Green Threads, Corporate Ties: Is Nuuly Truly Sustainable?
By Lillian Shattuck ‘25
Collage by Lillian Shattuck
As someone who loves to shop but also strives to be environmentally conscious, I have been searching for sustainable avenues that give me that same dopamine rush I get from clicking the “pay now” button on my favorite shopping sites. Enter Nuuly: a trendy clothing rental subscription service that promises a more circular approach to fashion, offering shoppers the chance to experiment with style without the waste. It’s great, when you think about it: rent six items of clothing for 98 dollars a month, shipping, cleaning, and repairs all included. Many of my friends have subscriptions, and it’s been such a lifesaver when it comes to formal season, spring break trips, and that time of year when it feels like you’re celebrating a different birthday every night.
On paper, it sounds like the perfect antidote to fast fashion’s environmental damage. But there’s a catch: Nuuly is owned by URBN (1), the corporate giant behind Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, and Free People—brands frequently criticized for their role in overproduction, questionable labor practices, and disposable fashion. This paradox raises a crucial question: Can a brand truly be sustainable when it’s backed by a company that thrives on mass consumerism? At its core, Nuuly embodies the principles of circular fashion. By encouraging customers to rent rather than buy, the platform extends the lifecycle of garments, reduces waste, and slows down the relentless cycle of trend-driven consumption. Instead of purchasing a new outfit for every occasion, only to wear it once and then let it collect dust, Nuuly users rotate pieces through their wardrobe and get to go “shopping” for six items each month. It’s an attractive model for eco-conscious fashion lovers.
However, the irony is impossible to ignore. URBN, Nuuly’s parent company, continues to mass-produce new collections at an alarming rate. Urban Outfitters, for instance, is notorious for its trend-chasing business model, which fuels microtrends and rapid inventory turnover. Even as Nuuly promotes a more responsible way to consume, its parent company profits from the same excessive consumption habits that drive fashion waste in the first place. The rental platform may reduce individual purchases, but it doesn’t change the fundamental structure of the industry or the way URBN operates on a larger scale.
This contradiction isn’t unique to Nuuly. Many corporations have jumped on the sustainability bandwagon, launching eco-friendly initiatives while continuing to profit from traditional fast fashion practices. H&M’s Conscious Collection (2) and Zara’s Join Life (3) are prime examples—marketing sustainability while still churning out thousands of new styles every season. This strategy, often referred to as “greenwashing,” allows companies to maintain their brand image without making substantial changes to their overall impact.
So, where does that leave fashion-conscious consumers who genuinely want to make ethical choices? The reality is that Nuuly is not a perfect solution, but it’s still a step in the right direction. Renting clothes does help reduce fashion waste, and Nuuly’s focus on keeping garments in circulation supports efforts towards a more sustainable future. Nuuly also has a thrift shop, where garments that were once available to rent can be bought at a major discount. However, it’s important to remain critical of the bigger picture. Choosing Nuuly over fast fashion is a better alternative, but supporting independent, truly ethical brands, like local thrift stores, will have a more meaningful impact in the long run.
At the end of the day, Nuuly exists within an inherently unsustainable system. While it offers a promising glimpse into how fashion can become more circular, its corporate ties remind us that true change requires more than just rental subscriptions—it demands a fundamental shift in how fashion is produced, marketed, and consumed.
Footnotes:
1. “Our Story.” Nuuly.
2. “H&M’S Conscious Collection Launches Worldwide with a Sustainable Fashion Future in Mind.” H&M, 2019.
3. “Join Life: Zara.” Zara, 2015.