Why the Future of Fashion Is Repairable, and How Brands Can Offer Repairs Without Losing Profit

We see more brands asking the same quiet question: Can repairs ever make business sense, or are they just a moral checkbox?

The data paints a pretty clear picture. Repairs are not charity - they're strategy.

Fashion already generates ~8% of global carbon emissions and mountains of waste every year. In France alone, 700,000 tonnes of clothing get tossed annually, two-thirds going straight to landfill. When garments last longer, emissions and virgin resource use drop. Extending a garment’s life by even nine months cuts carbon and water use significantly.

And it’s not only an environmental argument. Consumers lose billions by replacing items rather than repairing them. Many aren’t willing to accept that waste anymore - resale, DIY mending, and repair platforms are growing fast, fueled by younger shoppers who want longevity and transparency.

We hear founders worry: repairing clothing is slow, costly, and distracting from sales. Vogue Business captured this sentiment well - repairs can feel like a barrier inside companies built on volume.

And yet…the brands leaning in aren’t losing. They’re winning loyalty, trust, and new revenue paths.

Regulation Makes This Shift Non-Optional

Europe isn’t waiting for industry enthusiasm.

The EU textiles strategy wants all products to be durable, repairable, and recyclable by 2030, and expects profitable repair services to be widely available. Ecodesign rules, Digital Product Passports, and Extended Producer Responsibility push brands toward design that lasts and repair models that work.

France already funds consumer repairs (€6–25 per service) to cut textile waste and rebuild repair jobs. Sweden cut VAT on clothing repairs from 25% to 12% (temporarily to 6%) to make fixing cheaper than buying new. Austria and Germany piloted subsidies covering 50% of repair costs, boosting demand.

This isn’t a trend. It’s the new normal.

Does Repair Work for Brands?

Patagonia repairs ~50,000 items per year in its Reno centre and trains customers through DIY workshops. It keeps tens of thousands of garments in use, saves resources, drives traffic and loyalty, and strengthens a “built for generations” identity.

Nudie Jeans repairs jeans for free, forever. In 2019: 63,281 jeans repaired, preventing ~50,000 kg of textile waste [59]. During 2020: 45,000+ repairs and 2,500 DIY kits mailed. Customers pick the brand because of its lifetime repair promise.

These strategies do more than mend clothes - they build identity, trust, and return customers.

So Yes - Repair Can Be Profitable

McKinsey estimates fashion repair and maintenance could reach €70B by 2030.

Brands keep costs steady by:

• centralising repairs (Patagonia, Eileen Fisher)

• partnering with repair networks (Sojo, The Seam)

• piloting in select markets before scaling

• using design data from repairs to improve garments

• reducing return rates by offering alterations

• benefiting from subsidies in some regions

It won’t replace product sales, and it doesn’t need to. Repair is loyalty fuel, brand proof, and regulatory readiness.

One industry study by the British Fashion Council’s Institute of Positive Fashion in collaboration with leading business management consultancy Clarasys put it plainly: brands that embed repair and resale at the centre of strategy gain stronger loyalty, regulatory readiness, and alignment with climate goals.

Where Small Brands Have an Edge

Small labels tend to design lean, produce in small batches, and stay close to their community. These qualities make repair easier to pilot and more authentic than in a global giant.

Offering repair, even a small version, says:

• We stand behind our product.

• We build for longevity.

• We care after the sale.

In a market moving toward transparency, those messages matter.

A Simple Starting Point

• Start modest.

• One category.

• Clear communication.

Some brands began with free repairs, then switched to tiered or hybrid models later. Others mail DIY kits. A few listed recommended local tailors and let the community do the magic.

As long as the intention is real and the service works, it builds value.

Fashion is moving away from churn. Clothing built to last, supported by repair, is not nostalgia. It’s the next business model.