Nestled in the heart of Northcote, “Her Rack” is redefining the way we think about fashion. This unique pre-loved buying and selling rent-a-rack store is a haven for fashion enthusiasts who value style, sustainability, and affordability. Whether you’re looking to declutter your wardrobe or find your next statement piece, Her Rack is the ultimate destination for those who want to stay boujee on a budget. We had the pleasure of chatting with owner Kim about all things eco-friendly fashion and affordability.
Tell us a bit about yourself and how you came to own a preloved fashion store.
I have always loved fashion! Especially preloved. It has a special place in my heart since my childhood. When I was in a refugee camp in Malaysia as a child, I was allowed to pick items from the UNICEF donations and thought the clothes were true treasures! We came to Australia with nothing, so we have always shopped second-hand because it was more affordable. Then I started selling my second-hand finds on eBay for many years. When I discovered Zellr, a platform that allows me to be the host for other people to sell their preloved clothes with real-time tracking, I jumped to the opportunity immediately to open Her Rack because everyone has excess clothes and I know people will love this concept.
Kim in front of her store “Her Rack”, located in Northcote, Melbourne
Can you explain how Her Rack works?
We are a rent-a-rack business, but we see it as a community of sustainable fashion lovers. It’s like an indoor marketplace for preloved fashion. Sellers can hire our space in the form of a rack, price items themselves from our Zellr portal and bring their items in-store when their rack commences. The system generates a unique barcode for each item and the seller will tag their pieces and sellers can also track their sales live!
We supply the rack and hangers. We take a 15% commission on any sales made and this is pertinent to keeping our business alive! It’s much easier than selling on Facebook Marketplace or setting up a stall at a Sunday market.
What are the benefits of shopping second-hand?
There are endless benefits to shopping second-hand but there are two that stand out to me. Firstly, circulating our quality fashion items prevents them from going to landfills and promotes less of a demand for new garments. This decrease in consumption will put less stress on the environment.
Secondly, it is much cheaper and better for our hip pocket!
Can you make reliable extra cash by selling pre-loved goods through a service like Her Rack?
Many of our sellers have had great success with selling their unneeded clothing and have hired a rack multiple times. It doesn’t generate an income but definitely gives you a little bit of extra cash to put towards something you need instead of having these items sitting in your wardrobe unloved.
Can you explain how Her Rack makes a difference environmentally?
The main idea behind Her Rack is to create a community for sustainable fashion. It’s a place where women can enjoy fashion without feeling guilty about their spending or its impact on the environment. By shopping for pre-loved goods from Her Rack, people can reduce the demand for new fashion production, leading to less pollution, waste, and carbon emissions.
How does Her Rack help with the rising cost of living pressures and changing social trends around thrifting?
There are two ways we are contributing to relieving the rising cost of living now that second-hand shopping is widely accepted and respected as a conscious choice. Firstly, sellers can put some cash back in their pockets by selling their unused fashion items.
Secondly, shoppers can save by buying preloved items, and the money saved can go towards other things that matter more.
How can creating a platform for budget-friendly, sustainable shopping help combat the notion that eco-friendly clothing must be expensive?
As we become more aware of the negative impact of fashion, especially fast fashion, on the environment, we are increasingly embracing circular fashion, which is both eco-friendly and affordable. Newly produced eco-friendly fashion is likely to be more expensive because extra steps have been taken to minimize the environmental impact, a cost that we can appreciate. However, we now have the option to enjoy eco-friendly fashion at different price points, whether through preloved items or new purchases.
How are you helping women be boujee on a budget?
Many women enjoy shopping in our store because they feel free to discover their fashion style with pieces that would otherwise be unaffordable. It’s motivating for us to find new love for unused fashion items and breathe life into them again. It’s very satisfying!
Learn more about Her Rack below.
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