MENDING AND CARING FOR YOUR CLOTHES
BUILD A CONNECTION WITH YOUR CLOTHES
What, why and how we can take better care of our wardrobe
HISTORY
We used to do it - we can do it again
Once upon a time clothing was made by hand both the haute couture and in the household. In the 1800's people re-cycled their clothing in sewing it into something new, this was the only choice because materials were scarce and expensive. More recently, the time of the second world war people faced the same challenges and were creative in mending and reusing their clothes and materials.Â
If we once had a consumption system like this, who says we can't do it again?
(Cooper, C., North, S., Weber, T., & Blanco F., J. (2011). Chapters 4,5,6 and 7. In L. Welters, & A. Lillethun, The Fashion Reader (2 ed., pp. 53-111). New York: Berg.)
CHALLENGES AND PROBLEMS
We don't know how to anymore
Today we are so used to the mass consumption culture, the fashion system pushing trends towards us, constantly buying new and discarding our old clothes. Sometimes for a little hole or flaw, other times because it is not in style anymore.Â
On this page, we challenge your ideas of discarding clothes when something just needs to be fixed.Â
And to take better care of the clothes you have so it lives a longer life, and you don't need to buy new!
Now you think, that's nice but I don't know how to?
YOU CAN LEARN TO MEND AND CARE
Be creative with your clothes in communities
Once a skill that was passed down from older generation, mending ourselves is not that common anymore because we are used to mass production.
We are not suggesting you need to be a master seamstress, but even small steps can save a piece of clothing.
Fixing a zipper, lapping a hole or just being creative and remake your piece can help make your clothes feel fresh and new.
You can go online and search for videos and tools to learn, but even better you can go to a community and learn.
Getting together, having a chat and helping each other mending our clothes is a great way of collaborating on a better fashion consumption.
On this page are examples of how you can start your own mending group or where you can go join.
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![IMG_20211008_155751_697[2359].png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4816a8_f892a8a05224427b9492a22ef7bc37b2~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_293,h_520,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/4816a8_f892a8a05224427b9492a22ef7bc37b2~mv2.png)
Grandma's couch
An example of a community where everyone is welcome to join an learn how to mend. Started by fashion students, they invited people to join them for hot beverages, cookies and a lesson on fixing their old clothes
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SELF-MADE WORKSHOPS
Stof & Stil (changing name to Self-Made) offers workshops where you can learn to mend, some free and some where you pay for fabrics. Grandma's couch was a part of this offering their workshops in Kolding. Check out their website or search your own local area for opportunities to become a part of a mending community.