Rent, Exchange, Belong: Community-Driven Fashion
In a world where the fashion industry produces approximately 92 million tonnes of textile waste annually, with Turkey contributing around 1.3 million tonnes each year, We-In offers a transformative solution.
We-In is an early-stage startup, currently in the funding phase, preparing for major competitions with plans to expand beyond Turkey. Our innovative app fosters clothing exchange communities, enabling users to rent and borrow garments, thereby reducing waste and promoting sustainable consumption.
Based on market trends and user engagement data, We-In is projected to attract 50,000 to 200,000 users in its first year in Turkey, tapping into the rising demand for sustainable fashion and clothing exchange.
Due to privacy agreements, I’m unable to share the full designs directly. However, you can watch the following video to explore the main user flows and journeys within the app
You can see the video here!
Project Description
Imagine a world where your wardrobe is limitless, your wallet stays happy, and your fashion choices help the planet. This vision is becoming a reality as the global online clothing rental market, valued at $1.12 billion in 2021, is projected to grow at a CAGR of 8.5% from 2022 to 2030.
This app is designed to enable clothing rentals and exchanges within trusted communities. This approach not only offers variety but also addresses environmental concerns, considering the fashion industry's significant contribution to global carbon emissions.
Whether you're a student craving variety, an influencer seeking sustainability, or a job-seeker needing the perfect outfit, this platform fosters style-sharing networks built on trust, proximity, and shared values.
In this journey, I've explored user needs, defined problems, analyzed competitors, and collaborated with AI to refine the features. The result? A community-focused peer-to-peer app where fashion meets function, trust, and sustainability, aligning with the rising trend of community-based marketing in the fashion industry
Design Process
Interviews
To understand the essence of sharing wardrobes, we spoke to potential users from different walks of life. The stories they shared revealed challenges, desires, and the importance of community in fashion exchanges.
Gen Z is leading the charge in the second-hand clothing market, with 42% of U.S. Gen Z consumers engaging in second-hand shopping, we decided to aim for new generations therefore we chose our interview participants in that age group.
Do you rent and/or exchange clothes? If yes, what’s your experience? If not, why not?
How important is trust when borrowing or lending clothes?
Would you prefer local exchanges to avoid shipping costs and delays?
Would a referral or vetting system make you feel safer exchanging clothes?
What type of community would you like to join for exchanges? (e.g., style-based, eco-conscious, student groups)
User Stories: Real People, Real Needs
Merve: The Budget-Conscious Student
Merve, a junior university student, loves fashion but lives on a tight budget. She dreams of wearing different outfits to class without breaking the bank.
Need: Access to a community of peers who share and exchange clothes locally.
Ali: The Ambitious Job-Seeker
Ali, a recent graduate, needs formal clothes for interviews. His father’s old suits don’t fit, and buying a new one feels risky for an uncertain future.
Need: Affordable access to professional attire through a vetted, local community.
Aleyna: The Sustainable Influencer
Aleyna is a Gen-Z Instagram influencer with an ever-changing style. She dislikes wearing the same outfit twice but doesn’t want to sell her clothes permanently.
Need: A platform where she can rent out her clothes and earn, while keeping the option to reclaim them.
Su: The Eco-Conscious Advocate
Su is committed to reducing waste and buys second-hand whenever possible. Weddings and events often force her to buy new clothes she’ll rarely wear.
Need: An eco-friendly community where she can borrow special-occasion outfits without guilt.
Problem Statement
Consumers face significant challenges in accessing diverse and affordable clothing while balancing budget, sustainability, and trust. Globally, the fashion industry produces approximately 92 million tonnes of textile waste annually, contributing to environmental degradation.
Traditional rental platforms often lack community trust, and resale options don't provide temporary solutions. A study by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation found that peer-to-peer rental services are 20% more sustainable than inventory-based models, highlighting the potential of community-driven solutions.
We-In addresses these challenges by creating trust-based exchange communities where users can rent or swap clothes locally, reducing costs, waste, and anxiety.
Hypothesis
If we provide an easy-to-use platform for renting and exchanging clothes, users—especially Gen Z, which is leading the second-hand shopping trend (42% of U.S. Gen Z consumers)—will embrace it due to the combined benefits of affordability, sustainability, and convenience. This will lead to a reduction in unnecessary purchases, helping to alleviate the growing fashion waste problem.
Goals
Provide a seamless platform for renting and exchanging clothes: Simplify the process of borrowing and sharing clothes for users, ensuring a smooth experience for all types of users, from students to eco-conscious shoppers.
Offer monetization opportunities: Allow users to rent out their clothes and generate passive income, fostering a community-based exchange economy.
Reduce fashion waste: Contribute to the shift towards sustainable fashion by promoting second-hand clothing and sharing options, aligning with the growing demand for eco-friendly alternatives.
Ensure a user-friendly experience: Tailor the platform to meet the needs of diverse personas, ensuring ease of use for both tech-savvy Gen Z users and those new to the second-hand clothing market.
Prioritization: From Ideas to Impact
We brainstormed various features, considering user needs, app viability, and monetization potential. Here’s how we narrowed down our ideas:
Must Haves
Community-Based Exchanges
Users exchange clothes within trusted, admin-approved groups based on style or proximity.
Core feature for trust, affordability, and local convenience.Referral-Only Communities
Users join groups via referrals to ensure vetted, trust-based networks.
Enhances security and user confidence.Local Proximity Matching
Matches users based on location to avoid shipping costs.
Facilitates convenience and reduces environmental impact.
Should Haves
Renting from Influencers
Influencers can rent out clothes while keeping the option to reclaim them.
Appeals to influencers and generates platform revenue.Vetting System for New Members
Group admins or moderators vet new members for reliability.
Strengthens community trust and reduces risk.In-App Chat for Coordination
Allows users to communicate directly within the app for exchanges.
Improves user experience but not essential at launch.
Could Haves
Courier Service Integration
Option to use partnered courier services for long-distance exchanges.
Adds flexibility but increases complexity and cost.
Won’t Haves
Instant Buy Option
Immediate purchase feature for clothes listed on the app.
Doesn't align with the core mission of renting/exchanging.
How Gen AI(Chat GPT) helped with Ideation
Throughout this process, I leveraged Generative AI to synthesize stakeholder goals, user interview insights, and problem areas. AI helped me brainstorm, prioritize feasible features, and ensure we addressed monetization needs while focusing on community trust. This collaboration made decision-making efficient and aligned with real user needs.
Design System
For the design system- I worked with Material Design system and adapted it- especially when working on colors and typography. For stickersheet I created reusable components in different states and forms to have a more efficient design. Of course as every design system it will grow and change in time.
For the design you can view the video to get an understanding of my working style and designs!
Expected Metrics and Conclusion
Based on current market trends and user engagement metrics, We-In could anticipate attracting between 50,000 to 100,000 users in Turkey during its first year, especially by targeting eco-conscious consumers and leveraging the growing e-commerce landscape.
Fashion App Usage in Turkey:
Trendyol: Fashion & Trends: In Q2 2024, this app experienced weekly downloads ranging from 172,000 to 279,000, with weekly active users between 22.7 million and 24.6 million.
Overall App Engagement: In 2023, Turkey saw 3.9 billion app downloads, averaging 58.3 downloads per user, with 67.3 million active smartphone users.
Market Trends:
E-commerce Growth: The Turkish fashion e-commerce market is projected to reach $11.76 billion by 2024, accounting for 26.6% of the country's total e-commerce market.
Sustainable Fashion: The global online clothing rental market, a key segment of sustainable fashion, was valued at $2.06 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 10.60% from 2024 to 2031.
Potential User Base Estimation:
Considering the above data:
Active Fashion App Users: With apps like Trendyol reaching over 22 million weekly active users, there's a substantial audience interested in fashion apps.
Sustainable Fashion Appeal: As sustainability becomes a global focus, a segment of these users may be inclined towards eco-friendly solutions like clothing exchange platforms.
Conservative Estimate: Capturing even 1% of Trendyol's active user base would result in approximately 220,000 users. Given the niche appeal of sustainable fashion, aiming for 50,000 to 100,000 users in the first year is a realistic target.