Today’s Solutions: July 21, 2026

Whether it’s a dress you once wore as a bridesmaid or a suit you never got the chance to wear because you work from home, most have us have articles of clothing in our wardrobes that never see the light of day.

That’s what inspired New York-based entrepreneur Adarsh Alphons to launch a new platform called Wardrobe that makes use out of all those fine, unused clothes. The platform first began with women’s clothes, allowing women to rent out their unworn clothing, with neighborhood dry cleaners serving as distribution hubs.

“We realized what we could do is build a platform that’s a bit like an Airbnb of fashion,” says Airbnb co-founder Nathan Blecharczyk, who is an investor in the company.

When Alphons started reading about the overproduction of clothing, he was shocked. On top of the giant carbon footprint that goes with making one item of clothing, research shows people throw away clothing worth around $400 billion each year. And that does not count the many more clothing items that just hang in closets without being touched.

“The average woman has 57 items in a closet that she doesn’t even wear once a year,” Alphons says.

The startup launched last year to serve consumers in New York City. Now it’s launching nation-wide, inviting anyone with extra high-quality clothing to list it on the platform; then they mail it to one of the dry cleaners that the company has partnered with. The dry cleaners store it on their premises, shipping out an item of clothing each time someone rents it and then cleaning it each time it returns.

According to Alphons, early lenders to the platform tend to have very large wardrobes, consigning an average of more than $8,000 worth of extra clothing.

“Several of them have already made thousands of dollars off of those things,” he says. “And they can retain ownership of it, which means they can either sell it later on a different platform—or maybe two years from now we’ll have our own sales platform as well.”

Solutions News Source Print this article
More of Today's Solutions

In Cuba’s fuel crisis, solar tricycles took the streets

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Cuba has long been known for its vintage cars — the American ones that kept rolling through decades ...

Read More

Why summer slips away so quickly and how to make it feel longer, according to...

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM It's hard to believe it's almost August; if you're anything like us, you’re probably wondering where June and ...

Read More

This “Smart Tampon” uses AI to screen for cervical cancer

Using cutting-edge technology, recent Johns Hopkins University graduates have made a significant advancement that could safeguard more women against cervical cancer. Cervical Cancer Awareness ...

Read More

How to navigate the holidays with toxic family members: expert advice for a p...

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM The holidays often promise warmth, connection, and celebration, but for those with toxic family dynamics, they can feel ...

Read More