The US outdoor brand Patagonia is expanding its “Worn Wear” repair service and opening an online portal for repairs. The aim is to make repairs easier and to encourage customers to take care of their clothes and – if necessary – repair them. At the same time, Patagonia is calling on the apparel industry to do the same.
The new online repair portal allows customers to directly request a repair 24/7 and track the status of their repair. To help get repairs done quickly, Patagonia is expanding its European network of repairers, bringing more repair tools and services to stores. Patagonia wants to increase the number of repairs to 100,000 per year in the next five years, which is four times the current amount.
Patagonia has been emphasizing the ecological importance of repairs for years with the “Worn Wear” campaign. If a product stays in use for nine months longer, it saves 20 to 30 percent in carbon emissions, waste and water compared to buying new.
Pilot project United Repair Center (URC) in Amsterdam
Last year, Patagonia launched the United Repair Center (URC) in partnership with Makers Unite and with support from the Amsterdam Economic Board. The URC is a new repair service provider for several clothing brands that trains seamstresses and guarantees them work when they have difficulties finding a job, such as new arrivals with refugee status in the Netherlands.
Meanwhile, the URC has already relocated to larger premises in Amsterdam to meet increased demand and has secured repair deals with other brand partners such as Decathlon. The initiative plans to open a second location in England in 2023, with more European locations planned for next year.
Willem Swager, Director of Finance and Operations, Patagonia EMEA, on the new service: “We need a new, regenerative model and structural changes if we are to have any chance to clean up the dirty apparel industry. That’s why Patagonia is urging brands to move away from just selling new and to encouraging reuse and longer wear of their products through repairs. At Patagonia, we know that offering free repairs has many benefits and is a unique moment to connect with our customers. And to increase our impact, we’re looking for companies to join us in the repair movement. As the saying goes, ‘If you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together.’”