Trash to tariff-proof treasure

An employee assembling boxes for items at the ReturnPro warehouse in Fort Worth, Texas. — Desiree Rios/The New York Times

ON a recent afternoon, televisions and laptops, power tools and fishing rods, kitchen supplies and toys overflowed at the receiving docks of a 23,225sq m warehouse in Fort Worth, Texas.

The warehouse belonged to ReturnPro, and the goods passing through it, worth millions of dollars, had been returned by consumers to major retailers including Walmart, JCPenney and Bass Pro Shops.