Textiles-as-a-service - leasing coveralls for kids in Norwegian kindergartens

270,000 Norwegian kids are in kindergarten. They attend outdoor activities every day and need coveralls suited for all seasons. The standard practice is to purchase new or used coveralls every time a child grows and needs a bigger size.

The coveralls are owned by the company “LiiS.com” and leased to consumers. Liis.com has a strong incentive to design and manufacture lasting coveralls that last as long as possible and can easily be repaired in the areas where children commonly get holes (knees, elbows etc.)

It is zero waste due to increasing the lifespan of the coveralls, leasing for the limited time needed for use as opposed to purchasing a new one, and the company has an incentive to create coveralls that can be maintained and repaired, rather than merely replaced.

Introducing textiles-as-a-service for kids in kindergarten when they are 1 year old and onwards, hopefully leads to a more sustainable mindset from the start. The ultimate goal is that the next generation will develop a user-habit rather than consumer-habit. 

Regarding the textiles used, since these are owned by the company, it also decides how to reuse and recycle the materials after the end of life as coveralls.