United Repair Centre makes clothing repair commonplace again
The fashion industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world. Fast fashion drives a constant stream of new collections, causing clothes to be replaced more quickly and discarded after only a short period of use. At the same time, repairing clothes has become less common: many people no longer know how to do it themselves or are quicker to buy something new instead. United Repair Centre aims to break this pattern. From its workshops in Amsterdam, London and Paris, the social enterprise is working towards a circular fashion industry in which repair takes centre stage. At the same time, the company creates opportunities for people who face barriers to employment.
Repairing instead of throwing away
Every day, garments from international fashion brands are repaired at United Repair Centre. The company works with outdoor and clothing brands such as Patagonia, Rapha, Kathmandu and Cortazu. In 2023, more than 75,000 pieces of clothing were repaired, preventing nearly 400,000 kilograms of CO₂ emissions.
Where clothing was once commonly altered or mended, throwing items away has now become the norm for many consumers. United Repair Centre wants to break this pattern by making repair appealing and accessible again. Under the motto Repair is the New Cool, the company focuses on high-quality repairs, technological innovation and raising awareness within the fashion industry.
Sustainable and social impact
The company combines sustainability with social impact. People from different countries and backgrounds work together in the workshops, including newcomers and refugees from countries such as Iran, Ukraine and Tibet. Employees not only gain work experience, but are also given opportunities to further develop themselves within the company.
One of them is Narjes, who worked as a fashion designer in Iran and now holds responsibilities in quality control and mentoring colleagues at United Repair Centre. Her story shows how the organisation not only gives clothes a second life, but people as well.
Expanding after positive growth
The growth of United Repair Centre was partly made possible through investments from DOEN Participaties. Thanks to this support, the organisation was able to expand rapidly from Amsterdam to other European cities and further increase its impact.
DOEN Participaties invests in United Repair Centre thanks thanks to the players of the Postcode Loterij.
United Repair Centre appeared in the television programme Eén tegen 100.