A few weeks ago I went to meet a repair client to talk over their damaged coat. We met in a cafe so we could talk about different repair possibilities, and agree what I would do and the price.
As part of the discussion I explained that the repair would be visible, it would be neat but that there was no way for me to replicate the way it had originally been constructed. I also highlighted to them the manufacturers website in case they wanted to contact them for their own repair service.
They did not want to go through the original manufacturer; for one the jacket was a second hand purchase and they weren't sure the manufacturer would take it on; Secondly they didn’t want to post it off to be repaired, and thirdly they were keen to support local skills and local economy.
We discussed the hows, whys and how much of the repair and then went on to talk about a whole host of other things related to local independent creatives and craftspeople, sharing and teaching skills to ensure knowledge is passed on, and community resources and spaces and how all of these things are so important in the challenging times we live in
This was one conversation with one person and im not pretending its a scientific piece of research… but I came away with a refreshed sense of purpose for all the stitching, repair and rework things that i do.
The following stuff is worth banging on about :
Local repair services are as important as centralised brand run services because different people want different things and all repairs are different.
Being able to talk through options face to face is invaluable for making sure both repairer and customer are happy and also increasing general knowledge about the complexities of repair and how to continue to care for our clothing.
Other repairer/makers/sewists are your friends and allies - a repair I can’t do can be done by another and being able to suggest people to take on the jobs that are out of my skillset helps reinforce the message that everything can be repaired.
We need to shift the narrative around the value of clothing repair. The ‘worth’ of a repair should not be measured by how much more or less the cost is in comparison to the price of the original garment.
Teaching basic sewing skills in schools should be back on the curriculum; and in the meantime we need places where people who do have these skills can pass them on to anyone who wants to learn (and of course they should be paid to do so!)