Sustainable fashion has become more popular in the past few years, with more consumers acknowledging the damage fast fashion does to the planet. In a worldwide survey by Statista, over one-quarter of consumers said they had made a significant change toward buying more sustainable products.
Additionally, fashion lovers are realising the benefits of investing in pieces, so more individuals have started renting their clothes. In 2025, the US clothing and apparel rental market was expected to be worth $1.5 billion, according to IBIS World.
It makes sense; why spend hundreds of dollars on an item you’ll wear once when you can rent something much cheaper? However, you don’t find much diversity when you look at popular renting websites and apps. This is where Kiraa comes in.
Introducing Kiraa
Kiraa is the brainchild of 27-year-old Ilera Onawoga from London, UK. After seeing the lack of Black designers on clothing rental websites he created Kiraa. The fashion rental website features Black designers worldwide, including brands like Hanifa, Kai Collective, and Onajala.
Like most people, Onawoga spent his time in lockdown thinking. While most people were spending their money on new clothes, Onawoga realized that he lost his attachment to his. “I realized I was spending a lot of money on clothes but only wore them once.”
As restrictions were lifted and life slowly started returning to normal, his desire to buy new clothes returned. He started searching for new items but struggled to find things to wear. “I thought to myself, if only I could buy the clothes I want, wear them once, and then return them.”
He did some research and found several rental platforms, but many lacked Black designers. “I didn’t really see many clothes being worn by people in my community; I also found that there weren’t many options for men,” Onawoga said. He saw a gap in the market, and that is how Kiraa came to be.
Sustainability and making luxury fashion more accessible
At the heart of Kiraa is Onawoga’s love for fashion and longing to wear luxury pieces. “I wanted to create a platform that champions circular fashion, which also makes luxury fashion more accessible to the masses,” he tells POCIT. He explains that his goal is to give people access to designs or pieces they wouldn’t typically afford on a regular day.
More importantly, Onawoga wants “to spotlight Black designers, African brands, and mainstream luxury labels to showcase their value. So I want to amplify their stories by offering customers a more inclusive fashion experience.”
When asked if he thinks that there are misconceptions about renting in the Black community, Onawoga said, “Yes, “we’re so big on ownership,” he adds, but he believes it’s changing. “More people are understanding that having access is enough. You still get to look and feel good without having to spend big bucks on something.”
A $18000 government grant
Last November, Kiraa received a £15,000 ($18000) grant from Circular Champs, an initiative funded by the UK government to support small businesses. “That allowed us to invest in a lot more pieces that the community want,” he adds.
Onawoga recognizes how limiting the rental space can be for plus-size people, so this grant has helped the brand invest in pieces for plus-size people to make Kiraa “more inclusive,” he says.
“The grant has also helped us run ad campaigns. We are working on creating a third space for our community where people can meet other people, socialise and swap clothes.”
Image: Kiraa
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