Renting clothing used to be restricted to a wedding suit or prom dress, but the options are growing and becoming more popular.
Today, you can rent clothes directly from other people through apps like By Rotation and Hurr, or go straight to high street brands such as John Lewis and Selfridges. Most clothing rental platforms are online only, so shoppers can’t test the fit, sizing or style before committing.
But in a recently published study, I examined, with colleagues, what people thought about renting everyday clothing, and how an AI chatbot with an integrated avatar could change how people choose rental clothing items.
The study used three focus groups and 28 interviews. People said they had a strong desire to use AI tools to see what clothing looked like on them, before paying for the rental.
The chatbot could be used by an online shop to engage with the consumer by asking about size, fit and what the customer wanted the outfit for. The AI chatbot could then save these conversations (if given consumer permission) for use in future sales.
Consumers could upload an image of themselves to the avatar to “try on” a selection of pieces.
One renter from our study called the idea “a welcome need in fashion”. Another said a chatbot could clear up queries about the hidden details of renting clothes, such as unexpected costs or existing stains.
The chatbot could also tap into consumers’ environmental values by sharing sustainability information about the rental item and renting more generally. Many gen Z consumers say they cared about climate change and sustainability, and this could be reflected in their clothing choices.
Moving away from fast fashion to rental requires a significant mindset shift. But as shoppers grow more comfortable with AI, chatbots could guide people toward smarter, more sustainable wardrobes, where they rent more and buy less.
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One of the reasons why more shoppers might want to think about rental is linked to consumers’ growing awareness of fast fashion’s negative impact on the environment, such as the colossal amount of waste ending up in landfill or polluting developing countries. Over-consumption of clothes means that the sector is responsible for 10% of global CO₂ emissions and about 85% of textiles end up in landfill.
Rental should keep clothing in circulation for longer. There’s some evidence that by extending a garment’s life, fashion rental could reduce an item of clothing’s carbon, water and waste footprint by 20% to 30%.
Studies also show that chatbots can effectively encourage people to make greener choices. Our paper demonstrates how a chatbot with “green nudges” would share sustainability information. For example, it might say: “Save 2,700 litres of water and 3kg of CO₂ by renting instead of buying.” This data could be certified by an organisation such as the waste charity Wrap to demonstrate the accuracy of the information.
By remembering past interactions, a chatbot could also offer style advice and subtle prompts that encourage shoppers to step out of their comfort zone.
For instance, if you’re going on holiday a chatbot could create a good combination of clothing for you and save a lot of time, one gen Z shopper told us.
But some barriers still keep current consumers from renting outfits. These include hygiene concerns as well as fear of damage and cleaning fees and the feeling that renting isn’t mainstream enough yet.
Our study found shoppers also worried about whether rental clothing catered to different skin tones and colours.
Using AI to promote sustainability raises an obvious paradox. Studies show that the use of AI can have a large environmental impact such as the significant use of energy and water consumption.
But there are already some positive moves that show clothing rental is becoming a more widespread option. In August 2026, global charity Oxfam launched a pilot clothes rental scheme. The charity said it would give people access to special pieces, without adding to the wear-once cycle.
If virtually trying on clothes can make people feel more confident about renting, rather than buying, there is definitely potential to cut the huge amount of environmental damage that the fast fashion world is currently creating. It just depends on whether consumers are ready for that change.
The post “Virtually trying on clothes using AI can help cut fast-fashion waste, study reveals” by Rebecca Beech, Senior Lecturer in Marketing, Oxford Brookes University was published on 09/09/2026 by theconversation.com