Feather

Feather is a furniture rental company that provides a subscription-based service for consumers and businesses, positioning itself as a flexible and sustainable alternative to traditional furniture ownership. Founded in 2017 by Jay Reno, the company emerged from his personal experiences with frequent moves in New York City and a desire to combat the waste generated by "fast furniture". Reno, who holds a master's degree in climate and environmental science, aimed to create a circular system to keep more furniture in homes and out of landfills.

The company's business model is centered on a monthly subscription fee, which provides members access to a curated collection of furniture from brands like West Elm and Pottery Barn, as well as its own private label products. Membership includes benefits such as free delivery and assembly, and the flexibility to swap, return, or purchase the items, with monthly payments contributing towards the retail price. Feather primarily targets millennials and other city dwellers who move frequently and value convenience and style over ownership. It also serves real estate professionals for home staging. The company generates revenue through these monthly subscriptions, as well as through non-member rental plans and fees for delivery and furniture swaps for non-members.

Feather participated in the Y Combinator accelerator program in the summer of 2017 and has since raised significant funding. It secured $3.5 million in a seed round co-led by Kleiner Perkins and Bain Capital Ventures in late 2017. This was followed by a $12 million Series A in May 2019 and a $30 million Series B in February 2020, bringing its total equity funding to $46 million. In November 2023, the direct-to-consumer furniture rental startup was acquired by Vesta, a luxury interior design and staging firm, for an undisclosed amount. Along with its competitor Fernish, Feather now operates under the umbrella company "Showroom," which aims to serve a broader market by combining luxury staging with mass-market rentals.

Keywords: furniture rental, subscription service, circular economy, home staging, sustainable furniture, proptech, flexible living, interior design, direct-to-consumer, Y Combinator, furniture-as-a-service, residential furnishing, commercial furniture, asset-light living, e-commerce, home decor, reverse logistics, venture capital, acquisition, urban living