The Hidden Cost of Returns
Every year, millions of perfectly good products never reach customers’ hands. In fact, retailers in North America estimate that nearly 16% of sales are returned annually, totalling roughly $850 billion in value. Whether due to seasonal overstock, shifting trends, or minor imperfections, returned and excess goods pile up behind the scenes.
For many brands, these items pose a costly logistical challenge – but for us, they mark the beginning of a new circular journey.
Our Role in Reverse Logistics
At Bank & Vogue, we help the world’s largest retailers and brands manage their returns and overstock inventory in a way that’s profitable, sustainable, and globally impactful. We acquire like-new or gently used items directly from retail returns or end-of-season surpluses, and we give them a second life by connecting them to the thriving secondary markets that need them most.
We don’t just buy and sell – we provide fully integrated reverse logistics solutions. That includes collection, sorting, quality control, typically packed on pallets, and global distribution. For our brand partners, this means less “waste”, fewer headaches, and a more circular supply chain.
Why It Matters: Sustainability Meets Efficiency
Returns are an environmental challenge hiding in plain sight. Globally, returned goods contribute an estimated 27 million metric tons of CO₂ emissions and send nearly 10 billion pounds of waste to landfills each year. In North America alone, billions of dollars in merchandise are returned annually, much of which ends up in landfills. We offer a smarter alternative: keeping quality goods in circulation and out of disposal streams.
Our approach saves retailers from the financial and ecological costs of excess. By redirecting overstock into global resale markets – particularly in Central and South America – we create real value from what might otherwise be written off, helping to reduce the environmental footprint of fashion, one pallet at a time.
South America: A Growing Market for Second Life Goods
Countries across Latin America are hungry for high-quality, affordable merchandise. Through our long-standing partnerships in the region, including with leading players like Megapaca, we help meet a growing need: by 2025, 73% of Mexican consumers are expected to opt for second-hand fashion, using both in-person and digital platforms. In Guatemala, we tailor our inventory to local tastes, climates, and compliance requirements.
We offer tools, seasonal products, toys and baby Items, sporting goods, furniture, clothing, and general merchandise., always ensuring clear documentation and compliance with regional standards. It’s not just about moving products, it’s about delivering goods that are right for each community, while supporting a more circular economy.
Seamless, Global Logistics
Our logistics team handles everything from pickup to customs paperwork, fumigation to freight coordination. Whether it’s a single container or multiple truckloads, we ensure your products move efficiently and compliantly to their next destination.
This end-to-end service simplifies the reverse logistics process for our partners, giving them peace of mind-and maximizing the recovery of value from returns.
B2B Circular Solutions that Scale
For over 25 years, we’ve pioneered scalable solutions for used clothing and returned goods. We’ve processed hundreds of millions of items globally, and we continue to innovate-whether by feeding post-consumer textiles into recycling programs or developing resale-ready inventory for our partners.
Our goal is simple: to keep as many items as possible in use and out of landfill. Circular economy strategies like ours are essential to reducing material waste – Ellen MacArthur Foundation research shows they can help close the loop and curb environmental damage.
That’s what reverse logistics means to us: a second chance for products, and a smarter, more sustainable system for everyone.
Let’s Work Together
If you’re a retailer, distributor, or circular economy advocate looking for a trusted partner in reverse logistics, get in touch with us. Together, we can transform your returns into global impact.
