Every day, Sydney’s fashion scene produces beauty and, unfortunately, waste. Across Australia, more than 200,000 tonnes of clothing end up in landfill every year. The rise of fast fashion and impulsive online shopping has made wardrobes larger than ever, yet many pieces are worn only once or twice before being forgotten.
At VENLA resell+relove, we decided to flip the story: what if fashion waste could become a fashion opportunity?
That’s exactly what our rent-a-rack model does. Instead of clothes collecting dust or ending up discarded, they’re given new life one rack, one seller, one shopper at a time. Sustainability isn’t a side note here. It’s built into the way we operate, shaping how Sydney shops, sells, and thinks about fashion.
Fashion That Stays in Circulation
Since opening our first Sydney store, Venla has kept tens of thousands of garments in circulation, from high-street labels to timeless designer pieces. Every rack holds a mix that mirrors Sydney itself: effortless, diverse, and constantly evolving.
We see it every day. A Ganni dress finds a new home just days after being listed. A pair of Acne jeans sells within hours. A Zimmermann skirt that once sat unworn in someone’s closet is now part of another woman’s weekend rotation.
Every piece that’s resold is one less garment heading to landfill and one more story continuing on Sydney’s streets. Our racks aren’t just filled with clothes; they’re filled with second chances. The favourite blazer worn to a first job interview, the silk blouse that outlived a season, the party dress waiting for its next big night out, all of them get to keep moving, keep being loved.
Fashion waste isn’t inevitable. It’s a choice. And through Venla, Sydney is choosing differently.
Shoppers Who’ve Made the Switch
Many of our regulars started as first-time visitors, curious about how the rent-a-rack system worked. Some came searching for a specific piece while others simply wanted to explore what second-hand could look like when done beautifully.
Now, they’re hooked.
One Balmain customer told us she hasn’t bought anything new in over a year. “I still get compliments on everything I wear,” she said, “but now I feel good about it too. I’m buying less, but everything I buy feels special.”
Another shopper in Mosman rents a rack twice a year to rotate her wardrobe with the seasons. “It’s like my clothes get to have their own social life,” she joked. “Something I loved once gets to keep being worn and I get space to find something new.”
These aren’t isolated stories. They represent a growing shift in how people approach fashion. It’s no longer about owning more; it’s about owning thoughtfully.
How Venla Cuts Textile Waste
The beauty of Venla’s model is in its simplicity. Each rack extends the life of dozens of garments, slowing down the cycle of overproduction and overconsumption that drives the fashion industry’s waste problem.
By giving people the freedom to resell directly, Venla turns individual wardrobes into part of a larger circular system. Sellers earn, buyers save, and clothes stay in use for longer, avoiding landfill and reducing the demand for new resources.
This isn’t theory; it’s measurable impact. Based on average resale volumes across our four Sydney stores, thousands of garments are rehomed each month. That’s thousands of items spared from the waste stream and hundreds of kilos of textiles kept in circulation.
And because every item that passes through Venla is preloved, we’re not contributing to new manufacturing or shipping footprints. It’s fashion that already exists, simply being loved again.
Community: The Heart of Venla resell+relove
Venla has never been just about clothes. It’s always been about people and the community that keeps this circular ecosystem alive.
Each store has its own personality, shaped by the neighbourhood it belongs to. In Balmain, racks reflect the area’s relaxed but polished vibe: linen, leather, silk, and denim side by side. In Mosman, you’ll find high-end labels mixed with beach-to-bar pieces. Avalon captures coastal ease, while Manly offers the effortless blend of city and surf.
What ties them all together is community. Sellers stop by to check their racks and often end up staying for a chat. Shoppers recognise familiar faces. There’s a casual rhythm that turns transactions into conversations.
We often hear stories like this: a seller meets a buyer who’s fallen in love with one of her pieces. They talk about where it came from, how it was styled, and where it might go next. It’s not just resale, it’s connection.
This sense of shared purpose is what makes sustainability tangible. It’s easy to talk about reducing waste or shopping ethically, but when you see people across Sydney actively participating in renting racks, finding preloved treasures, talking about quality over quantity, that’s when sustainability becomes real.
Venla is proud to be part of that cultural shift. Our stores act as small, local hubs for a bigger movement, one that celebrates creativity, resourcefulness, and community spirit.
Local Partnerships and Collaboration
Community also means working together beyond the store walls. Venla regularly connects with local initiatives, Chambers of Commerce and councils to promote circular fashion and reduce textile waste.
We support responsible recycling programs that give unsold items a proper next step. We’ve partnered with local events and markets that highlight sustainable fashion, and we continue to collaborate with small Sydney businesses that share our values, from cafés to stylists and local makers.
It’s a collective effort built on the idea that sustainability isn’t a solo act. Every collaboration, every conversation helps Sydney move toward a more conscious relationship with fashion.
Why Sustainability at Venla Works
Sustainability at Venla isn’t a marketing angle, it’s a mindset shared by everyone involved. Our sellers take pride in seeing their pieces worn again. Our shoppers feel connected to a bigger purpose. Our staff are passionate about curating beautiful racks while keeping waste low.
Together, they prove that responsible fashion doesn’t have to be complicated or restrictive. It can be joyful, stylish, and deeply rewarding.
Sydney’s fashion waste problem isn’t going away overnight, but the solution is already taking shape in our stores, on our racks, and in the community that’s growing around them.
Sustainability You Can See (and Join)
At Venla resell+relove, sustainability is action, not aspiration. It’s the sum of small, everyday choices that keep beautiful things in use and out of landfill.
If you’ve ever wondered what difference one person can make, start here. Rent a rack, sell what you no longer wear, and give your wardrobe a second act. Because every time you resell or relove, you’re not just reducing waste; you’re keeping Sydney stylish, sustainable, and connected.
Join the movement. Rent a rack, shop preloved, and help reduce fashion waste across Sydney.
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