Mend-it May: Why Repairing Clothes Matters More Than Ever.
- May 14
- 5 min read
We find ourselves living in a world where it’s often cheaper to replace things than repair them. Fast fashion moves quickly. Trends come and go overnight. Clothes are made cheaply, worn briefly and thrown away far too easily. Here in Australia, that throwaway culture is creating a huge amount of textile waste — much of it ending up in landfill after only a short life.
"Australians are among the world's highest consumers of textiles, buying an average of 56 new clothing items annually and sending over 200,000 tonnes of clothing to landfill every year. This makes Australia the second largest consumer of textiles per person in the world, with each person discarding 23kg of clothing yearly. [https://australiainstitute.org.au/post/australians-revealed-as-worlds-biggest-fashion-consumers-fuelling-waste-crisis/]
That’s why I’m joining the #MendItMay movement again this year! Last year I went out in public mending clothing in public to inspire others to repair and re-wear their old faves too! This year with busy #mumlife I am doing what I can around the home. Over the next few weeks I'll be sharing some mending projects that I have lurking about - which I am sure you do too! So lets get out our pins, needles and threads and repair that sock, that hole, that pesky missing button on your fave shirt that you've been avoiding for ages now!
To me, mending isn’t just about fixing clothes. It’s about slowing down, using what we already have and reconnecting with handmade skills that many of us have forgotten.
And honestly? There’s something beautifully human about things that have been repaired, they have a story, they ooze charm and personality and I reckon we need heaps more of that in this increasingly homogenised, cookie-cutter world.
What Is Mend-it May?
Mend-it May is a growing slow fashion movement encouraging people to repair, re-wear, patch and care for the clothes they already own instead of automatically buying new.
It’s about:
reducing textile waste
learning practical life skills
buying less and choosing better
valuing creativity over consumption
Instead of chucking out clothes because of a small hole, missing button or stain, Mend-it May encourages us to ask: “Could I repair this instead?”
Why Does Mending Matter in Australia?
Mend-it May is a worldwide, slow-fashion movement and Australia has become one of the world’s biggest consumers of fast fashion. Every year, Australians throw away huge amounts of clothing and textiles, much of which ends up in landfill. Many garments are discarded because of small, fixable problems:
split seams
worn knees
broken zippers
stains
tiny holes
missing buttons
The reality is most clothes could be repaired, repurposed or re-worn with a little creativity and care. And while we can’t fix the entire fashion industry overnight, we can make small changes at home. There is heaps of easy stuff we can do every day that can really add up! One less item in landfill, one repaired pair of jeans, one child learning how to sew a button is a life-long skill and it all absolutely matters!
The Lost Life Skill of Mending
For many generations before us, mending clothes was completely normal. Socks were darned, school uniforms were patched, buttons were replaced, clothes were handed down, altered and reused. Now many of us have grown up in a culture where repairing feels harder than replacing. But mending doesn’t have to be perfect to be worthwhile.
In fact, visible mending celebrates imperfections. A patch can become artwork with a meaningful origin story, making a much-loved piece even more special than before!
Visible Mending, Sashiko & Slow Stitching
One of my favourite ways to repair clothes is through visible mending. Instead of hiding stains, rips or tears, visible mending turns them into creative features and techniques such as:
embroidery
patchwork and applique
sashiko stitching
boro-inspired repair
colourful thread
upcycled fabric scraps
Traditional Japanese mending practices like sashiko and boro were originally born from necessity and resourcefulness.
Sashiko translates to "little stabs" - and let's face it, repeatedly stabbing something and making it beautiful is surprisingly meditative! These days many people are drawn to these traditional techniques, not only because they’re practical, but because the repetitive stitching feels calming and soothing. It's why I love stitching in all of it's forms, so much. There’s something grounding about slowing down long enough to make or repair something with your hands. Especially in a world constantly pushing speed, convenience and endless consumption.
Easy Things You Can Mend at Home
You don’t need to be an expert stitcher to start repairing clothes. Start small, slow down and be patient with yourself! Some beginner-friendly mending ideas include:
sewing on missing buttons
patching jeans
fixing small holes
repairing hems
covering stains with embroidery
adding patches to kids’ clothes
reinforcing worn fabric before it tears
Even learning one simple stitch can completely change how you look at damaged clothing. Speaking of which, to thank you for reading and to get you started on your mending journey with some basic stitches, click here for a link for my PDF Stitch-ionary for inspiration and mending techniques.
Buying Better & Choosing Slow Fashion
Mending is only one part of the picture. Another aspect is buying less, buying better and supporting clothing that’s made to last.
That might mean:
shopping locally
choosing handmade where possible
visiting op shops first
local swap meets
normalise secondhand
swapping clothes with friends
repairing before replacing
avoiding impulse fast fashion buys
choosing quality over quantity
get creative and upcycle!
Slow fashion isn’t about perfection or guilt. It’s about being more intentional with what we bring into our homes and wardrobes and being creative and resourceful with what we already have.
Creative Ways to Rewear & Upcycle Clothes
Sometimes clothes can’t be repaired traditionally — but they can still become something useful. Old jeans can become bags. Fabric scraps can become patches. Shirts can become cushion covers. One of the best parts of creative reuse is that it helps us see potential instead of waste. like my sustainable zero waste project - CYC'd Upcycled Accessories, where I transform soft plastic waste and transform it into something functional and unique like these upcycled pouches, bags and glasses cases...
Why Handmade Still Matters
In a world increasingly driven by AI, fast content and mass production, handmade skills matter more than ever. My new tagline for Heartmade Crafts reflects my shift in focus to re-designing my crafts to be instantly accessible whilst still keeping strong to my totally human, perfectly imperfect, Heartmade values...
Heartmade Crafts - Handmade living in a digital worlD
This is why mending is a personal favourite of mine, as it teaches patience, creativity, resourcefulness and care. It reminds us that imperfect things carry a special energy, a story, a memory that makes the time and effort so rewarding and worthwhile.
How We Can All Help
Perfection isn't the goal here it's more about taking the time to be resourceful with what we already have, you may be surprised how easy it is once you give it just a little time and presence...
We can start small:
Small actions still matter and together, those small stitches create a story, something personal, unique and truly special. There is a sense of childlike nostalgia and pride that we connect with when we can proudly say that - "YES, I made that!"
Join Me for Mend-it May
This month I’ll be sharing:
visible mending inspiration
easy repair tips
slow stitching ideas
upcycling projects
simple ways to re-wear what we already own
Because handmade living in a digital world isn’t about perfection. its doing what we can with what we have, where we are. It’s about creating a slower, more thoughtful way forward — one stitch at a time.
Comments