There’s already something sad about an article of clothing reaching the end of its life. But throwing it away after wearing it for so many times just doesn’t feel right, especially since you know that it will most probably end up in a landfill and pollute the environment.
Patagonia is trying to make the afterlife of its garments more exciting: When a customer begins to spot wear and tear on a puffer jacket or fleece vest, they can bring it back for repair. In the case they don’t use the item much anymore, they can give it back to Patagonia, which will refurbish it and sell it on Worn Wear, a secondhand marketplace.
But what about pieces that are beyond repair? Well, designers at Patagonia have even found them a purpose by transforming garment scraps into new clothing under their ReCrafted Collection, which launched last year.
The line takes worn-out, damaged goods and transforms them into entirely new, one-of-a-kind products at a workshop in Los Angeles. Each item in the ReCrafted collection is made up of between three and six pieces of used clothing.
“The ReCrafted line was an answer to a question,” says Kourtney Morgan, Patagonia’s senior designer, in a video to launch the line. “And the question was: What are we doing with all the products we are taking back that isn’t recyclable, that isn’t resale-able, and that isn’t repairable?”
The first series of items consists of down jackets and vests, a sweater, a T-shirt, a toolkit, and four bags. Unsurprisingly, the aesthetic feels different from the traditional Patagonia collection, most of the items featuring a bricolage effect, with fabrics of different colors and textures stitched together. All items are available on Patagonia’s Worn Wear website for prices that range from $27 to $327.
