Re-wear Your Clothes, Save the Planet
The sun is shining and it’s time to wear your favourite dress from last season. After pulling it out from the back of the wardrobe, under the huge pile of jumpers you notice a huge hole in the shoulder. Before you sigh in frustration and throw it in the donation pile, it pays to find out if there’s a clothing repairs service near you that can help out. Why? Read on!
How Can Repairing My Clothing Help the Planet?
Caring for our clothing not only helps us save money but also helps keep our planet greener. Even though you might not see it, around 23 kilos of clothing waste per person is sent to landfills each year by Australians. It’s a staggering amount of amount of wasted textiles and it happens because we buy way too much and dispose of our clothing mindlessly. Easy come, easy go. Even donating your holey clothing to the op shop with the thought that magical elves will fix it doesn’t help anyone. Op shops can spend up to $13 million on waste management. So either way, your holey dress will go to the landfill. The best option? Repair it!
So Where Can We Repair?
Luckily Australia is flush with talented seamstress and tailors, all of them ready to help you re-wear your old clothes with their clothing repairs services. All you need to do is rock up with your holey dresses or too long pants so they can work their magic. Not in a capital city? A quick Google search of “clothing repairs near me” or “clothing alterations near me” can help. There are a number of them in each state and here’s our roundup of choice picks for clothing repairs and alternations services near you.
Melbourne
Second Stitch isn’t your average alterations shop. Since 2017, Second Stitch has been training refugees, asylum seekers and members of the migrant communities in the art of textile production to help gain further employment. This amazing non-for-profit space in the heart of Coburg also sells masks, cushions, bumbags and bags made with scrap and deadstock fabrics. Each time you alter your pants or get your jumper darned, you are helping someone learn a valuable new skill.
Sydney
Manly local Rosie couldn’t stand the thought of one more stitch of clothing going to the landfill. So she created her own business mending and upcycling clothing. If you send your no longer loved clothing off to Threadbare Assembly, Rosie will skillfully stitch them up in ways you never thought possible. Goodbye, dress, hello matching two-piece!
Brisbane
Ready to look sharp? The Fitting Room on Edward can help you. From suits to wedding dresses, the specially trained team at The Fitting Room are ready to bring your much-loved clothing back to life. Not only are they committed to giving you a perfectly polished suit, but they are also passionate about giving back. For every alteration over $150, The Fitting Room works with B1G1 to plant a tree to help re-wild our world. How’s that for a team who cares?
Darwin
Sew Designs Studio is ready to help resurrect any tired, old clothing you have. Bring them along to the studio for a patch up or alternation. They will be as good as new and ready for a night out on the town.
Perth
Megan Adele Alterations is the only one you need for your specially couture alternations needs. Megan and her team work closely with you to help you recreate your dream dress. Whether it be resizing a well loved heirloom or reworking that nearly perfect vintage dress from the op shop, they are dedicated to making you look amazing.
Adelaide
Repair Cafes are popping up all over Australia and now Adelaide has its very own. A host of wonderful volunteers are on hand at the Adelaide Repair Cafe to help fix the various household bits and bobs that break down over time. But it’s the well loved items from our wardrobe that are one of the most popular items for repair at the cafe. Keep an eye on their Instagram for their next open dates, don’t let those clothes go to landfill!
Hobart
Your dress repair can help change a life. CBD based Be Hers Sewing Center aims to support refugee women and those at risk of human trafficking. The centre provides refugees with the chance to create community, practice English speaking skills and customer service skills, all the while saving clothing from landfill. Head over to their Facebook page to see how you can support this amazing group of people.
More
In case any of these recommendations don’t float your boat, there are many more small local businesses out there, found with a quick google search. They’re small, family run businesses and frequently run by immigrant families. You can contribute so much more than you realise when you choose to repair or alter your clothing rather than discard.
Meanwhile, check out : Start the Year Right with Sustainable Dresses
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jenna Flood, known as the Ironic Minimalist
is a slow fashion stylist and specialist in
sustainable dressing and living.
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posts by Jenna!
