When to repair vs replace your clothing

Why repair something when you could simply replace it? It’s common to ask ourselves this question whenever something we own breaks or wears down, and there are times when this makes sense—but it might not be as often as you think.

Before you open your Amazon app or head to Target, consider all your options. Here’s how you can think about repairing vs replacing clothes that need some TLC.

1. How much you use/wear/love

   Before you evaluate how to handle a piece, it’s worth your while to consider how you really feel about it. Is it something you love wearing? Have you secretly been hoping for an excuse to get rid of it?
   
   Get clear about what you really like or dislike about something before moving on. Think about how the fabric feels, the stretch and cut of the item, how it fits into your overall wardrobe, etc. When you understand this, it’ll make it a lot easier to assess what next steps make sense for you.
   
   

2. Durability/quality of the material

   A lot of items today are made with the intention that they’ll be replaced shortly, as if clothing is a disposable product. There’s a reason you see constant sales ads from big brands—they need to move what they currently have to make room for what’s coming right behind it.
   
   To facilitate constant consumption, manufacturers will use poorer quality fabrics and minimal methods (think thin shirts or easily ripped seams) to make things cost less—and only last so long. Your favorite piece may have been destined for a short life and because of that, harder to repair rather than being remade (and improved).
   
   

3. Ease of personal reuse

   The best option for a piece someone really can’t wear any more is to find another life for it, preferably in your own home. Learning about the different properties of fabric will inform your choices, but T-shirts turned into quilts, rags, dog toys, or beeswax wrap are all popular options.
   
   And before you purge your closet and fill up a trash bag, keep in mind that charity shops won’t be able to sell damaged clothing. Dropping off items like this means they’re likely to end up going to a textile recycling company (it’s big business) or exported overseas (to countries that may or may not really want your old stuff). When clothing is entirely unusable, recycling is the better option. In 2018 alone, Americans sent 11.3M tons of clothing to the landfill and since a lot of our clothing is essentially made of plastic, it’s not breaking down any time soon.
   
   But you might be surprised at what can be mended—and how visible mending can add unique touches to your wardrobe. Don’t give up on an item you love too fast!
   
   

4. Effort to replace

   Since big brands churn through styles and pieces quickly, it can be impossible to replace something exactly once you realize it's something you reach for week after week. Even if you know exactly what you’re looking for, it can be hard to find the combination of size, fit, color, fabric, price, etc. Window shopping when you can’t sleep or between tedious tasks can feel harmless, but it’s worth a hard look at how much of your time and attention clothing stores get from you on a regular basis.
   
   Part of what we want to offer with Mendy is to make repairing something you already have just as easy as buying something new. Don’t see the fix you need on our site now? Send a few photos to us at hello@getmendy.com and we’ll see if we can help!
   
   

5. What you pay to replace

   If you replace your fast fashion piece with another fast fashion piece, this spot in your closet is likely to become a revolving door of items that fall apart easily. Cost-wise, if you buy 3 shirts for $15 each, you’ve spent more replacing that item compared to investing in a better-made $35 shirt for the same lifespan.
   
   If you’re accustomed to hunting for deals, it can feel uncomfortable to pay more for a single piece. But once you know exactly what you want (and what makes something higher quality, not just higher price), you can get better value from your clothes over time.
   
   

6. Who you pay to replace

   This is a really crucial point to consider, but it’s easy to overlook when you’re pressed for time or tired of hunting for a piece. How you spend your money is one of the most impactful everyday choices you make; it can quietly bolster the stronghold of enormous corporations and their shareholders—or it can help a small team get established.
   
   Do a quick Google “who owns X” or “market share of Y” and decide if you want to support that company. For instance, Amazon alone accounts for nearly 40% of online retail—obliterating even major companies like Walmart (6.3%) or Target (2.1%). Amazon is worth $856.94 billion, making them one of the most valuable companies in the world.
   
   Alternatively, buying carefully made pieces produced by independent clothing brands or working with sewists to creatively repair or restyle your item is a great option for supporting smaller businesses that align with your values—and fill your closet with pieces you can love for longer.

For a lot of us, we’ve come to expect that replacing things is just how it is—but it doesn’t have to be. Even if it doesn’t “cost that much” to replace things, there’s still a cost to the environment for whatever gets tossed to make room.

While it’s frustrating to see products that aren’t made to last, as consumers, our best way to fight back is with how we spend our money. Specifically, buying less. Buying better. Fixing often. You don’t have to turn over your whole wardrobe at once, but piece-by-piece, you can create exactly what fits your life and your style.