Repairing clothes is becoming more fashionable

By Imogen White: Co-ordinating editor, Culture, The Economist

PEOPLE BUY more clothes than they used to, and wear them less. Every second, the equivalent of a garbage truck full of textiles is dumped into landfill, or burned. Little wonder that fashionistas, particularly young ones, are becoming increasingly worried about the industry’s impact on the environment.

In 2023 the backlash against fast fashion will continue to grow as part of a wider push towards “circular” business models, in which fewer new items are manufactured and more revenue is generated through recycling, resale and rental schemes. Many brands will ramp up their repair services to encourage customers to mend damaged pieces of clothing instead of throwing them away.