Mending old clothes is a trending topic thanks to rising concern for the environment, but how many people actually do it? Why? What repairs can they do? And is there a willingness to learn this skill? I scoured through the latest research papers to find statistics to answer these questions. The data I found is summarised below in a bite-sized list.
Contrary to popular belief, more people mend clothes than we think, and most agree that mending clothes is important. Women repair clothes more often than men, and older people repair clothes more often than young people. People repair clothes to save money, be more environmentally friendly, and prolong the life of expensive and sentimental clothes. Most people can do basic repairs like sewing a button but they’re not confident in their skills. Some people do not mend clothes at all, or do so rarely. The most common reasons cited for this are a lack of repair skills, time, the high cost of alteration services, the low price of new clothes, and the stigma of ‘looking poor’ by wearing a visibly-mended garment. There is evidence that many people are willing to change and start learning how to mend.
Contents list:
- How often do people repair clothes?
- Who does it?
- Why do people mend clothes?
- Why don’t they mend clothes?
- How much do people spend on repairs?
- Most common repairs
- Do people want to learn how to repair clothes?
- Why is it important to repair?
How often do people repair clothes?
- “In 2010, 35% of the respondents said they repaired damaged clothing often, 51% sometimes, and only 14% said they never did it.” This was a study of 2393 people in Norway. (K. Laitala and I. Klepp, Oslo Metropolitan University, 2018)
– - In a Norwegian survey of 1001 people, “65% of the respondents report to have undertaken at least one mending or making task, such as sewing on a button or fixing an unravelled seam in 2017. It is clear that repairing is more common than people think, especially when compared to the common assumption of ‘nobody’ repairing clothing anymore. The figure is quite high, and may be related to the fact that even though Norway has a high standard of living, it is also characterized by a high degree of craft-production.” (K. Laitala and I. Klepp, Oslo Metropolitan University, 2018)
– - “Compared to the findings of other countries like Norway, where approximately two-thirds (65%) of consumers have undertaken at least one mending or making task in 2017, U.S. consumers’ engagement in clothing repair is minimal (30%).” This was a study of 254 people in the US. (S. Diddi and R. Yan, Colorado State University, 2019)
– - 55% of US participants never or rarely repaired their clothes. This was a study of 254 people in the US. (S. Diddi and R. Yan, Colorado State University, 2019)
– - 81.9% of US respondents agreed that repairing or mending clothing is important, good (84.2%), and valuable (83%). This was a study of 254 people in the US. (S. Diddi and R. Yan, Colorado State University, 2019)
Who mends clothes?
- In Norway, researchers found that 84% of women had sewn a button in the past year compared to 45% of men. 76% of women had fixed an unravelled seam in the past year compared to 30% of men. 52% of women had darned clothes in the past year compared to 17% of men. “There are significant differences between the genders in all clothing mending and repair categories, as women say they are more active in all the different activities.” This was a survey of 1124 Norweigen people in 2011. The survey was repeated in 2017 with another 1001 participants. The newer research confirmed the previously found gender difference. (K. Laitala and I. Klepp, Oslo Metropolitan University, 2018)
| Year: | Gender: | Sewn on a button (%): | Fixed unraveled seam (%): | Darned clothes (%): | Made something new of old clothes (%): | Sewn new clothes (%): |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Male | 45 | 30 | 17 | 4 | 2 |
| 2011 | Female | 84 | 76 | 52 | 17 | 14 |
| 2017 | Male | 36 | 20 | 10 | 3 | 1 |
| 2017 | Female | 69 | 63 | 41 | 14 | 10 |
- “There are significant differences between age groups in four of the five mending categories. The elderly are more active in repair, including sewing on buttons, fixing unravelled seams, and darning clothing, whereas the young are more likely to make something new from old clothing.” This was a survey of 1124 Norweigen people in 2011 and 1001 Norweigen people in 2017. (K. Laitala and I. Klepp, Oslo Metropolitan University, 2018)
- “Women and the elderly are more active in making and mending, whereas the young are [a] bit more likely to make something new out of old clothing.” This was a study of 2393 people in Norway. (K. Laitala and I. Klepp, Oslo Metropolitan University, 2018)
| Year: | Age group: | Sewn on a button (%): | Fixed unravelled seam (%): | Darned clothes (%): | Made something new of old clothes (%): | Sewn new clothes (%): |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 18-24 | 59 | 44 | 23 | 18 | 7 |
| 2011 | 25-39 | 60 | 48 | 33 | 11 | 10 |
| 2011 | 40-59 | 64 | 53 | 34 | 9 | 5 |
| 2011 | 60+ | 73 | 62 | 43 | 10 | 10 |
| 2017 | 18-24 | 37 | 32 | 10 | 9 | 6 |
| 2017 | 25-39 | 44 | 34 | 19 | 9 | 7 |
| 2017 | 40-59 | 53 | 45 | 31 | 8 | 4 |
| 2017 | 60+ | 65 | 50 | 31 | 9 | 5 |
- A study in Ireland asked people whether they had repaired any clothes in the last 18 months. They found that 77% of 18-24 year olds said yes. This compared to 36% of 25-34 year olds and 45% of 35-44 year olds. (Penneys aka. Primark, 2022)
– - In a UK study, “Several participants said that any repairs to clothing undertaken in their household were done by parents or grandparents.” This was a study of 99 people. (UK Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs, 2008)
– - In a Norwegian study of 24 women (aged approx. 40 years old), they found that all of them repaired some of their clothes, but they also got help from their mothers, mothers-in-law, and professionals. They mainly did small repairs like fixing unraveled seams and loose buttons. (I. Klepp, 2001)
– - 31.1% of US respondents mended their own clothes. 33.5% asked their family or friends to help mend their clothes. This was a study of 254 people in the US. (S. Diddi and R. Yan, Colorado State University, 2019)
Why do people repair clothes?
- In Ireland, 62% of those who repair said they did so to save money, this increased to 95% among Gen Z. 71% of Gen Z surveyed said they repaired clothes because they wanted to act in a more environmentally conscious way. 66% of Gen Z said they did it to learn a new skill. (Penneys aka. Primark, 2022)
– - In Ireland, 69% of people surveyed said they’re more likely to repair an item of clothing if it’s expensive. 89% of Gen Z respondents agreed. (Penneys aka. Primark, 2022)
– - 254 people in the US were asked if they would consider getting their clothes mended in different scenarios. 77.2% said they would consider having their clothes mended if they had paid high prices for them. 84.6% would consider it if they had a personal attachment to the item. 81.5% would consider it if the clothes fit them really well. 87.4% would consider it if their clothes continued to last longer. 87.4% would consider it if they tried to reduce their environmental footprint. (S. Diddi and R. Yan, Colorado State University, 2019).
Why don’t people repair their clothes?
- In Ireland, 31% of people surveyed said they didn’t have the skills needed to repair their clothes. (Penneys aka. Primark, 2022)
– - In the UK, 18% of respondents said they were not capable of doing any clothing repairs, such as sewing on a button. This was a study of 7950 UK adults. (WRAP, 2012)
– - In the US, 56.4% of participants believed that they did not have the skills. 45.3% thought mending clothes was too time-consuming. 62.2% believed that alteration services were expensive. This was a study of 254 people in the US. (S. Diddi and R. Yan, Colorado State University, 2019)
– - In Ireland, 24% of people surveyed said the cost of alterations at a repair service was too much. (Penneys aka. Primark, 2022)
– - In Ireland, 27% of people surveyed admitted they would throw away a damaged item rather than repair it – this rose to 40% among 18-24 year old’s – indicating that there is a need to educate consumers on how to prolong the lifespan of a garment. (Penneys aka. Primark, 2022)
– - In the UK, “repairs to clothing are no longer undertaken as a normal, regular activity due to a lack of skills and equipment at home and the cost of professional repair and alterations services compared to the price of new clothes”. This was a study of 99 people from the UK. (UK Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs, 2008)
– - In the UK, “Some participants associated repairs with poverty or old age and indicated that they would want to avoid clothes with visible repairs in order to protect themselves and their families from stigma.” This was a study of 99 people from the UK. (UK Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs, 2008)
How much do people spend on repairs?
- It’s estimated that U.S. consumers spend less than 2% of what they spend on clothing towards their repair and cleaning. (P. Norum, 2013)
What type of repairs can people do?
- “Most [repairs] involved minor tasks such as sewing on buttons and fixing hems.” This was a study of 99 people from the UK. (UK Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs, 2008)
– - In the UK, 14% of the respondents said that they had garments that they had not used during the past year because something had broken, such as a zip, elastic, or a lost button, while 16% had garments that needed repair for some other reason. This was a study of 7950 UK adults. (WRAP, 2012)
– - 7950 UK adults were asked what repairs they could do by themselves. 74% said they could sew a button. 47% could darn or patch a hole. 47% could take a hem up or down. 38% could dye an item. 25% could replace a zip. 24% could redesign an item. 20% could replace a pocket. 17% could take a garment in or out. And 18% could do none of these repairs. (WRAP, 2012)
– - In the US, “Only 20% of the participants felt confident in their mending skills.” This was a study of 254 people. (S. Diddi and R. Yan, Colorado State University, 2019)
– - “1 in 5 Londoners don’t feel confident mending a hole in clothing”. This survey was conducted by Censuswide with 1,003 respondents in Greater London aged 18+ and took place from 24 to 28 January 2022. (Censuswide, 2022)
– - In the UK, 82% of respondents said they preferred their garment repairs to look invisible. The researchers think it’s because many people still find it socially unacceptable to wear visibly repaired clothing – it suggests financial hardship. This was a survey of 200 people from the UK. (A. Gwilt, Sheffield Hallam University, 2014)
Are people interested in learning how to mend clothes?
- In an Irish study, 59% of those who don’t currently repair their clothes said they would like to learn. (Penneys aka. Primark, 2022)
– - In a study of 7950 UK adults, 37% said they were interested in learning how to repair clothes. (WRAP, 2012)
– - In a US study of 254 people, “Almost 90% of the participants in this study supported the notion of having free mending events in the community.” (S. Diddi and R. Yan, Colorado State University, 2019)
– - 54.3% of US respondents intend to mend their clothes in the next year. 37.4% intend to get their clothes mended in the next year. 51.5% intend to learn more about basic clothes mending in the next year. This was a study of 254 people in the US. (S. Diddi and R. Yan, Colorado State University, 2019)
Why is it important to repair clothes?
- “Extending the average life of clothes by a third while reducing the need for new clothing would reduce the carbon, waste, and water footprints from the production stage by more than 20%” (T. Cooper et al, Nottingham Trent University, 2013)
– - In a UK study of 7950 adults, 30% of respondents said that they would be more likely to wear clothes they had not worn in the past year if they had the skills to repair/alter clothes at home, and 27% said they would if they had the spare time. Access to a repair kit would help 19% of respondents, while access to a sewing machine would help 18% of them. About 62% of respondents owned clothing that could be used if it was repaired. (WRAP, 2012)