logo
episode-header-image
Dec 2021
11m 6s

Where do your online returns go? | Aparn...

TED
About this episode

Do you ever order clothes online in different sizes and colors, just to try them on and then send back what doesn't work? Aparna Mehta used to do this all time, until she one day asked herself: Where do all these returned clothes go? In an eye-opening talk, she reveals the unseen world of "free" online returns -- which, instead of ending up back on the shelf, are sent to landfills by the billions of pounds each year -- and shares a plan to help put an end to this growing environmental catastrophe. After the talk, Modupe talks about businesses that are tackling resale and more sustainable shopping practices.



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Sep 14
How to get past the "messy middle" of a big change | Mary Martin
Did progress on your next big project stall out? Transformation expert Mary Martin refers to this moment as the "messy middle" — the frustrating gap between starting and finishing a goal, when you might lose confidence or give up altogether. Offering three ways to find glimmers o ... Show More
15m 24s
Sep 7
Can AI make you a better manager? with Hilary Gridley | from WorkLife with Molly Graham
Managing people is a deeply human line of work—it requires relational skills, judgement, and deep knowledge of the people you work with. But Hilary Gridley believes that when used properly, AI can not only help you become a better manager, but can help your team make more meaning ... Show More
46m 32s
Aug 31
The fleeting euphoria of success | Debbie Millman
Over two decades of interviewing countless creative people, Debbie Millman (host of the iconic "Design Matters" podcast) had a realization: the pride and joy of accomplishing something often evaporates almost instantly. She explains how to stop chasing external validation for you ... Show More
11m 37s
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2018
Where do your online returns go? | Aparna Mehta
Do you ever order clothes online in different sizes and colors, just to try them on and then send back what doesn't work? Aparna Mehta used to do this all time, until she one day asked herself: Where do all these returned clothes go? In an eye-opening talk, she reveals the unseen ... Show More
7m 39s
Feb 2022
Making second-hand sexy
Can apps like Depop and By Rotation, which are giving new life to old clothes, help reduce the fashion industry's enormous environmental footprint?Justin Rowlatt heads to the London offices of both these online platforms. Depop's Justine Porterie explains how their clothing resal ... Show More
18m 13s
Jun 2023
89) Will Return Fees Reduce Overconsumption?
Fashion's returns are a massive waste and emissions issue. In fact, 23 million returned garments were sent to a landfill or incinerated last year in the UK, and returns caused 750,000 tons of CO2 emissions just in the UK fashion industry alone, according to The Institute of Posit ... Show More
19m 3s
Jan 2024
Many unhappy returns
Some major fashion brands have started charging for online returns, or even banning customers who routinely send products back. The companies say that growing levels of returns are hitting their profits, so just how costly is it to process an unwanted dress, and what really happe ... Show More
36m 1s
Dec 2023
How to solve fashion’s waste problem
More than a quarter of all clothes made are never actually sold - where do they go?We look into new legislation being finalised by the EU, to try and make fashion more sustainable. There will be a ban on the incineration of unsold goods and each product will need a digital passpo ... Show More
18m 21s
Sep 2019
S2 EP9: The Afterlife of Clothing Feat. Liz Ricketts
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">What happens to our clothes once we get rid of them? Sustainability encourages that we ask *how* our clothes are made but few ask where they go at the end of their life cycle. Recorded at the University of Cincinnati, we sit down with former DAA ... Show More
53m 51s
Sep 2023
Can I be fashionable without hurting the planet?
Is it really that bad to buy a shirt from a fast fashion company? How can I tell if a company is really committed to sustainable practices? Do things like the quality of fabric matter to the environment? LAist’s Josie Huang sits down with fast-fashion expert and Columbia Universi ... Show More
27m 16s
Sep 2022
Why Sustainability is a Fashion Staple
One of the fastest-growing sectors in the fashion and apparel industry has been the resale market, fueled by price and environmental concerns. So what are the opportunities and challenges for retailers and investors? And how will the macro challenges facing today’s consumers affe ... Show More
22m 46s
Feb 2024
What's the point of digital fashion? | Karinna Grant
What if you could own more clothes without crowding your closet or growing your carbon footprint? Introducing the dematerialized future of your wardrobe, digital fashion entrepreneur Karinna Grant talks about the brands selling pixelated clothes via NFTs and augmented reality — a ... Show More
11m 25s
Sep 2023
Cutting waste in the beauty industry
Many of us have drawers and boxes full of beauty products that we never end up finishing. We meet the Nordic start-ups who are trying to cut some of that waste by changing the way we shop. We find out about tech which personalises products, and then makes it 'on demand' rather th ... Show More
18m 15s