“Rename” is eliminating excess inventory in the apparel industry

The apparel industry is one of the largest polluters in the world. In 2018, it was reported that luxury fashion house Burberry had burned 4.2 billion yen worth of unsold products. Since then, the apparel industry has been scrutinized for its future and sustainability.

Among the chaos is a company that is determined to alleviate this prevalent problem. “Rename” is a brand that resells excess inventory from the apparel industry. They aim to reduce waste by circulating unsold clothes through the concept of relabeling. This new business idea is an alternative method for companies to clear stock. It overcomes their unwillingness to sell their products at a lower price to clear stock, because of the brand value.

Founded by apparel company FINE Inc, CEO Kato Yukari came up with the idea for Rename. She was looking for a way to lower the sale price of unsold products without devaluing one’s brand. Rename was put to test in 2016 when FINE Inc. was consulted by another company regarding an unexpected issue of large volumes of unsold products. Ultimately, the idea reaped positive results as it managed to resell all unsold products.

The focus of Rename, as a brand, is not about removing the original tags of clothing but rather, replacing them with a new label: Rename. Rename’s products are not defects that are intentionally sold at low prices. Instead, they are unsold products collected from other brands for resale. Relabeling is a way to convey the origin of these products to consumers. It grants consumers an objective evaluation of the true quality of these clothing.

At the end of the day, the purpose of Rename is not just about sustainable fashion. They also want to cultivate a society where fashion can be enjoyed without boundaries. The existence and over-prioritization of brand value limit the way products can be sold. With Rename, these barriers are removed, resulting in greater democracy in the apparel industry.

In the future, Rename aspires to become an additional category to exist alongside new and used products in the apparel industry.