Genaro Ruiz sews clothing during a clothing repair workshop at a Levi’s retail store in San Francisco on July 22, 2026. Associated Press Photo/Terry Chea
NEW YORK (AP) — Encouraging customers to mend worn clothes instead of buying new ones might seem like a self-defeating sales strategy. But in-store repairs and sewing workshops are becoming essential retail services for clothing brands as they try to appeal to young consumers who want to save money and the planet.
While luxury fashion houses and select specialty retailers like Patagonia have offered product repairs for decades, the concept has caught on.
Jeans giant Levi Strauss & Co., casual wear chain Uniqlo, and budget retailer Primark are some of the clothing brands hoping to win over Generation Z shoppers with a needle and thread.
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