Integrating repair services into a company’s operations, as well as including product care guidance, is a surefire way of extending any product’s lifespan. When executed well, such measures not only drive customer loyalty, but can safeguard brands from accusations that they simply hand over responsibility for their stock after sale. The help is there after all, take it.
A conversation about repairs is incomplete without mention of Patagonia. It’s 15-year-old product longevity initiative, ‘Worn Wear’, extends from detailed product care guides to free-repair truck tours across the US, Europe and South America. Starting in 2017, the Worn Wear site sells repaired and refurbished Patagonia clothing. Likewise, Swedish Nudie Jeans has sewn ‘repair’ into its brand DNA, with all staff in-store trained in denim repairs.
Both companies well represent work across the two categories of outdoor and denim, placing a repairs proposition at the forefront, not tucked away in the FAQs of a website.
