# Item-Lending Libraries 'The Sharing Depot' in Toronto is a Complete Product Rental Service By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2016-04-28 | Business Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/product-rental References: [indiegogo](https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-sharing-depot--2) & [twitter](https://twitter.com/thesharingdepot) The Sharing Depot is the name of a new product rental service in Toronto that's making it possible for people to rent everything from party supplies and board games to [sporting equipment](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sports-equipment-rental). With a Swapping Membership, people in Toronto will be able to attend monthly events for free and trade some of their items for others. Alternatively, a Frequent Sharing membership provides access to seven-day loans on all items through the Sharing Depot. While Torontonians already have access to a full Tool Library and a Kitchen Library, The Sharing Depot expands [sharing economy offerings](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/peertopeer-rental) in the city as "Toronto's library of things." The Sharing Depot initially ran a campaign on Indiegogo last month and was 108% funded, indicating a high demand in the city for shared ownership in the urban center. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.8/10 - Popularity: 45% | Activity: 62% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Business](https://www.trendhunter.com/business) > [New Ventures](https://www.trendhunter.com/newventures) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Product Rental Services:** The rise of rental services like The Sharing Depot in Toronto shows a trend for alternative ownership models. - **Swapping Memberships:** Swapping Memberships as seen in The Sharing Depot offer a unique opportunity to connect with community members and exchange personal goods. - **Expanding Sharing Economy Offerings:** The development of new sharing economy technologies and organizations such as The Sharing Depot represents a growing trend in the sharing economy movement. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Retail Industry:** The Sharing Depot and other rental services present an opportunity for disruption in the retail industry by shifting consumer perception about traditional ownership and consumption. - **Hospitality Industry:** A growth in swapping memberships could present innovation for the hospitality industry by fostering collaborations and communities among guests. - **Technology Industry:** Expanding sharing economy offerings create opportunities for innovation in the technology industry as these platforms develop their own unique technologies and applications. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Peer-to-Peer Sharing Tools](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/shapp.md) - [Peer-to-Peer Rental Apps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/rax.md) - [Library Literature Merchandise](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/toronto-public-library-1.md) - [Open-Air Libraries](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ikea-billyotheque.md) - [Philanthropy-Inspired Collections](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/im-library-people.md) - [Traveler-Targeted Bag Rentals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-borrow-bag-library.md) - [Record-Breaking Rental Pop-Ups](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/rental-pop-up.md) - [Peer-To-Peer Rental Marketplaces](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/peertopeer-rental.md) - [Book-Themed Bar Concepts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/book-bar-toronto.md)