Brands That Encourage Care, Repair and Rewear

Finally, the fast fashion model of take-make-dispose is phasing out and ‘Make-do-and-mend’ is becoming the hottest new fashion trend - Hooray!

According to a report in 2017 by the Ellen Macarthur Foundation, globally, customers miss out on USD 460 billion of value each year by throwing away clothes that they could continue to wear, and some garments are estimated to be discarded after just seven to ten wears. But last week WGSN reported that more shoppers than ever before are looking to care, repair and rewear. This is the result of living costs rising and consumers becoming more aware of how they spend their money, plus caring more about their environmental footprint.

As a fashion brand, these are the insights you need to stay ahead of the curve. If you’re offering high quality garments, then have you thought about offering free repairs for your customers? Or an immersive upcycling clinic either in store or online? These options are far more cost effective compared to recycling programmes that rely on third-party organisations. Plus, it creates a unique experience for your customer, adding value and ultimately building trust with your brand. As the WGSN report quotes:

“Offering free or low-cost repairs makes a statement of intent about brand garment quality, as well as extends an invitation to an ongoing relationship with a customer: the transaction doesn't end at point of sale.”

Let’s just take a look at some of our favourite game changers who are revolutionising how consumers behave with their clothing. 

ThredUP

If you think of yourself as an expert thrifter, then you would know about this online resale platform for women’s and kids’ apparel, shoes, and accessories. According to Fashion United, for the first quarter ended March 31, 2022, ThredUp Inc. reported total revenue of 72.7 million dollars, an increase of 31 percent year-over-year. Clearly they’re making waves in the fashion industry and partly this is achieved through their high-profile collaborations. For example, they have teamed up with designer Zero Waste Daniel to create an upcycled collection made entirely from secondhand garments and fabric scraps. They partnered with actress and activist Olivia Wilde to create a statement-making secondhand T-shirt collection aimed at destigmatizing used clothing. Plus, their customers get to shop the closets of their favourite celebrities and influencers, which spreads the movement for a better future of fashion. There is so much space for new ideas, collaborations and to engage your customers in unique experiences - get brainstorming!

Nudie Jeans

There is no doubt that denim is one of the most iconic garments in the fashion world, but it leaves a trail of destruction. According to industry standards, it requires 7,000 litres of water to produce just one pair of jeans. To contribute to a better future of fashion, consumers need to increase the longevity of their denim and fashion brand Nudie Jeans are a testament to spreading this awareness and education. Nudie Jeans makes it easier than ever to fix up your denim with international repair stores, a mobile repair station, repair partners and repair kits. According to the WGSN report In 2021, Nudie Jeans collaborated with luxury fashion retailer Browns to create a limited-edition capsule of repaired denim called Re-worked. The 'salvaged selvedge' used patchworks of different denims to create unique items from jeans that would otherwise head to landfill.

How can you break the disposable attitude with clothing and encourage your customers to wear their garments more and ensure that they last a long time? It might not be feasible to have a physical repairs studio instore but how about online workshops, educational content creation or influencer collaborations - get on TikTok and see who is performing well with #DIY.

The Little Loop

As a Mumma-to-be, I am becoming increasingly aware of how expensive children's clothing is and how fast babies grow! Charlotte, the founder of The Little Loop, understands this struggle as she quotes “Like most parents I was stuck in a rut of hand-me-downs supplemented by buying new, with no good solution for getting rid of clothes once my smallest had outgrown them”. Her solution was to fix a broken system and create a clothing rental subscription platform offering shared clothes for growing tots. Not every fashion brand can offer a renting service, but have you thought about teaming up with someone like The Little Loop? A great way to contribute to the new care, repair and rewear economy is to join efforts and donate some of your garments to these platforms. Plus, it is the perfect opportunity to increase brand awareness; keeping you, your customer and the planet happy. 

Let me know in the comments below how you plan to stay ahead of the curve and encourage care, repair or rewear through your own fashion brand.

Jade, founder and CEO of The Mindful Step.