Could toy rentals change our relationship with stuff? This startup thinks so…
The Rental Revolution is here! A toy rental startup in London is betting on sustainable parents.
Gifting toys to children is a wonderful feeling. Toys are both learning mechanisms and great distractions for our little loved ones. So few parents will boycott toys, even though often children out-grow them very quickly.
London based startup Whirli recently launched a subscription service for parents to cut-down on toy waste and costs! Whirli allows subscribers to borrow toys, and swap them once the child is done playing with them. The service relies on a tech plastform to track 50,000 toys it has in circulation.
If your kid gets really attached to the toy, don’t fret — Whirli does offer the option for parents to buy the toys at a discounted rate. Subscriptions begin at €11/month, once an account is created the equivalent tokens are credited to start renting on Whirli’s library of toys.
Recently, Whirli attracted a seed funding of €4.4M by Octopus Ventures, the company plans to use the funds to keep improving its tech.
As many people face financial uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is safe to say that consumption habits are also changing. Rentals offer a great way to reduce costs, clutter and waste, and the toy market is now ready to be disrupted.
