3 September 2024
14x More Sustainable and Second-hand Baby and Children’s Clothing in The Netherlands
- COSH! Member Publicity
- Lifestyle
Does your favourite pair of jeans have a hole in them?
Unsure how to tackle the repair yourself?
No worries, COSH! has your back! Learn all about how to repair items from the comfort of your own home. Not comfortable doing it yourself? No worries, we included where to find a repair service in your area.
Repair it yourself, at home
Instead of tossing out those damaged pieces of clothing, it might be interesting to look into repair options. One of those options is to repair it yourself! There are many options to do so. Here we’ve got a couple for you:
Visible mending and colouring
Instead of using harmful chemicals to cover stains and even holes, you can use visible mending. Visible mending is a textile repair technique where repairs are intentionally made noticeable, instead of concealing the repair, which is usually done in traditional mending. The visible repair tells a little story about the repaired item and can even create an artistic effect.
There are many ways to apply this technique in a more sustainable way. Use patchwork to not only cover up the holes in a garment, but also to turn it into a unique piece.
Another example is colouring, this technique can blow new life into any clothing item. Stains or sweat marks can be strategically covered up by letting the imagination run wild with a little bit of colour. Be sure to check out alternative dyeing techniques, such as plant based dye, here.
The potential of menswear and vintage items
Monica Hauck mentioned during a COSH! Interview with Repair Rebels that the potential of menswear is often overlooked by women. She emphasises menswear is a perfect medium to be altered to anyone’s body. A man’s jacket can easily be turned into a woman’s vest. Secondly, pre-loved and/or vintage items are another diamond in the rough. Thrifted finds can easily be altered or even upcycled.
The potential of menswear is often overlooked by women. Monica Hauck, founder Repair Rebels
Repair workshops
Want to get your hands on repairing items yourself, but unsure how to do so? Take part of a repair workshop or look for local repair cafés. One workshop can already teach you all the basic you need to tackle small repairs yourself. There is so much to learn about repairs, so don’t worry if you don’t get it from the get-go and need a couple of tries to learn.
When it comes to repairs and alterations, I myself, am learning every day. Monica Hauck, founder Repair Rebels
Be sure to check our event page to see the next upcoming repair events in your area.
Repair services
Don’t feel comfortable with needle and thread? Don’t throw in the towel and let someone else repair or tailor your clothes for you!
A great example of a repair service is Düsseldorf-based Repair Rebels. Repair Rebels offers an all-round digital service, including collection and pick-up. The courier service is available in all of Germany. Have a loved one who is looking for a repair service in Germany? There is now also the option to purchase a gift voucher on the platform!
Repair Rebels not only repairs clothing, but also offers the option to alter items. This can be done by either taking in or adding a couple of centimetres. On top of that, through altering, the entire shape of the garment can be changed. Repair Rebels’ goal is to revive any of these items in need of a repair: clothing, shoes, and even jewellery. Monica emphasizes that jewellery can also be upcycled. This could be preloved items that are broken, or inherited pieces that are not your style. By smelting the precious metals a jewellery piece can get a new and shiny lease on life!
Lastly, Monica points out that even clothing that is too small can be made bigger by at least one size. This is something many dare to overlook.
Our bodies change a lot throughout our lives. We need to make our clothes fit us, instead of the other way around, and we can do this in a more sustainable way.
