Repair What We Wear

Canberrans are invited to learn more about reducing clothing waste through repairing the clothes they already have instead of throwing them out.  

When we hear the word repair, one immediately thinks about bringing out the sewing machine or the needle and thread. But, repairing is much more than that. Repairing covers any strategy to prolong the life of your existing clothing so that it doesn’t end up in landfill. Repairing includes dealing with a stain, dyeing clothes, repurposing an outfit, upcycling as well as mixing and matching items in your wardrobe. 

During October 2025, the SEE Change WasteLess group will be sharing ideas on repairing clothes. We will be sharing ideas on the SEE Change Facebook page as well as on this webpage. The items shared will include how to … ideas, links to video instructions, great online articles, case studies as well as where you can get help in Canberra with repairing clothes. 

Why repair?  

On average, every Australian buys 56 items of clothing, including socks and underwear, each year, most of which are made from non-sustainable, non-durable materials. This makes us among the biggest purchasers of clothing in the world. Each Australian disposes an average 23 kilograms of clothing to landfill, either here or overseas, each year. This equates to about 227,000 tonnes of discarded clothing. This amounts to an enormous amount of clothing waste. 

 Internationally, 92 Million tonnes of textile waste is produced every year and only 12% of the material used for clothing is recycled. The fashion industry is responsible for 20% of global waste water. Dyeing and finishing fabrics contribute 3% of global CO2 emissions and 20% of global water pollution. 

Fabrics such as polyester, nylon and acrylic shed microplastic fibres when washed, which enter waterways. Microplastics in waterways and oceans harm aquatic ecosystems including coral reefs – the fashion industry is responsible for 35% of oceanic primary microplastic pollution. Synthetic fabrics take hundreds of years to decompose. 

Repairing clothes instead of tossing them into landfill reduces the impact of the fashion industry on the planet. 

Share your experiences 

During October, we would love you to share your experience and ideas on how to repair clothes. Please send your ideas to wasteless@seechange.org.au.  

Ideas on how to repair what we wear 

Check here (https://repairwhatwewear.blogspot.com/) after 1 October 2025 for ideas on how to repair what we wear