Now Reading: Fashion brands turn to mending services to win Gen Z
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Fashion brands turn to mending services to win Gen Z
Levi Strauss, Uniqlo and Primark are among apparel companies launching in-store repairs and sewing workshops to appeal to Gen Z consumers who want to save money and reduce waste. Levi's even created…
The Story in Brief
Levi Strauss, Uniqlo and Primark are among apparel companies launching in-store repairs and sewing workshops to appeal to Gen Z consumers who want to save money and reduce waste. Levi's even created a course teaching high school students to sew buttons, hem, patch and fix tears. The Wear Longer program, expanding across the US, aims to empower buyers to extend garment life.
Though repairing clothes can reduce environmental impact if it delays new purchases, researchers caution the practice remains tiny compared to rising production. Clothing output roughly doubled between 2000 and 2015, while average wearings per garment fell 36%. Less than 1% of discarded clothing is recycled into new apparel, according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
The Indian Opinion
Mending workshops sound virtuous but risk being a brand halo rather than a fix for textile waste. Gen Z leans toward thrift but often lacks basic sewing skills, Levi's course reveals the gap. The real test: can repair programs outpace the doubling of clothing production? If brands teach mending while still churning out disposable fast fashion, the needle won't move the mountain.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
