According to consumer forecasts, this Christmas second-hand gifts will be very popular – a fundamental trend that responds to the current economic and environmental challenges, but it is not the only sustainable alternative to new purchases. Just as affordable, if not more so, is to repair damaged items which also helps fight against waste and overproduction.
Replacing broken or old items has become as much a reflex as it is an easy option. Why bother examining the item, determining the breakdown or failure when you just have to go online and get a brand new one? However, this is a habit that is diminishing as inflation and the climate emergency force consumers to transform their purchasing behaviour, even during the holiday season.
Second hand goods are becoming an ideal alternative when it comes to managing your budget without causing extra harm to the planet. Christmas is also a good time to turn to repair and offer a new life to objects whose sentimental value often far exceeds their financial value.
Bring items back to life
Céline, 38, turned to repairing items out of an economical need. Her idea was to have the silver chain that her husband had not worn for several months repaired. "My first instinct was to buy him another one, then I thought it was ridiculous, especially since it was one of the first gifts I gave him more than fifteen years ago," she told RTBF.
She took the chain to a jewellery store near her home to have it examined. "The jeweller immediately told me that the clasp was not broken, just loose ... She went into the workshop for five minutes, then returned with the chain repaired and cleaned, as new. And it cost me absolutely nothing."
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Jewellery is indeed one of the many objects that can be refurbished at a lower cost. Simply go to the store and have a quote made if the failure requires it. If the price is lower or identical to the purchase price of the jewel, it is probably not essential to buy new.
Repairs are not, of course, limited to jewellery. Shoes, toys, high-tech equipment, clothing, furniture... There is someone somewhere who can help bring these items back to life.
The return of repair shops
Not even 50 years ago, almost every city had its shoemakers, seamstresses and other alteration services. These services have been somewhat lost over the years. But the Covid pandemic has changed the game and seen the rebirth of repair services, in physical form and even more so online in the form of platforms or even applications.
This is the case of the London start-up Sojo, a service based on the Deliveroo model that allows in just a few clicks to entrust your clothes to couriers to have them repaired in a few days by professionals. And it is not the only one: Les Réparables, L'Atelier 23/11, The Restory, Clothes Doctor and even the collaborative repair workshops Repair Café are among the services that allow you to patch up and give a second life to clothes and leather goods at a lower cost.
The observation is the same for shoes with, for example, MonCordonnier.com or Galoche & Patin, which refurbish your shoes and / or sneakers in a few clicks. Restoring a beloved item therefore be a great way to please your loved ones without harming your budget or the planet.
