50,000 pieces later: turning Re:Yak into numbers Lucy & Yak can stand behind
In just over three years, Lucy & Yak customers sent more than 50,000 pieces back through Re:Yak, the brand's buyback, repair and resale programme.
That's a brilliant milestone.
It's also a big pile of spreadsheets.
Lucy & Yak asked me to turn that pile into an impact story they could share publicly without crossing their fingers.
Client: Lucy & Yak, independent UK fashion brand
Programme: Re:Yak (buyback, repair and resale)
Service: RM Impact Ledger milestone report
Live result: Re:Yak 50,000 page
The challenge
Lucy & Yak had the data.
Lots of it, across several data sets covering three years of returns, repairs and resale.
What they didn't have was one clear, defensible answer to a simple question: what has all of this actually achieved?
The timing mattered too. Green claims are under the microscope in the UK, with the CMA now able to fine directly under the DMCC Act 2024.
A big round number on a webpage needs to survive a hard look, not just look good on Instagram.
What we did
I ran Re:Yak's data through the RM Impact Ledger, my framework for turning circular activity into impact figures that hold up.
Pulled the data sets together. Customer returns, warehouse movements, repair studio logs and recycling records, cleaned and reconciled into one view.
Modelled the impact conservatively. Avoided production emissions are modelled from garment weight, fibre mix and the route each item took, using displacement rates aligned to WRAP's published methodology. Not every resold jacket replaces a new one, so we don't pretend it does.
Kept the comparisons honest. The report uses just two comparisons, both calculated from 2026 UK Government conversion factors: average cars driven for a year and typical homes' annual electricity.
Helped shape the messaging. Advice on current sustainability legislation and how to word the numbers so they stay in line with it, with every caveat stated in plain English.
Left them better set up for next time. Recommendations on how to collect and organise Re:Yak data going forward, so the next milestone takes less untangling.
The results
Lucy & Yak published the figures on a dedicated Re:Yak 50,000 page, caveats and all.
Figure | What it means |
Over 50,000 pieces | Brought back by customers, online and in store, since Re:Yak began in 2023 |
96.5% | Of take backs were directed to resale or repair for resale. Items are routed to resale, not confirmed as sold |
4,656 garments | Repaired in the Re:Yak studio (2024 to 4 August 2026), reported separately from the take back total |
25 tonnes | Of clothing kept in circulation (modelled at 0.5 kg per item) |
201.2 tonnes CO2e | Estimated avoided production emissions. Modelled, not measured. Excludes transport, packaging and studio operations |
Around 106 cars or 615 homes | The same as a year's driving emissions from around 106 average cars, or a year's grid electricity emissions from around 615 typical homes (2026 UK Government factors, 7,100 miles per car, 2,500 kWh per home) |
The best bit? Every number comes with its small print attached, so customers get the story and the sceptics get the method.
What Lucy & Yak said
"Rodica was able to help us tell the story of the impact our preloved scheme has had over the years, backed up with meaningful data that we were confident in. Working with Rodica was seamless, she's dedicated and extremely knowledgeable, advising us on the latest sustainability legislation and how best to communicate the numbers to be in line with this."
Kate O'Grady, Head of Sustainability and Ethics, Lucy & Yak
Why it matters (and what's next for you)
Most brands running take back, resale or repair can tell you how many items went through the door.
Far fewer can tell you what that achieved in a way that stands up to a regulator or a nosy journalist.
That gap is exactly what the Impact Ledger fills.
It works alongside your circular partners, not instead of them. Resale platforms, repair studios and take back schemes keep doing what they do best.
The Impact Ledger pulls their data into one clear, honest report.
Sitting on circular data that deserves a better story? Book a chat at rodicamurphy.com or email help@rodicamurphy.com.
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