Reverse Logistics: “An art of taking back.”
Reverse logistics as the name suggests is the management of returned materials from customers, including their restoration, reengineering, recycling, liquidating, or disposal of waste in an environment friendly manner. Essentially, reverse logistics is the opposite of the logics management of a firm.
Photo source: Personal collection
Fashion companies use reverse logistics in a variety of ways as part of their sustainability initiatives. Here are a few examples:
Clothes Recycling and Collection: Companies such as H&M, Patagonia, Levi's, and The North Face have begun recycling and clothing collection programs in which customers can bring in any brand of used clothing. These initiatives contribute to reducing the amount of clothing disposed of in landfills and reusing the resources for new goods.
Repair and Upcycling: Companies such as Patagonia and Levi's offer repair services to extend the life of their products and reduce waste. They also use reverse logistics to collect used clothing and repurpose it into new products such as rugs and bags.
Resale Pre-Owned Clothing: Companies like Zara, collaborated with LanzaTech, a biotech company, to focus on sustainability by making clothes from captured carbon emissions, Nike’s refurbishment program, and Adidas have created reselling platforms for pre-owned apparel, accessories, and footwear. In addition to assisting in trash reduction, this offers consumers a cost-effective substitute for brand-new products.
Giving to Charities: Companies like Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren have systems in place to donate gently used items to charities and areas in need, reducing waste while having a beneficial social impact.
By eliminating waste, fostering circularity, and aiding social causes, these efforts show how fashion firms are embracing reverse logistics to enhance their sustainability objectives.
As far as reporting is concerned, the effectiveness of reverse logistics in the apparel and clothing industry has been evaluated in a number of publications and studies. These studies might shed some light on the difficulties and chances that businesses in this field are facing.
The advantages of circular business models, such as reverse logistics, for fashion firms and the apparel sector, are highlighted, for instance, in a paper by Accenture titled "The Circular Economy: The End of Business as Usual." The paper offers examples of successful reverse logistics programs that have been implemented by businesses like H&M and Patagonia as well as insights into such initiatives.
In a separate paper titled "A New Textiles Economy: Redesigning Fashion's Future," the Ellen MacArthur Foundation addresses the need for a circular economy in the fashion industry and provides insights into the difficulties and prospects of circular business models, including reverse logistics.
In addition, a number of sustainability reports from fashion companies themselves, like the H&M Conscious Actions Report, the Adidas Group Sustainability Report, and the Nike Sustainability Report, include data and details on the effectiveness of their reverse logistics initiatives.
In addition, a number of sustainability reports from fashion companies themselves, like the H&M Conscious Actions Report, the Adidas Group Sustainability Report, and the Nike Sustainability Report, include data and details on the effectiveness of their reverse logistics initiatives.
Overall, this research and these papers offer insightful information about reverse logistics' effectiveness in the garment and clothing industry and can aid businesses in understanding the advantages of circular business models. However, it's crucial to remember that these programs' effectiveness may be dependent on the success of reverse logistics, after all, there is no one method of success that applies to all businesses operating in this industry.
To read more about such brands, I suggest reading https://www.marieclaire.com/fashion/clothing-brands-that-recycle-resell-reuse/.
