor

Founder and CEO, Rent-a-Romper

Want to up your sustainability game? Renting through our shared closet is a great way to start! Or, if you’re curious to know how your current membership supports sustainability, email us below to #seeyourstats. 

Sources:

*WRAP. (2020). Design for Longevity: Guidance on Increasing the active life of clothing.

https://wrap.org.uk/sites/default/files/2020-10/WRAP-Design%20for%20Longevity%20Report_0.pdf