Founder of By Rotation: from side hustle to six-figure business

As children, we are all taught about the importance of sharing, but somewhere along the line this lesson gets lost. Sharing clothing is sustainable, resourceful, and economical. I created By Rotation as a solution to a personal first-world problem I was faced with when planning my honeymoon to my motherland Rajasthan, India: what to wear on the trip. During the trip, I was shocked to witness first-hand the impacts of textile waste in my own hometown.

By Rotation has become a green pin on the map of consumption, guiding consumers along a path to a healthier relationship with shopping, and nearly two years on in 2021, I have been joined by a movement of more than 120,000 others who feel the same way.

Eshita Kabra-Davies, Founder of By Rotation

After researching the global fashion rental landscape, I was disappointed not to find any fully circular solution. Inventory-based models of rental [which buy stock to rent out, so the model is still centred on buying new] are wasteful when you consider the resources they employ – from the items they hold on to, warehousing space, dry-cleaning to deliveries and physical shop fronts.

With peer pressure at an all-time high thanks to social media and the “wear once” mindset, I was convinced that the concept of peer-to-peer would be vital in ensuring existing items get the love and use they deserve.

Drapers 30 Under 30 Eshita Kabra-Davis, Founder and CEO of By Rotation

Career twists with By Rotation App founder Eshita Kabra-Davies

Surprisingly, we are still the only 100% peer-to-peer fashion rental platform in the UK [By Rotation is the only UK rental platform that does not buy any stock – everything on the app belongs to individual users].

Our business model is entirely built on sustainability while our priorities are to remain digital, enhancing the user's journey through our in-house-developed machine-learning tools. By Rotation has grown organically, with word-of-mouth and a strong network in the fashion rental space given our social focus. We have the largest depth of “stock” –  over 14,000 listings worth £6m+ RRP with essentially no inventory risk since we own nothing [users rent their peers’ wardrobes].

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Our community and technology are our biggest strengths. It was important for me from day one to create a very inclusive [space] given my background as a third-culture kid (living in India, Singapore, US and UK).

I also wanted By Rotation to target regular unsuspecting consumers due to my own experiences coming from a non-fashion background [and] my goal is to make the app accessible to all, not just for those already in the fashion crowd, with flexible pricing on the app and no sign-up fees, for example.

Our community is colourful and diverse with top lenders ranging from bankers, lawyers, students and homemakers to the likes of Lady Amelia Windsor (British royal and fashion model), Camille Charriere (influencer), Aisling Bea (actor) and Abisola Omole (creative director), among others.

Eshita Kabra-Davies

Consequently, some of our top lenders are making more than £2,500 per month lending out their wardrobes, with many users’ spending habits becoming more strategic, taking into consideration an item’s rentability before committing to purchase, which means that before buying something new (from retailers), users will consider if they think they will be able to rent it out on By Rotation successfully or not. Many users want to earn back the RRP on purchases they have made through renting them out on the app, so they buy strategically based on what is in demand on the app.

One of the things that our users love the most is how they’ve formed acquaintances over the app by “following” people with similar style/size as them – and how regularly they end up rotating their wardrobe with each other. It’s really what sets us apart – the community.

This community aspect of By Rotation was recognised by apps Bumble and Peanut, Westfield London, Page Hotels, Halfpenny London, Shelter, Refuge and Women for Women charities who have all partnered with the app.

In Q2 2021 between February and July we hit over six-figure revenues and in the same period our revenues grew by 2000% due to life returning to normal and travel restrictions finally being lifted.

As an ex-investment analyst, myself, I’ve been very careful with By Rotation’s fundraising and capital table. I am now actively raising our multi-million-pound Seed round [funding from external investors] with which By Rotation will be expanding to France in early 2022 and launching our web-based platform [at the same time]. [We] will then expand to other European countries, with the aim of consolidating our position as Europe’s go-to fashion rental platform, until eventually [we] are a global app.