In the last few years UK research has found that with increased availability of cheaper and more disposable clothing, combined with a lack of awareness of its environmental impact, the skills needed for repairing garments are diminishing [1]. However, in current economic conditions and with improved knowledge of sustainable clothing practices it is thought that clothing repair, along with other activities such as clothes swapping, will become more common [1]. Although findings suggest that skills are being lost over time, those needed to do basic repairs are minimal [2] and there is plenty of advice online for those who are unsure about where to start with mending and repairing clothing.

 

 

The University of Kentucky [3] has provided a 10 page document that begins with a guide to deciding whether a garment should be mended or not:

 

·How extensive is the repair or damage?

 

·Do I have the knowledge and skill to repair it myself, or do I need to pay to have it done externally?

 

·Is it worth repairing? (Consider garment age, current fashion, fit, and its use. Will it soon be outgrown or can it be handed down?)

 

·How long will the repair take? (Do I have the time to do it or look for someone else to repair it?)

 

·Can I afford to replace the garment at this time?

 

·Will the garment be worn after it is mended?

 

 

The document then goes on to list instructions for various basic repairs such as attaching buttons, repairing seams and hems, darning and patching, and ends with a guide to choosing clothing that is likely to last longer:

 

·Pick clothing best suited to the needs of the wearer and the type of care the clothes will get

 

·Check sizes and fit, as clothes that fit well are less likely to suffer strain which causes rips and tears

 

·Check the sturdiness of features and trimmings, based on the intended use of the clothes

 

·Look for flaws in the garment

 

·Once an item is chosen, check through the individual garments on sale to find the one of the best quality

 

 

Instructions for repair techniques and advice on different types of stitches can often be found online (e.g. [2, 4]). Instructions for repairing and replacing zips can also be found (e.g. [5, 6]), but bear in mind that buying new zips can be expensive and they may be difficult to insert. Patching and adding pockets are recommended as a way to cover larger rips or holes that could not be sewn up without leaving an obvious repair, while simple embroidery can be used to cover smaller rips and tears [7, 8]. Make it and mend it [9] is a website dedicated to creative sustainability and has lots of articles on repairing, refashioning and making many items, including clothing.

 

 

Instructions for repairing using a sewing machine, if one is accessible, are also available (e.g [10]). Some basic items listed as essential kit for making hand repairs (e.g [3, 7]) include:

 

·Needles of assorted size

 

·Thread of various colours

 

·Scissors

 

·A seam unpicker

 

·Pins

 

·Safety pins

 

·Other items, such as iron-on hem repairer, a tape measure and spare buttons and scraps of material could also be useful

 

 

Even if a garment cannot be repaired or is not worth repairing, it could be recycled around the house, for example as a cleaning cloth, before being disposed of [1]. With many clothes being thrown away because they are not thought in good enough repair to donate to charity shops or not profitable enough to sell, and because their owners are not aware of how to recycle them, researchers have found that a return to clothes mending habits is needed to reduce the environmental impact of clothing and improve its sustainability [1, 11].

 

 

[1] http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/Time-make-mend-says-University/story-12238703-detail/story.html

 

[2] http://www.csmid.com/sewing.html

 

[3] http://www.ca.uky.edu/hes/fcs/factshts/CT-MMB-147.PDF

 

[4] http://www.care2.com/greenliving/5-tips-to-mend-damaged-clothing.html

 

[5] http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/home/how-to-mend-clothes5.htm

 

[6] http://www.allaboutyou.com/craft/pattern-finder/sewing-projects/sewing-techniques/make-do-mend-43894?page=2

 

[7] http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/home/how-to-mend-clothes4.htm

 

[8] http://www.designmom.com/2012/09/living-well-4-secrets-to-patching-clothes/

 

[9] http://www.makeitandmendit.com/

 

[10] www.dummies.com/how-to/content/mending-holes-and-rips-in-your-clothes.html

 

[11] http://www.ntu.ac.uk/apps/news/83060-5/Get_sewing_for_sustainability_study_says.aspx