The partnership between Patagonia and social impact companies United Repair Center and Fashion-Enter invites clothing brands to join the repair movement.
Source: press release
The United Repair Center in London (URC London) opens in the Haringey district. The new center is the result of a collaboration between outdoor clothing brand Patagonia and social impact companies United Repair Center and Fashion-Enter. The center will employ and train people in high-quality clothing repairs who, like refugees, have difficulty finding employment. The goal is to transform the clothing industry for the better, giving other brands the opportunity to join Patagonia in the Center.
The opening of the facility follows the success of the first United Repair Centre, which opened in Amsterdam in 2022, the result of a collaboration between Patagonia, Makers Unite and the Amsterdam Economic Board. The United Repair Center in Amsterdam currently handles 30.000 repairs a year for brands such as Decathlon, Lululemon and Patagonia. London's URC will be able to carry out 30.000 repairs per year by 2025.
The clothing industry has a poor reputation for the damage it inflicts on the environment and the people who produce our clothes, but that doesn't have to stay that way. If we want to have a healthy planet in which to do business, we must push and help customers to keep their clothes longer and practice conscious consumption in the future. And now, with the launch of URC London, we're making it easier for responsible clothing brands to join the growing repair movement – Thami Schweichler, CEO and founder of United Repair Center
Haringey-based clothing manufacturing company Fashion-Enter has joined the group as a partner, with URC London operating out of their facility and training the team on technical repairs.
With a focus on high social and environmental standards, Fashion-Enter has faced potential layoffs as major retailers relocate production to cheaper facilities overseas. Now URC London will protect 15 jobs in the United Kingdom and guarantee a circular economy-oriented perspective.
Haringey, north London, has a long history as the home of high quality British clothing manufacturing, but in today's market of cheaper manufacturing we couldn't sustain our high quality or ethical standards. We had to quickly change the business and become flexible! We have now embarked on an exciting collaboration to evolve with repairs. Our highly skilled team today is proud to contribute to fashion's circular economy – Jenny Holloway, CEO of Fashion-Enter
London's URC boasts strategic consultancy from the British Fashion Council's Institute of Positive Fashion and support for the circular economy from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Initially the URC will provide repairs to Patagonia customers in the UK, but over the next 12 months three more brands will join the facility and there will be room for many more partners.
The partnership contributes to Patagonia's long-standing commitment to responsible consumption. Founded on the ethos of creating quality, durable products, for the past 12 years Patagonia has been educating customers to understand why and how they can prolong the life of their clothing through the Worn Wear program. Patagonia offers free repairs that can be requested through the recently launched Repair Portal.
Patagonia is in business to save our planet. But we know we can't do it alone. With the launch of the United Repair Center in London we are looking to significantly increase our impact and empower other clothing companies to move away from disposables and integrate circularity into their business models – Alex Beasley, Patagonia Country Manager for the UK, Ireland and the Nordics
For more information about working with United Repair Center London, please visit: www.unitedrepaircentre.com.
