Returns Reimagined: Slashing Returns with Smarter Logistics

At ReBound, we’re taking bold, measurable steps to reduce our carbon emissions, starting with a commitment to cut emissions per returned parcel by 50% by 2030. We’re achieving this by rethinking how returns move, optimizing routing, switching to alternative fuels, and integrating real-time emission tracking into our operations.  

The fashion industry is responsible for roughly 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions annually. With returns and transportation making up a significant part of that footprint, reducing emissions in reverse logistics is a powerful lever for change. That’s exactly where ReBound steps in—taking practical, measurable steps to reduce the climate impact of returns. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS 

• Understanding Impact: ReBound assesses its carriers’ sustainability performance through an annual Network Supplier Index (NSI) survey, with a goal of 85% of all parcels being handled by sustainable logistics partners by 2030.

• Real-Time Carbon Reporting: We have developed a real-time carbon reporting tool to track emissions from return shipments, helping retailers make more sustainable decisions.

• Smarter Parcel Movement: Strategies include optimized routing to minimize unnecessary air travel, using HVO100 renewable diesel, integrating rail and sea transport, and expanding electric vehicle use.

• Sustainable Warehousing: Key initiatives involve renewable energy for processing hubs, smarter return decisions to reduce unnecessary shipments, and reusable packaging to cut down single-use waste.

•  Collaborative Approach: ReBound works closely with partners through an “Impact Fund” to collectively drive sustainability improvements.

•  Future: We aim to further integrate multimodal transport, expand renewable fuel use, and enhance circular solutions to keep unwanted returns within country to expand their lifecycle. 

Sustainability is part of how we operate day-to-day, from the logistics partners we work with to the technologies we use to make better, lower-impact decisions. 

Step One: Understanding our Impact. 

To have any hope of reducing our impact, we must understand it first. That’s why we invest time and effort into understanding our carriers and suppliers through our annual network supplier index (NSI) survey. This survey is distributed to all carriers in our network, assessing them on factors related to operational network, social responsibility, and sustainability strategy. Carriers are scored on a scale of 1 to 10, with scores above 7/10 considered sustainable. Our target is to have 85% of all parcels handled by sustainable logistics partners by 2030.  

Understanding carriers builds the foundation of understanding our network. However, to understand more we must plot our emissions- for every single parcel which is managed by ReBound. A huge task, right? Manually carbon plotting emissions is a great first step, however, we found that by the time we had spent hours behind a screen working out this data, and were ready to implement change, months had already passed. This is why we developed our real-time carbon reporting tool for return shipments. This allows us to factor in any operational changes and see the carbon saving immediately. This innovative report is available to retailers, empowering them to make more sustainable choices. 

We Act 

Now we understand our parcel emissions, we can start to reduce them.  

Smarter Movement of Parcels 

Reducing emissions from the movement of parcels is a critical part of our strategy. Here’s how we’re doing it.  

• Smarter Routing: We optimise every journey to eliminate inefficiencies; especially avoiding unnecessary air travel, to ensure parcels take the most direct route possible. It may sound simple, but this approach is critical to reducing carbon emissions in return logistics. 

• Renewable Fuels: In 2023, we took a significant step toward cleaner logistics by introducing HVO100—a renewable diesel made entirely from vegetable oils—in two of the countries where we manage returns. The results have been highly encouraging, leading us to expand its use across more European regions, especially where parcel-related emissions are highest. HVO100 has generated 91% less CO₂ per kilometer compared to conventional diesel in our network, making its rollout a key driver in our efforts to reduce carbon emissions. 

• Multimodal transport: We explore different methods of transport to drive down emissions, such as sea freight and rail. Our recent integration with the rail network in Portugal and Spain saw a reduction in CO₂ emissions from parcel returns by up to 88% over long distances, part of our wider strategy to use multimodal transport for greener returns. 

• Electric vehicles: The annual NSI report highlights which carriers are focusing their energy on improving electric vehicles in their network, which enables us to integrate electric vehicles into returns operations wherever possible. 

Rethinking the Warehouse 

We continuously assess our warehouse partners to ensure they’re aligned with our environmental standards and vision. Some of our key initiatives include: 

• Renewable energy: We prioritize the use of clean energy in return processing hubs wherever feasible, which helps reduce the emissions associated with sorting, packing, and other warehouse operations.

• Smarter Returns Decisions: Not every returned item has to be returned to the retailer. Through our network of trusted partners, we help retailers choose more sustainable alternatives, such as donation, repurposing through rental channels, or recycling. By extending the life of products in this way, we can significantly reduce environmental impact; experts estimate that doubling an item’s lifecycle can cut greenhouse gas emissions by up to 44%.  

Our recent partnership with ESO Recycling is a great example of how we’re reducing final-mile emissions through local sustainable solutions. By offering local solutions for items which are not needed to be returned, we are able to slash the return emissions, by eliminating the need for the final mile.

• Reusable packaging: In 2023, we introduced reusable packaging options for returned goods, targeting emissions associated with single-use packaging and disposal. The rollout was a success, delivering not only measurable carbon savings but also cost reductions for the retailers who participated in the trial. It’s a win-win solution that we’re working to scale further across our network. 

We take our clients on the journey with us.  

We cannot achieve a low carbon return network alone, which is why we work so closely with our partners to make sure that we are driving the change together. We do this through our “Impact Fund”- a fund which is contributed to by our clients- when purchasing any of our sustainability products or through a parcel surcharge. This fund is then used to make sustainable improvements in our operation network (such as investing in HVO100).  

What’s Next? 

Our journey to halve emissions per parcel by 2030 is ambitious, but it’s also achievable—because we’re acting now. From smarter parcel routing and innovative fuel use to data-driven return logistics and sustainable warehouse practices, we’re transforming returns into an engine for environmental progress. This work is especially urgent. To align with the 1.5°C global warming pathway, the fashion industry needs to cut emissions by around 50% by 2030. Yet progress remains slow—particularly in reverse logistics, which continues to be a blind spot for many brands. That’s exactly where ReBound steps in: helping retailers build smarter, lower-emission returns networks. 

 As well as rolling out multimodality and renewable fuels in more countries, our efforts lie with finding more circular solutions across our network- which will enable more unwanted returns to remain in country and to be repurposed.  

Do you want to learn more about how our sustainability initiatives can help you achieve greener returns? Reach out to us today!