Marley Alles initially pursued a career in accounting.
Her ambition was to work for a major corporation, but upon achieving it, she felt a sense of anticlimax.
Alles then explored other interests, developing a keen curiosity for the startup world. She immersed herself in podcasts and books, diligently noting topics that resonated with her.
The idea for Rax emerged during a summer filled with friends’ weddings, which led her to spend a significant amount on bridesmaid dresses and bachelorette outfits. When a friend asked to borrow one of her dresses, Alles readily agreed, sparking the thought: “How could this concept be scaled?”
She realized she owned numerous expensive dresses that sat unworn in her closet. Selling them wasn’t appealing, yet she knew they likely wouldn’t be worn again. This realization ultimately inspired the creation of Rax.
Alles launched Rax earlier this year as a peer-to-peer clothing rental service. It operates as a marketplace, allowing users to browse listings and connect with individuals offering clothing items for rent, without Rax holding any inventory itself.
The company has been bootstrapped, enabling the full development and launch of the app. Early users included friends and family, with subsequent growth driven by word-of-mouth. Alles adopted a “building in public” approach, sharing her development journey online to cultivate an engaged audience of potential customers. The app currently has approximately 5,000 users.
Rax is a pioneering platform in Toronto, akin to services like Rent-the-Runway, the U.S.-based Pickle, or Europe’s By Rotation. The concept of renting clothes, similar to purchasing secondhand items, is gaining traction as a more environmentally sustainable alternative to buying new fashion for every season.
Alles stated that Rax is “driving the circularity of fashion.”
A key differentiator for Rax is its offering of long-term rentals. Users can rent items for up to six months, contrasting with competitor platforms that typically offer only daily rentals. This makes Rax a more cost-effective option for extended periods, such as a multi-week vacation or a seasonal winter jacket.
At TechCrunch Disrupt in October, Rax announced its entry into the U.S. market. Alles, a long-time admirer of TechCrunch, applied for the Battlefield competition and subsequently won the top consumer pitch award.
Alles expressed surprise at her win, noting the presence of many companies with thousands or hundreds of thousands of users, significant funding (e.g., $20 million), and even celebrity involvement in her category.
Despite the competition, she found the experience invaluable. Alles actively networked, visiting other startup booths, attending sessions, and connecting with fellow founders. She emphasized that this in-person interaction is one of the most important lessons she has learned as a founder, as it fosters stronger community connections.
Following Disrupt, the company plans to expand further across New York and develop a rental service platform for fashion designers and retailers interested in offering rental clothing to consumers.
Alles believes Rax possesses the necessary technology and audience, noting that brands are increasingly seeking sustainable practices, which platforms like Rax facilitate. She observed that “things are getting better and people are becoming more aware of their impact.”
