Close-up of a clothing conveyor system in an industrial setting. Several garments in plastic covers are hung from hooks, each with a tag displaying a barcode. The structure is metallic with visible cables and blue components in the background.
Two workers sorting packages on a conveyor belt in a warehouse. The busy environment features numerous boxes and an intricate system of belts and machinery, emphasizing a fast-paced setting.
A woman with long blonde hair, wearing glasses and a maroon sweater, stands in an industrial setting holding a package. Conveyor belts and machinery surround her, creating motion blur around her figure.

Fulfillment: Make or Buy?

Collected garments must undergo a series of processing steps (for example: sorting, cleaning, repairing, labeling and re-merchandising) in order to prepare them for resale or re-rental. The basic “make or buy” decision should be based on the expected throughput and necessary work steps. With its technology, DFT initially supports a manual, semi-automatic or fully automatic warehouse with goods receipt, storage and goods issue. Working with a solution provider (3PL) to outsource all or part of the work steps can also be a good way to reduce costs and improve the business case. DFT will be happy to help you find a suitable solution provider.

A row of colorful mens shirts on hangers in a clothing store. The shirts range from solid green and blue tones to striped patterns with various colors, neatly organized and hanging on a rail.

Why is a strong business case necessary?

A person with long dark hair is holding a tablet and examining clothes on a rack in a store. They wear a white shirt under a green jacket. The store has various garments in neutral tones hanging on racks.

A strong business case will help your rental or resale offering to successfully scale and, over time, displace the traditional linear offering. In addition, you need a strong and healthy business case to secure the necessary resources to develop and launch a pilot and ultimately implement the model. While there are many ways to optimize this case, it is important to also consider the value it brings to your customers, as well as the environmental and social impact of the model on society.

Together we are strong!

Ideally, a new circular business model is designed in such a way that it fulfills three key criteria for success:

Creating Value

It must have a value proposition that is convenient and affordable for your customers.

Profitable business model

It must have a financially viable business case that can compete with the primary business model and even cannibalize it over time

Sustainability

It must have a net positive effect on people and the planet.

ACS Clothing, UK - Rental and Resale fashion fulfilment

Efficient Recommerce Solutions with GarmentFlow

In recommerce, every second counts – especially when returns need to be inspected, sorted, and made ready for resale with maximum efficiency. That’s where GarmentFlow comes in: this modular transport system ensures a seamless material flow, even with high throughput and varying item conditions. With intelligent control and flexible integration, the entire reverse logistics process can be automated – from intake to repackaging. The result: fewer manual interventions, faster turnaround times, and a significantly higher reuse rate. This makes sustainability not just achievable, but economically rewarding.

👉 Learn more about GarmentFlow now