Repair your clothes instead of throwing them away: tips from Repair Rebels in Düsseldorf

This article was translated with AI help.

Got a hole in your favourite jeans? 

Don’t panic; it’s not the end of the world, just a fresh start with needle and thread. Repairing clothes is easy, and you can do it in three ways: yourself at home, together at a repair café or workshop, or through a repair service such as Repair Rebels in Düsseldorf. And it’s well worth it: German wardrobes hold around five billion garments, yet a Greenpeace survey says only about 5% have ever been repaired. Here, Dr Monika Hauck, founder of Repair Rebels, shares her best tips.

Key takeaways

• Around a third of our clothing is rarely or almost never worn, and only about 5% has ever been repaired (Greenpeace, 2025).
• You can often fix small damage yourself: with visible mending, patchwork or dyeing.
• Open sewing cafés and workshops offer support and help with sewing and repairs.
• Repair Rebels connects you with experienced tailors and shoemakers for repairs and alterations, with a courier service in Düsseldorf and Cologne and postal service from the rest of Germany.

Why repair clothes? A look inside German wardrobes

On average, people aged 18 to 69 in Germany own around 90 items of clothing. Just under 40% of them are worn regularly. We bought 83% of our clothing new, while only a fraction has ever been repaired. These findings come from a representative online survey of 1,001 people commissioned by Greenpeace in November 2025 (Greenpeace, 2025).

According to the same survey, about one in two people have had clothing repaired or mended it themselves at some point. Overall, however, people repair less often than in previous years, and throwing clothes away remains the most common way of parting with them.

The good news: you don’t need to be a pro to change this. A button, a seam or a small patch is often all it takes to keep your favourite piece by your side.

Repairing clothes yourself: three ideas to try at home

Visible mending: repairs that are meant to be seen

Is your favourite piece stained or full of holes? Try visible mending. With this technique, you don’t hide the repair as you would with traditional mending; you make it deliberately visible. With colourful stitches, embroidery or contrasting thread, every repair tells its own little story and turns a flaw into an eye-catcher.

Patchwork: patches with personality

With patchwork, you cover holes with fabric scraps and turn your garment into a one-of-a-kind piece. Old T‑shirts, pillowcases or leftover fabric from the drawer are perfect for this.

Dyeing: a new colour for old favourites

A little dye can often cover stains, sweat marks, or faded colours. Natural fibres such as cotton or linen usually take dye better than synthetic fibres. Find out more about alternative dyeing techniques, such as plant-based dyes.

Having clothes altered: tips from Monika Hauck

Repairing is one thing, but sometimes a piece simply doesn’t fit (any more). Monika Hauck shared her tips for this too in her conversation with COSH!:

• Rummage through every wardrobe. A classic blazer, for example, can be reworked into a fitted waistcoat. Straight cuts often offer plenty of fabric for tailors to work with.
• Second-hand and vintage are rough diamonds. Pre-loved clothing is easy to alter or upcycle, transforming it into something new.
• Too tight? Don’t give up on it straight away. What many people don’t know: garments can often be let out by up to one size, depending on how much seam allowance they have.

Our bodies change over the course of our lives. That’s why our clothes should fit us – not the other way round.

Repair cafés and workshops: learning to repair together

Want to get hands-on but don’t know where to start? Then a repair café or repair workshop is just the thing. Volunteers or professionals will show you the basics, so you can soon handle small repairs yourself. In Berlin, NochMall regularly offers sewing and repair workshops and courses, and Siegrid Münzberger is often available to show you all the tricks. At the P&C Concept Store, an open sewing café meets every Thursday on the first floor, in front of the atelier. In Hamburg, too, pros and beginners meet once a month at FABRIC for a sewing get-together.

And if it doesn’t work out the first time, sewing isn’t rocket science; it just takes practice. On our events page, you’ll find the next repair events and workshops near you.

Having clothes repaired: how Repair Rebels in Düsseldorf works

Needle and thread not your thing? No problem: let someone else do the repairs.

Repair Rebels is an online fashion repair platform based in Düsseldorf, founded by Dr Monika Hauck. You simply book your repair online, and Repair Rebels finds the right specialist from its network of shoemakers and alteration tailors. Textiles, shoes and bags are repaired (Repair Rebels). In Düsseldorf and Cologne, a courier collects your items and brings them back; from the rest of Germany, you send them by post.

Besides repairs, Repair Rebels also offers alterations: from taking in or letting out by a few centimetres to reshaping the entire silhouette. According to Monika, they can even rework jewellery: broken or inherited pieces that don’t suit your style can be melted down and redesigned.

In 2023, Repair Rebels received the Bundespreis Ecodesign (German Federal Ecodesign Award), a competition for ecological design run by the German Federal Environment Ministry and the German Environment Agency.

Looking for a meaningful gift? Repair Rebels also offers gift vouchers, so your loved one can give their favourite item a second life. 

How to find repairs near you

• Get it repaired: Discover repair workshops near you in the COSH! store directory.
• Learn it yourself: Find repair workshops and events in your city.
• Start in Düsseldorf: Discover Repair Rebels on COSH!

FAQ: repairing clothes

Can any piece of clothing be repaired? 

Many types of damage can be repaired: holes, split seams, broken zips, worn-down shoe soles, or worn-out bags. Whether a repair is worthwhile depends on the material, how the item is made and the type of damage. A tailor or a repair service such as Repair Rebels can tell you in advance what’s possible.

What is visible mending? 

Visible mending is a way of repairing clothes where the repair is deliberately left visible, for example with colourful stitches, embroidery, or patches in contrasting colours. Unlike traditional mending, the damage isn’t hidden but becomes part of the design. The technique also suits beginners.

Where can I get clothes repaired near me? 

You can have clothes repaired by alteration tailors, shoemakers or online repair services such as Repair Rebels. In the COSH! store directory, you’ll find repair workshops. If you’d rather repair things yourself, look out for open sewing cafés, workshops or sewing get-togethers.

Can clothes that are too tight be made bigger? 

Often, yes. Many garments can be let out by up to one size if there is enough seam allowance. For very tightly sewn pieces, a tailor can also insert extra strips of fabric. It’s best to have the item checked in person or through a repair service.

How does Repair Rebels work? 

Repair Rebels is an online platform based in Düsseldorf where you can book repairs and alterations for clothing, shoes and bags. Experienced shoemakers and alteration tailors from the platform’s network carry out the work. The platform offers courier service in Düsseldorf and Cologne; from other locations, you send your items by post.