In France, no less than 700,000 tons of clothing are thrown away every year. To reduce these mountains of waste, the French government is setting a precedent by offering a “bonus” for patching. The measure also extends to old shoes.
Published at 12:52 am. Updated at 05:00.
The aim is to convince people that it makes more sense to repair something than to throw it away.
Specifically, anyone who has jeans mended or shoes repaired will receive a bill discount of 6 to 25 euros (from $8.83 to $36.78). Repairing a hole in a sweater, replacing a lining or a zipper: the spectrum of possible repairs is large.
The “reparations fund” released by the state amounts to 3.7 million euros in 2023; in 2024 it will rise to 11 million.
To manage these bonuses, the French state has given the eco-organization Refashion the task of recruiting and “labeling” sewing and shoemaking workshops. According to Charlotte Roussel, consultant and spokesperson for Refashion, workforce recruitment is underway using webinars and door-to-door canvassing.
In an interview with La Presse, the expert specified that French customers will initially receive five discounts on the textile side and four on the footwear side. The measure will come into force from October next year.
There will certainly be some sort of mapping of places to patch. We also have a labor shortage. One of our tasks will be to upgrade this know-how.
Charlotte Roussel, consultant and spokesperson for Refashion
Tons of materials are thrown away
In Quebec, textiles account for almost 6% of discarded materials, according to data collected by Recyc-Québec in 2019-2020. We are talking about 292,000 tonnes during this period. An increase of 3.1% in 10 years.
In government, Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette has already announced a bill on the right to repair household appliances and electronic devices. In her office, policy adviser Justine Gravel told La Presse that better protecting consumers’ rights and their purchasing power was a “priority,” especially in the current inflationary context.
“As part of this bill, we specifically targeted goods that have been the subject of numerous complaints to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. “Nevertheless, we are closely monitoring what is happening in Europe and elsewhere around the world so that Quebec remains a leader in consumer protection,” she added.
An enthusiasm for mending
At Atelier Couture D on Saint-Laurent Boulevard in Montreal, spools of thread in all colors hang to the ceiling. During the pandemic there were no more balls and no weddings. A large proportion of customers stayed in their home office. The owner, Pierre Dextrase, explains that he was forced to rent part of his workshop. He was surrounded by five seamstresses; he only has one left.
Today, however, the designer notices a craze for mending clothes. More and more customers are having their pants size adjusted. For some repairs the waiting time is often two weeks.
PHOTO ROBERT SKINNER, THE PRESS
Pierre Dextase, owner of Atelier Couture D. In his opinion, it is important to enhance the profession.
“I believe that the first step in Quebec is to elevate the profession. Sewing is an art. Unfortunately, there is a serious labor shortage. Replacing a wardrobe clasp involves a lot of work. You have to start by unraveling it, sewing it and redoing it. It can easily take 45 minutes. We should be recognized just like a mechanic. »
For him, replacing the hem of a pair of pants costs about $18.
Jonathan Laplante is the manager of the 14 change workshops. One thing leads to another. He also noticed an enthusiasm for sewing. However, the fact is that buying new often costs less than repairing it. And he also faces a recruiting challenge.
I manage to recruit employees from communities with a migrant background. We have good fashion design programs, but people aren’t interested in sewing. It’s a shame, because the customers are there.
Jonathan Laplante, Head of Change Workshops One thing leads to another
The Metropolitan Fashion Cluster is an organization with the aim of contributing to the growth of the fashion industry in Quebec. Its general director, Mathieu St-Arnaud Lavoie, explains that there is already a movement to recover furs, revalue leather and denim and promote eco-design. In his opinion, Quebec should take inspiration from France in its patching bonus.
“I think there is a collective laziness, a lack of understanding about repair. The bonus is a great idea. But everyone will tell you that the first step is retaining design staff. »
Call for textile ideas
The municipalities of Montreal and Gatineau have decided to take a further step towards textile waste and launch a tender for technology. The goal: to reduce the tons of textiles that end up in landfills by promoting reuse or recycling. Both cities are requesting submission of technologies for sorting materials by color and composition. For processing textiles (e.g. depersonalizing, cleaning, repairing, upcycling) or recycling them (e.g. removing hard spots, cutting, shredding, defibering, etc.). And finally, to recycle mechanically or chemically. In the Greater Montreal area, 54 organizations and 40 thrift stores (private businesses) collect textiles in good condition for resale locally or on the export market.
Source: TechniTextile Quebec
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1.2 billion Clothing production generates 1.2 billion tons of CO2 annually, more than the combined emissions of the aviation and shipping industries
17 tons The production of one ton of textile generates 17 tons of CO2. For comparison: producing one ton of plastic produces 3.5 tons of CO2.
Source: Commission on Water, Environment, Sustainable Development and Large Parks, as part of the public consultation on the draft 2020-2025 Residue Management Master Plan for the Montreal metropolitan area