Annie Hu Of Bazar: Five Strategies Our Company Is Using To Tackle Climate Change Or Become More…

Annie Hu Of Bazar: Five Strategies Our Company Is Using To Tackle Climate Change Or Become More Sustainable

…Sustainability and profitability are often seen as conflicting priorities but in reality, they can work hand in hand. The key is efficiency — reducing waste, optimizing logistics, and tapping into new revenue streams. One clear example is our partnership with brands that previously saw returns as a sunk cost. Traditionally, fashion brands process returns at a loss — paying for shipping, inspection, restocking, and sometimes discarding the product altogether. By working with Bazar, these brands turn returns into a revenue stream instead of a liability. For instance, one of our partner brands was spending over $20 per returned item on processing costs. By listing those same products on Bazar, they not only recouped costs but also reached new customers who discovered and fell in love with their brand through our platform. Sustainability wasn’t just a feel-good initiative; it became a core driver of profitability…

We had the pleasure of interviewing Annie Hu. Annie is the founder and CEO of Bazar, a sustainability-focused marketplace that specializes in upcycling customer returns and overstock from fashion brands. Born and raised in China and currently based in San Francisco, Annie has been passionate about sustainability, thrifting, and circular fashion since her college days at UC Berkeley. With a background in cross-border investment and e-commerce, she founded Bazar to address the inefficiencies in handling returns and imperfect products, helping brands recover value while keeping items out of landfills.

Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

I’ve always been fascinated by the intersection of business, sustainability, and consumer behavior. But the moment that truly shifted my perspective happened inside a massive warehouse in Chicago. I was walking through rows upon rows of returned clothing — piles of unworn, perfectly good apparel that brands had deemed unsellable. Over 20,000 items were headed for destruction, not because they were defective, but because the system wasn’t designed to process them efficiently. It was a moment of reckoning.

I had spent years working with e-commerce brands, and I realized that the dirty secret of fashion wasn’t just overproduction — it was the absurd inefficiency in handling returns and excess inventory. Seeing that waste firsthand pushed me to create a better solution, one that would be financially viable for brands while also being fundamentally sustainable. That’s how Bazar was born.

What is the mission of your company? What problems are you aiming to solve?

Bazar exists to solve one of fashion’s biggest inefficiencies — what happens to customer returns and products with slight imperfections. Today, brands struggle to resell returned items due to logistical hurdles, quality control costs, and inventory management complexities. Many of these products are in perfect or near-perfect condition but end up discarded, liquidated at extreme discounts, or even destroyed.

Our mission is to give these items a second life, making sustainability profitable and effortless for brands. We provide a structured marketplace that helps brands quickly offload returns and imperfect products, ensuring they reach new buyers rather than going to waste. In doing so, we help brands recover financial value while reducing fashion’s environmental footprint.

Can you tell our readers about the initiatives that you or your company are taking to address climate change or sustainability? Can you give an example for each?

At Bazar, we’ve built sustainability into every aspect of our business. Here are five key initiatives we’re proud of:

1. Upcycling Returns & Imperfect Products — Many brands face challenges handling customer returns or slightly imperfect items, often discarding them due to logistical inefficiencies. At Bazar, we transform these challenges into opportunities by reselling these items. For instance, through our partnership with brands like Cider, we’ve given thousands of items a second life, significantly reducing waste and keeping them out of landfills.
2. Innovative Sales Models to Reduce Waste — We’ve introduced creative approaches like mystery bags, where customers receive surprise bundles of high-quality returns or overstock. This not only prevents waste by ensuring more items find new homes but also makes sustainable shopping fun and accessible.
3. Reducing Carbon Footprint through Consolidated Logistics — Traditional returns logistics are inefficient, with items bouncing between warehouses before their final fate is determined. We streamline this by consolidating inventory directly from brands and redistributing it in bulk to new buyers. This reduces emissions from unnecessary shipping and warehouse processing.
4. Creating New Sales Channels for Non-Sellables — Some products, even those in excellent condition, are deemed “non-sellable” due to missing tags, minor imperfections, or being out of season. We’ve established dedicated channels, such as bulk sales to resellers, livestream events, and curated mystery bundles, to move these items efficiently. This ensures nothing goes to waste, even if it doesn’t fit traditional retail models.
5. Awareness Raising — We actively educate our community about the importance of sustainable shopping. Through our platform and social media, we highlight the environmental impact of returns and overstock, inspiring customers to embrace circular fashion. For example, sharing behind-the-scenes stories of how returns are processed helps customers understand the true cost of fast fashion and the value of giving products a second life.
6. Supporting the New California Textile Recovery Law — This landmark law, enacted in 2023, requires large fashion brands to implement take-back and recycling programs for used textiles by 2026. It’s designed to address the staggering volume of textile waste and promote a more circular economy. At Bazar, we assist brands in adapting to these requirements by creating resale opportunities for items that might otherwise be recycled or discarded. Our solutions not only help brands comply with the law but also align with its goals of reducing waste and fostering sustainability in the fashion industry.

How would you articulate how a business can become more profitable by being more sustainable and more environmentally conscious? Can you share a story or example?

Sustainability and profitability are often seen as conflicting priorities but in reality, they can work hand in hand. The key is efficiency — reducing waste, optimizing logistics, and tapping into new revenue streams.

One clear example is our partnership with brands that previously saw returns as a sunk cost. Traditionally, fashion brands process returns at a loss — paying for shipping, inspection, restocking, and sometimes discarding the product altogether. By working with Bazar, these brands turn returns into a revenue stream instead of a liability.

For instance, one of our partner brands was spending over $20 per returned item on processing costs. By listing those same products on Bazar, they not only recouped costs but also reached new customers who discovered and fell in love with their brand through our platform. Sustainability wasn’t just a feel-good initiative; it became a core driver of profitability.

The youth-led climate strikes of September 2019 showed an impressive degree of activism and initiative by young people on behalf of climate change. This was great, and there is still plenty that needs to be done. In your opinion, what are a few things parents should do to inspire the next generation to become engaged in sustainability and the environmental movement? Please give a story or an example for each.

1. Make Sustainability Personal — Kids need to see sustainability in action in their own homes. Simple habits like repairing clothes instead of tossing them, composting, or choosing secondhand can shape their mindset early. I grew up watching my grandparents mend clothes instead of buying new ones, which made me more conscious of waste.
2. Show the Impact — Take kids to a landfill or a clothing donation center to see what happens to discarded items. One of my most eye-opening experiences was visiting a textile waste site and realizing how much of what we ‘donate’ never actually gets reused. Seeing that reality firsthand can be more powerful than any lesson in school.
3. Encourage Conscious Consumption — Instead of buying fast fashion impulsively, encourage kids to ask, Do I really need this? or Will I wear this 30 times? If a teen wants a trendy item, challenge them to find a secondhand version or swap with a friend. Small mindset shifts build lifelong habits.
4. Support Sustainable Brands & Businesses — Kids learn by example. If parents prioritize ethical and sustainable brands in their own shopping choices, it reinforces the importance of conscious consumerism.
5. Get Involved in Community Initiatives — Whether it’s a clothing swap, beach cleanup, or local activism group, hands-on involvement creates a deeper connection to sustainability. It’s one thing to learn about waste — it’s another to physically pick it up and see where it comes from.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?

1. Sustainability Doesn’t Sell Itself — Just because a product is sustainable doesn’t mean people will buy it. You still have to make it desirable, affordable, and convenient.
2. Partnerships Are Everything — The fashion industry runs on relationships. The right brand partnerships can make or break your success.
3. Logistics Is the Hardest Part — Selling the product is easy. Getting it to the right place, at the right time, in the right condition? That’s the real challenge.
4. You Can’t Do It All at Once — Trying to solve every problem at the same time is a recipe for burnout. Focus on one key area and perfect it before expanding.
5. Your First Idea Won’t Be Your Best One — Iteration is key. What we started with at Bazar is different from what it is today. The market, customers, and even our own understanding of the problem have evolved.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

I’m deeply grateful to Shuo Wang, one of my closest friends. She has been my sounding board for ideas, a voice of encouragement when things got tough, and an honest critic when I needed it most. There have been countless late-night conversations where I’ve come to her with a challenge, and she’s helped me think through it in a way that no one else could. Having that kind of support system is invaluable.

You are a person of great influence and doing some great things for the world! If you could inspire a movement that would bring the greatest amount of good to the greatest amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

I’d love to see a global Returns Revolution — a fundamental shift in how brands and consumers think about returns and excess inventory. Instead of treating them as waste, we should normalize resale, repair, and redistribution as the default. If every brand had a structured way to handle returned products sustainably, it would dramatically reduce fashion waste worldwide.

Do you have a favorite life lesson quote? Can you tell us how that was relevant to you in your own life?

One quote that has stuck with me is:

“VCs can make many bets and hope for one that works out, but as founders, we only have one life to play with.”

It reminds me that this journey isn’t just about business — it’s about the choices we make with our time, energy, and creativity. It pushes me to build something meaningful, not just something profitable.

What is the best way for our readers to continue to follow your work online?

You can follow Bazar at shopbazar.com and on Instagram at @shopbazar. I also occasionally share my thoughts on LinkedIn — feel free to connect with me there!

Annie Hu Of Bazar: Five Strategies Our Company Is Using To Tackle Climate Change Or Become More… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.