In an industry driven by trends, consumer demands, and efficiency, Emily Hosie, Founder and CEO of Rebelstork, has carved a unique niche by combining sustainability with retail innovation. Her journey from Oakville to the helm of a groundbreaking recommerce platform exemplifies the transformative power of passion, expertise, and vision.
Early Roots and a Passion for Fashion
Born and raised in Oakville, Ontario, Emily’s path to entrepreneurship was shaped early on. After completing a sociology degree at Queen’s University in Kingston, her enthusiasm for fashion found a purpose when she volunteered as a stylist for a university charity fashion show, which took up a lot of her time. “I realized if I loved doing this much that I’m foregoing going to the bars or I’m foregoing going out for dinner with friends, and I’m not even being paid, imagine what I could do if I actually worked in this industry. I’m very passionate about it,” Emily shared.
Her passion led her to a career in retail, beginning at Holt Renfrew as a buyer. This stepping stone eventually opened the doors to New York City, where she spent nine years working with Saks Fifth Avenue and later Saks Off Fifth. Her experience in off-price retail laid the foundation for her fascination with value-conscious customers—a focus that would later define Rebelstork.
The Birth of Rebelstork
Returning to Canada in 2014 as VP of Merchandising for TJX, Emily became deeply aware of a growing problem: the significant environmental impact of retail returns. “When I was pregnant with my first child, I started exploring the baby gear industry and was shocked to learn that 100% of excess products and returns were being sent to landfills,” she recalled. “That very much upset me.”
This realization sparked a mission. In 2020, Emily launched Rebelstork—a recommerce platform addressing the sustainability gap in retail returns. Starting with baby gear, Rebelstork has expanded into home goods and is growing over 300% year-over-year.
Revolutionizing the Returns Market
Rebelstork’s model is both innovative and impactful. Unlike traditional off-price retailers that source overstock, Rebelstork focuses on returns. By partnering with over 2,500 brands and retailers across North America, the company has kept over 12 million pounds of returns out of landfills in the past year alone.
Under Emily’s leadership, the company has also achieved B Corp certification, making it the only returns recommerce business in North America to hold this distinction. “Being B Corp certified means we are held to the highest standards of balancing purpose and profit,” Emily explained.
Leadership Through Collaboration
Emily attributes much of Rebelstork’s success to the strength of her team. “I’m lucky to have surrounded myself with people much smarter than me,” she said. Empowering her team to share ideas and take ownership has created a culture of innovation. “We created an industry. We created a category. Return recommerce wasn’t a thing and we’ve created it. What that means is when you don’t have other companies to look at to get ideas from and you’re the company that’s creating the ideas, it means you need a lot of ideas to be trying and I do believe that all of our employees feel very empowered. We want their ideas. We want them to speak up and to offer thoughts and we take those thoughts and we test them and we discuss them and we come up with ways to tweak our strategy. The culture of the company is very strong.”
The Road Ahead
With a $18 million Series A venture backing secured in 2023, Rebelstork is poised for continued growth. Operating across North America with a diverse team spread from Toronto to Seattle, the company continues to redefine retail sustainability and consumer value.
For Emily, it’s more than just business—it’s about leaving a legacy of innovation and environmental stewardship. “We’re showing that profitability and purpose can coexist while creating a better future for our children.”
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