PAKT launches climate-controlled wardrobe service in Singapore

It provides premium storage, digital inventory, and white-glove care to protect wardrobes from the city's humid climate.

Clothing storage can present issues in tropical Asia, with humid environments and varying weather patterns. Hong Kong founded PAKT solves all your wardrobe storage concerns. Having recently expanded to Singapore, PAKT is a premium wardrobe management business that not only integrates professional storage facilities but also digital solutions and expert care. With the effortless convenience and attention, running a well-maintained wardrobe is straightforward when the client allows PAKT to do the heavy lifting.

PAKT’s specialised storage maintains valuable and loved wardrobes item in pristine condition in dedicated, climate controlled storage, as well as a digital inventory of the client’s pieces arranged and catalogued. Added to this is PAKT’s white-glove service for inspection and delivery.

SBR speaks with PAKT Founder and CEO Barbara Yu Larsson about all matters wardrobe and the company’s expansion south into the City State.

What inspired you to create PAKT? Was there a personal experience or a market gap that you noticed?

New businesses often start with a personal pain point. When I moved to Hong Kong with my family we didn’t have enough room in our serviced apartment for all our winter coats and boots, evening clothes and sports gear including skiwear.  I Googled, and asked HK friends for pristine storage solutions.  But I also wanted on demand deliveries and a digital inventory, I wanted more than storage, but it didn’t exist.

I had been travelling in and out of HK for many years before actually moving here and recalled how friends had horror stories about clothing care, mouldy garments and deteriorated leather shoes and bags. So I always wondered if there was a better way to wardrobe in densely populated urban centers across Asia. Having lived in London and New York, although wardrobe needs in those cities were different, there was still a gap in the market about how best to manage extensive wardrobes.

For those unfamiliar with PAKT, can you explain what the service offers and how it addresses the needs of today’s consumers?

PAKT is a better way to wardrobe. PAKT archives and stores the clothes you already own, provides a digital inventory of all stored items and facilitates drycleaning and alterations/repairs.  PAKT also helps clients with the resale of their branded items and has recently launched a sharing feature with an AI fitting room feature in prototype.  

PAKT addresses the needs of today’s consumers as we all struggle with managing too many belongings, (the average consumer today buys 60% more clothing than they did 15 years ago ), has less space in densely populated cities and smaller apartments. People want to be more responsible and intentional consumers and knowing what you own is a first step. By looking after clothing and leather well, not only do you extend the life of the item, but you can monetise your wardrobe too. The resale is important as many of our clients find they have clothes they no longer wear or no longer fit or have never worn!  

What is your vision for PAKT, and how has it evolved since the company was founded?

I have a simple but bold vision to revolutionise the way people manage what they wear.  Although the wardrobe hasn’t changed in a thousand years, the needs of the consumers using those wardrobes have.PAKT’s mission is to extend the life of garments and leather by creating a circular wardrobe service including archiving and storage, clothing care, digital inventory and resale.

A Snapshot of PAKT in 2024: 

• Over 8,000 items kept in pristine condition in climate controlled storage facilities
• Over 3,000 items delivered just when you need them using our white glove, on-demand delivery service
• Over 1,000 items sold through our seamless consignment service

Can you share more detail regarding your journey as an entrepreneur?

I’m an accidental entrepreneur, having been a banker and mother, who then moved into executive search for top level financial roles.

I’ve always been used to structure with hierarchy and deadlines which isn’t always associated with startups. However, I’m passionate about what PAKT is trying to achieve, so I’m a strategic thinker and always open to out-of-the-box solutions. I have a large dose of grit and determination. Being an entrepreneur is not easy and is a 24/7 commitment, it’s not just a job. So being a great networker and connector is important. And being able to see the big picture.

How does PAKT address sustainability and mindful consumption in fashion?

By extending the usable life of garments and leather through proper storage and care as well as resale and sharing, we are promoting circular fashion. WRAP says that extending the life of clothes by just 9 months reduces carbon, water and waste footprints by 20/30% each.

Many of our clients want to know and keep track of what they own. Having a ‘digital wardrobe’ easily accessible on your mobile encourages smarter shopping and clothes management. After all, you can’t wear what you can’t see. Managing your wardrobe with PAKT promotes circularity and reduces fashion waste because the items already in your wardrobe are the most sustainable.

I’m careful about describing PAKT as sustainable because we do use power and logistics to facilitate our wardrobe service. We are in the process of calculating our net carbon position by looking at our outgoings versus the savings gained from extending the life of garments.

What role does technology play in PAKT’s operations and customer experience?

PAKT started as a tech enabled company using digital innovation to improve the wardrobe experience. While technology has been very important, it’s our excellent white gloved service that made us stand out.  

Now with AI, we are not only improving the customer experience with a trained Chatbot but will be launching an AI driven fitting room feature to help people make the most of their wardrobe. Existing PAKT clients will be able to put outfits together, and later add their own photos as well as wish-list items to see how and if they work with their existing wardrobe. Finally clients will be able to update and shop based around what they already have in their wardrobe through AI recommendations.

The structured data we are already tracking will be further enhanced by AI recommendations and clients’ shopping statistics. PAKT will be the GO TO SERVICE for everyone’ s wardrobe!

PAKT recently won the Vogue x BMW Innovation Prize. How has this recognition impacted the company’s profile and operations?

We are so proud to have won the Vogue BMW Innovation Prize and it has given us such important validation and global recognition. I will be travelling to Monaco as part of the Prize to have meetings at MonacoTech, one of the most prestigious incubators in the world with proximal access to global resources and investors. I will also be attending the Monaco Women’s Forum and the Monte Carlo Woman of the Year Awards and Gala.

What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs, particularly those looking to innovate in niche industries?  

It’s not easy to be an entrepreneur. Being an entrepreneur is not just about a great idea, it’s about the execution and it’s about people. You need to stay true to your vision but be willing to pivot as specific market conditions change and macroeconomic trends shift. Good investors are also key as is knowing not to give away too much equity too soon!

What has been the most rewarding moment in your journey with PAKT so far?

The first big moment was in 2016 soon after we launched PAKT when we had support from Swire Group who believed in the concept. It then took a couple of years before we agreed on a pilot, followed by two contracts for the flagship serviced apartment and a ‘smart’ residential building.

Certainly, the most exciting moment was winning the Vogue BMW Prize in 2024, a year after we opened our second city in Singapore.

What’s the future for PAKT?  

It’s exciting. Timing is everything and I feel that we are finally at the right place at the right time.

PAKT is solving urban issues. There are 4.4 billion people (World Bank, 2023) living in cities today with half in Asia, by 2050, this number will reach a staggering 7.0 billion with over ⅔ living in Asia. PAKT is the ideal wardrobe solution for urbanites juggling professional and social lives where living spaces are small, property prices high and climate conditions challenging with high humidity.

In addition, Asia’s middle classes are growing faster than anywhere else in sheer numbers and will reach 3.5 billion by 2030. As a result, consumption is growing faster than ever but we are also more concerned about climate change and the negative impact of fashion. This is especially true of Millennials and Gen Z over 50% of whom are based in Asia and have a purchasing power of almost USD 28 trillion. (Nielsen Iq - Spend Report)

So the future of PAKT is certainly regional but increasingly I think the prospects can be global with the launch of our AI wardrobe features.