Sole Responsibility has grown from a Yorkshire-founded circular economy specialist into a trusted operational partner for major brands and retailers, having placed more than 700,000 units of returned, surplus and end-of-line stock over the last 15 years. This year, the company has taken a significant step forward with the launch of its in-house Special Projects Team – a dedicated group working directly with brand partners to deliver bespoke, high-value solutions for their returns and surplus challenges.
The Special Projects Team was created in response to what brands have been communicating: that traditional wholesale liquidation routes are increasingly incompatible with sustainability targets, brand protection standards and Digital Product Passport (DPP) requirements under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR). Brands want their surplus handled with care, in a way that protects brand equity, generates a better return and demonstrates measurable circular outcomes.
In addition, the Special Projects Team offers versatility. Rather than a one-size-fits-all buyback model, the team works with each brand to design a route that fits, whether through channel-controlled resale via Sole Responsibility’s own e-commerce operations, live commerce through platforms such as WhatNot and Tilt, curated wholesale placements, or hybrid models combining several routes. This gives brands greater opportunity to generate a stronger income stream from second-life and returned products while ensuring every unit is placed responsibly.
Alongside its commercial work, Sole Responsibility is also sharing its expertise. The company's founder has more than 15 years of hands-on experience, including experience at C-suite level and working directly with brand teams, helping businesses build internal capability around circular operations, returns management and secondary market strategy. As the circular economy continues to grow, the company believes addressing the associated skills gap is essential, and sharing knowledge is an important way of contributing back to the industry.
As a sustainable partner with JD Sports, through its strategic relationship with BuyerDock, and with an ongoing brand-protection track record of more than 700,000 units placed with zero brand-protection incidents, Sole Responsibility is well positioned as ESPR requirements come into effect in 2026 and 2027. The company is actively looking to speak with UKFT member brands that are considering how returns, surplus and end-of-line inventory can become a positive commercial and sustainability story rather than a cost centre.
UKFT members interested in exploring a Special Projects collaboration are encouraged to get in touch.
Here is what Sole Responsibility said about joining UKFT membership:
"We joined UKFT to help shape the conversation on incoming legislation — particularly around ESPR, Digital Product Passports and circular economy standards — and to contribute our 15 years of hands-on experience to the wider industry community. Growing together as an industry is the most important thing."
