The Right Fit: A Sustainability Strategy Foundation

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Every fashion brand today is talking about building a sustainability strategy and publishing sustainability reports. From recycled materials to water-saving dyeing processes, these initiatives are crucial, but they often miss a hidden challenge that quietly undermines progress: returns.

Fashion companies are investing heavily in AI for personalization, like product recommendations, tailored marketing, curated shopping journeys, etc. But none of that matters if the purchase ends in disappointment because the item didn’t fit.

Personalization without accurate sizing isn’t personalization – it’s an expensive illusion. It breaks trust, increases costs, and creates an environmental burden that no credible sustainability strategy can ignore.

Why Fit Must Be at the Core of Any Sustainability Strategy

The fashion industry faces two major pressures: rising customer expectations and a growing environmental footprint. The surprising truth is that solving one can help solve the other.

At SizeSense, we believe that accurate size recommendations aren’t just about reducing returns—they are about creating a better, more sustainable system. A true sustainability strategy cannot be built without tackling fit.

Here’s how focusing on sizing accuracy reshapes fashion’s impact:

1. Reducing Returns = Lower Carbon Footprint

Between 10–60% of fashion e-commerce purchases are returned, with sizing issues being the #1 reason.
Up to 25% of those returns end up in landfills.
In the U.S. alone, returns generate over 15 million metric tons of CO₂ emissions annually due to transportation and reverse logistics.

✅ With 94% accuracy, SizeSense reduces size-related returns, cutting unnecessary shipments, lowering CO₂ emissions, and aligning directly with a brand’s sustainability strategy.

2. Less Overstock = Less Waste

30% of all clothing produced is never sold, leading to markdowns, incineration, or landfill.
High return rates force brands to overproduce inventory, creating even more waste.

✅ By lowering returns, SizeSense helps brands reduce the need for excess inventory. And with its upcoming roadmap to provide insights into underserved customer sizes, it will help brands plan smarter production and avoid costly deadstock – an essential element of any forward-looking sustainability strategy.

3. Encouraging Sustainable Shopping Habits

One of the least discussed issues in fashion e-commerce is bracketing: customers ordering multiple sizes of the same item, intending to keep one and return the rest.

This practice inflates return rates.
Returned items often can’t be resold at full price.
Many end up in discount outlets—or worse, landfill.

✅ By providing accurate size recommendations, SizeSense gives shoppers confidence to buy the right size the first time. That means fewer unnecessary shipments, less waste, and a more conscious buying process—all strengthening the brand’s sustainability strategy.

Final Thoughts: Fit as the Missing Link in Sustainability

Sustainability isn’t just about fabrics, supply chains, or recycling programs. It’s about ensuring that what is produced is worn, loved, and kept out of landfills.

Brands can’t claim a complete sustainability strategy without addressing fit. With technology like SizeSense, they can reduce returns, cut emissions, prevent overstock, and encourage smarter shopping habits.

Because in fashion, the most sustainable garment is the one that fits right—and stays in your wardrobe.

Ready to strengthen your brand’s sustainability strategy while boosting customer loyalty?
Install SizeSense directly from the Shopify App Store and start reducing returns with accurate size recommendations today.