Interview by Rahma Raye Saleh
Hey Georgie, for those who don’t know you can you tell us a bit about yourself?
Hi. I’m the co-founder of Rotaro. I’m originally from South Africa but moved to London five years ago. I was working in trend forecasting, before recently launching Rotaro, a fashion rental platform.
What was the inspiration behind launching Rotaro?
I was working closely with fast fashion retailers and being so involved in hyper-consumerism was giving me eco-anxiety. My partner and I wanted to find a solution for fast fashion and help people consume more mindfully, and that’s when Rotaro was born.
Where did the name Rotaro derive from?
The name came from the idea of a rotating wardrobe. The rotation of style, experimentation and discovering new fashion.
How does the rental process work at Rotaro?
We wanted to make it as easy as possible because rental is a relatively new market, and we wanted the transition to be smooth for consumers. It’s very similar to online shopping; you go on the website, you select an item and the rental duration. We deliver the item, you wear it and you send it back.
How do you decide what items to stock on the Rotora website?
We use a mixture of trend forecasting data, listen to our community and what they want to see on the site, and google analytics to see what people are searching for.
Green washing has become common in the fashion industry, can you tell us about some of the ways you ensure your company is sustainable?
Providing a more sustainable way to experiment with fashion was the main reason Rotaro was born so making sure every process is as eco-friendly as possible is part of our DNA. We use recycled tissue paper and corn starch packaging which is biodegradable. Our deliveries are carbon neutral using electric vehicles, and we use wet washing instead of dry cleaning which replaces the use of harsh chemicals with water.
How do you think the Covid-19 pandemic will impact the fashion industry?
This time has given us the opportunity to rethink our relationship with consumerism, fashion and buying habits. I think it will be beneficial to sustainability in fashion as consumerism will slow down. I think the shift will come from the bottom up and start with consumers, forcing brands to adapt. I believe the future of fashion is 1/3 sustainable goods, 1/3 rentals and 1/3 second hand goods.
If you were hosting a virtual quarantine dinner party, what Rotaro item would you wear:
It would have to be one of the Cecilie Bahnsen dresses, they are too gorgeous.
Can you give our audience some tips on how to shop sustainable?
I think it’s a gradual process and changing your mindset. If you are still shopping at fast fashion brands, make sure you wear the items repeatedly. If you only like to wear items once, try renting instead. I enjoy shopping at second hand and vintage markets and taking my time to find pieces with a story behind it. Retro Clothing Exchange in Notting Hill is one of my favourite places to shop physically, and online I love @retold_vintage and @nordicpoetry.
Who’s your go to style icon?
I really like Scandinavian style icons. I love the way they mix unexpected things, a lot of print clashes and a lot of bright colours. My biggest inspiration at the moment is 60/ 70s interior design, when I think about how i want to dress, I imagine the setting and match it to that
Finally, how can Public Ambition and our audience support you and your brand during the pandemic?
I know people aren’t renting right now because they’d rather be in their pyjamas, but we do have gift cards available for when the pandemic is over. Freedom of self expression is such a cool gift to give someone and you also get to introduce them to sustainable fashion.
We have also temporarily side-stepped our business, and we are using our existing delivery networks, website and office to support local British farmers and deliver fresh groceries to your door within 48 hours. 10% of profits will go to the NHS and NHS workers receive 20% off.
Find Georgie online at @georgiehyatt, and visit rotaro.co.uk to start your sustainable fashion journey.