Merchandising/Marketing/Retailing: Management

Student Perceptions of Apparel Rental Services

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Abstract

Two professors wore rented apparel for the first 10 weeks of the spring 2020 semester to explore the use of rented apparel for an everyday professional wardrobe. They surveyed 42 students to find out if students noticed a change in the professor's wardrobes. Information about student perceptions of rented apparel for themselves was also gathered. Findings indicate that students noticed a difference in the clothing worn by professors. They observed on-trend pieces (92.5%), followed by higher quality apparel (72.5%), more new items (67.5%), and more bold items (44%). Of the students surveyed, 50% responded that they would consider renting apparel for themselves; mostly for special occasions (97%), as opposed to everyday (69%). Students perceived that a rented wardrobe would be more sustainable (88%), more trendy (83%), and save money (60%). These findings can be expanded to research rented apparel in multiple settings from the perspective of both the observer and wearer.

Keywords: Keywords: Apparel rental, collaborative consumption, shared economy, student perceptions, apparel rental

How to Cite:

Abner, M. & Spurgeon, E., (2022) “Student Perceptions of Apparel Rental Services”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 78(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.13448