The role of resources in repair practice: Engagement with self, paid and unpaid clothing repair by young consumers

Abstract

As repair can lead to a reduction in clothing consumption and textile waste, repair is essential toward improving the lifetime sustainability of garments and achieving a circular economy. In the literature, common barriers preventing one from conducting garment repairs have been identified. This research re-conceptualizes common repair barriers as repair resources that comprise the skills, tools, priority, and perceived expense that may motivate one toward self-repair, paid and unpaid repair of clothing. A survey of 523 young Canadian consumers (aged 18–34 years) was conducted, in order to examine the impact selected demographic factors and repair resources have on their propensity to carry out different forms of clothing repair. Independent variables were demographic factors and four repair resources, dependent variables were three repair practices. Hierarchical linear regression analyses showed that women were more likely to engage in self-repair, while no gender differences appeared in paid and unpaid repair. Increasing age leads to increased self and paid repair; whereas unpaid repair was more likely to be utilized by the younger consumers. Three repair resources of skills, tools, and priority toward repair strongly predict self-repair. Paid repair is more likely to be utilized if the cost for professional repair services is not perceived to be prohibitive. Young consumers who utilize unpaid repair, while not having the skills, do have access to repair tools and access to skilled resource-rich individuals. The results from this study have implications toward fashion brands, policy and communities in promoting and encouraging various forms of repair practice.