Marley Alles

Who are you and what do you do?

I’m Marley Alles, the founder of Rax, Canada’s only peer-to-peer clothing rental app. I started Rax because I lived the problem myself: one summer, I spent $5,000 on wedding guest dresses that I wore once before they sat idle in my closet. At the same time, I saw how fast fashion was fueling overconsumption, waste, and pressure from social media to constantly buy new. I used my savings to bootstrap Rax - because I believed closets could be more than storage. They could be income streams for women and climate solutions for our planet.

Rax is like the Airbnb of fashion: women earn money by lending out their unworn clothes, while borrowers get access to fashion for up to 90% less. Each rental reduces water, waste, and carbon emissions by about 8% compared to buying new. Since launching in January, we’ve grown to thousands of users and listings, hosted a 5-week Toronto pop-up with influencers, trended in the top 100 apps on the App Store, and generated millions of impressions on social media—all organically.

At my core, I’m motivated by three things: Sustainability – tackling fashion’s role as the second-most polluting industry. Accessibility – democratizing fashion for people who might not otherwise afford it. Empowerment – giving women new income streams in an increasingly expensive world. That’s who I am and why I built Rax: to flip fashion on its head and make circular consumption the new normal.

What did it take/how did you get started?

Like many startups, Rax began with a personal frustration. One summer, I attended seven weddings and spent nearly $5,000 on dresses I only wore once. Those dresses sat in my closet, collecting dust, while social media and fast trend cycles fueled the pressure to constantly buy something new for every event. At the same time, I became increasingly aware of the destructive impact of fashion: it’s the second-most polluting industry in the world, driving 10% of carbon emissions and producing over 92 million tonnes of waste annually.

That disconnect - between overstuffed closets, rising costs, and the planet paying the price - sparked a question: what if closets could be income streams and climate solutions at the same time? I didn’t have a technical background or deep pockets, but I had conviction. While my peers used their savings for houses or weddings, I invested mine into building Rax. I bootstrapped a no-code MVP and launched it, even though it was slow and buggy, just to test product-market fit.

The result? Over 2,200 users signed up, 600 pieces were listed, and 50 rentals took place - proof that the idea resonated, even without a polished product. From there, I brought on a CTO and Head of Design, rebuilt the app, and relaunched. We’ve since grown to 4,000+ users, millions of social impressions, trended in the top 100 on the App Store, and opened a Toronto pop-up. What it took was grit, creativity, and a willingness to start small and scrappy to prove that Canada needed this - and that the world is ready for circular fashion.

What does the future look like for you and your business?

The future of Rax is about transforming how the world consumes fashion. In the short term, our focus is on expanding into the U.S. market in October, where we’ll replicate the organic traction we’ve already seen in Canada. By localizing logistics, building out our referral and affiliate programs, and forming brand partnerships, we’ll grow from thousands of users to hundreds of thousands.

Longer term, we see Rax evolving beyond an app into the infrastructure of circular fashion. We’ll not only be the marketplace where women borrow and lend clothing, but also a platform powering “rental-as-a-service” for brands and retailers who need to meet sustainability mandates and shifting consumer demand. Our vision is for renting, not buying, to become the norm.

That means scaling our impact across three dimensions:

Environmental: reducing water, carbon, and textile waste at scale.

Economic: creating new streams of income for women, giving them accessible side hustles in an increasingly expensive world.

Social: democratizing fashion so that style is no longer a privilege, but an affordable and sustainable option for all.

In 5–10 years, we want Rax to be the default way people consume fashion across North America and beyond, with millions of users, integrated brand partners, and measurable climate impact reported back to every renter and lender.

What drives / motivates you on a daily basis?

What drives me is a mix of lived experience and a deep belief that business should solve real problems. I’ve lived the frustration of spending thousands of dollars on dresses for weddings and events, only to wear them once and watch them gather dust. That experience showed me how unsustainable and economically wasteful the current fashion model is - and it planted the seed for Rax.

I’m motivated by three things: Climate impact – The fashion industry is one of the world’s most polluting, responsible for 10% of global emissions and 92 million tonnes of waste annually. Every rental on Rax reduces water, waste, and carbon emissions by ~8% compared to buying new. Knowing that my work helps fight fast fashion’s destructive cycle fuels me every day. Democratizing fashion – I believe style should be accessible. rax allows women to access luxury and statement pieces at up to 90% less than retail—making fashion attainable for people who otherwise couldn’t afford it. Empowering women financially – In today’s economy, side hustles are no longer optional—they’re survival.

36% of Gen Z and Millennials already have one. With Rax, I’m giving women a way to turn their closets into income streams, helping them offset rising living costs and build financial independence. Ultimately, I’m driven by the idea that closets can be more than storage—they can be tools for sustainability, empowerment, and cultural change. That’s what keeps me motivated to push through the challenges of entrepreneurship and build something bigger than myself.

What advice would you give someone interested in doing what you do?

1. Start with the problem, not the product. Don’t rush into building an app or designing a brand. Live the problem. Talk to people who feel the same pain. In my case, it was spending $5,000 on dresses I only wore once while watching fast fashion wreak havoc. The problem became so real I couldn’t ignore it—and that’s what carried me through the toughest days.

2. Get scrappy and validate early. You don’t need a perfect product. My first app was slow, glitchy, and barely worked—but I launched it anyway to test demand. That scrappy MVP got me 2,200 users, 600 listings, and my first 50 rentals, proving product-market fit. Perfection is the enemy of progress—get it out there, listen, and iterate.

3. Be prepared to hear “no” (a lot). Especially as a young woman founder, I’ve been told my idea was “cute” or that “maybe my wife would like it.” Instead of internalizing it, I reframed it: if they don’t get it, they’re not my audience. The right investors, customers, and partners will get it. Persistence is everything.

4. Build the right team. You can’t do this alone. Surround yourself with people who complement your strengths. I brought on a CTO with deep fashion tech experience and a Head of Design who makes our product sleek and intuitive. Your vision needs the right builders beside you.

5. Anchor in your mission. Startups are hard. What keeps you going through setbacks isn’t vanity metrics or press—it’s the mission. For me, it’s fighting fast fashion, empowering women with side hustles, and democratizing access to style. If your “why” is strong, you’ll find the resilience to keep moving.

What has been the hardest part of your business journey?

The hardest part of starting my business wasn’t the idea—it was proving I could execute it without the “traditional” credentials investors expect. I had no technical background, no co-founder at the start, and very little capital. Building the first version of the app on a no-code platform was frustrating—it was painfully slow and barely functional. But instead of waiting for perfect, I launched it anyway.

The challenge was swallowing my pride, knowing people would see all the flaws, but trusting that the idea mattered more. And it did: thousands of people signed up, used it despite the bugs, and proved product–market fit. Another challenge was being taken seriously as a young woman founder in fashion tech. I sat across from investors who called my idea “cute” or said “their wife might like it.” That was disheartening, but it taught me resilience and sharpened my ability to find the right audience and community that do get it.

These challenges—limited resources, credibility barriers, and early tech hurdles—have shaped me into a scrappy, determined founder who can build traction with almost nothing. They’ve made me unafraid to take risks, fail fast, and keep pushing forward, which is exactly what this industry and this company demand.

How have you managed burnout thus far?

Burnout is something I’ve definitely brushed up against as a solo founder. Early on, I thought the only way to prove myself was to push harder than everyone else — late nights, weekends, saying yes to everything. But I quickly realized that pace wasn’t sustainable if I wanted to build a lasting company.

What I’ve Learned and Put in Place:

• Community & Mentorship: I lean on mentors and peer founders who remind me I’m not alone. Talking through challenges often relieves pressure before it builds into burnout.
• Boundaries: I’ve gotten better at setting boundaries between my 9–5 and startup time, carving out “non-negotiable” rest windows.
• Small Wins: Celebrating traction — our first 1,000 users, a successful pop-up, being recognized in pitch competitions — helps keep momentum and joy alive, even when the workload feels heavy.

Purpose as Fuel: What keeps me grounded is remembering why I started Rax — to fight fast fashion’s impact, democratize style, and create income opportunities for women. That mission gives meaning to the grind. Ongoing Balance I won’t pretend I’ve perfected it. Some weeks are heavier than others. But instead of ignoring burnout, I now treat it as a signal to pause, reset, and refocus — so I can show up fully as a founder, a leader, and a person.

What are a few resources that you'd recommend?

Podcasts: How I Built This, Acquired, Female Founder World, Founders, Hot Smart Rich, Dream Bigger, Working Hard Hardly Working, WorkParty