Fashion’s Return Crisis Is a Circular Opportunity

The fashion industry faces a growing crisis: returns.

Globally, e-commerce returns are expected to exceed $214 billion annually. Behind these numbers are mountains of wasted products, lost revenues, and environmental damage. But there’s good news—this crisis is also a circular opportunity.

‍

The Scope of the Problem:
Returned products are often destroyed instead of resold
Only 18% of fashion brands have a dedicated return strategy
Emissions from return logistics and disposal are skyrocketing

Circular Innovations is working to change this. Our return reduction strategies are built to serve both people and the planet.

We Help Fashion Brands:
- Quantify the ROI of return reduction
- Cut waste through smarter design and operations
- Optimize return flows using real customer data
- Build systems that recover value from returned items

The Financial Case
‍Returns cost the average fashion business 10-15% of annual revenue.

Circular Innovations’ tools and consulting turn this loss into gain by:
- Modeling reduction strategies and outcomes
- Evaluating the costs of destruction vs. resale/reuse
- Delivering implementation support to reduce friction

A Data-Driven Approach Using our free ROI calculator, fashion brands can:
- Estimate potential savings
- Set realistic reduction targets
- Compare circular strategies side-by-side


Returns are no longer just a cost of doing business. They’re an opportunity to lead in sustainability, reduce operational risk, and improve margins.

👉 Try our free Return ROI calculator here