Nobody knows how fast kids grow better than the person doing all that laundry. Babies are the worst offenders, typically tripling in weight in their first year.
What’s a parent to do? West Seattle mom Shauna Causey found herself ordering clothes online (too much packaging) or running around buying off Facebook groups (too much time) for clothes her son sometimes outgrew before he even wore them.
In August, she launched Relovable, a Seattle-area subscription service that delivers gently used clothes to your door, and picks up all the clothes your kids are done with. The service is aimed at parents of babies and toddlers (newborn to 5T), and recently expanded up to size 10.
“Relovable is the easiest way to give and receive clothing as your kiddo grows,” Causey says. “Our personal stylists handpick a box of items in your kiddo’s style that we drop off on your porch. While we’re there, we’ll also pick up any clothes and books you’re ready to pass along to another local family. Our vision is to be the most convenient and sustainable place in the world to get quality items to re-love.”
The subscription costs $19.99 a box, which includes eight to 12 items of clothing in your kid’s size and style, and usually a book, too. Parents answer questions about style preference and what they need, so what they receive is the right fit. (Causey’s 2½-year-old son, Connery Lormis, for example, is going through a phase where he only wants to wear pajamas.)
PHOTO: JOSHUA HUSTON Stacey Servo, general manager (left), Causey and Kaia Davis, VP of Brand and Operations, prepare a subscription box. |
Relovable’s inventory typically includes a lot of Carter’s, with some Hanna Andersson, Old Navy, Cat & Jack and some luxury brands (Baby Burberry, anyone?). The clothes are better quality than Goodwill, Causey says, but less than half the cost of Stitch Fix because the service is local and relies on donations.
Relovable picks up the kids’ clothes you’re done with from your porch and redistributes them to another family. There’s no required amount — it can be more or less than what was in the box they dropped off. Bonus: You’re constantly tidying up and purging the clothes your kid has outgrown. About 90 percent of what Relovable picks up is in re-gifting shape, Causey says. Nothing worn out, with holes or stains, gets passed along.
The startup operates out of a Seattle warehouse with two full-time employees, and covers all of the Seattle area from Edmonds to Burien. Relovable is looking to expand to Bellevue, and just launched a scholarship program for families in need.
“Within a neighborhood, you could be helping moms who actually just can’t afford it,” Causey says. “That’s a really big part of our focus right now, making sure we can give back. Everyone should have access to the basics for their kids.”
