// Primark launches new initiatives to look at the relationship between price and consumer behaviour on durability
// The new repair initiatives are designed to help ensure “clothes can be loved and worn for longer”
Primark is launching new durability and repair initiatives designed to help ensure “clothes can be loved and worn for longer”.
The retailer said it wants to look at the relationship between price and consumer behaviour on durability.
The series of new initiatives includes working with WRAP to establish a durability standard, commissioning research looking at the relationship between price and consumer behaviour on durability, and scaling up Primark’s free clothing repair workshops following a 12-month pilot.
These initiatives support Primark’s ambition to become a more circular business in line with its long-term sustainability strategy, Primark Cares.
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Primark is looking to introduce a recognised standard for durability across the fashion industry so that consumers can be assured that what they buy will last, no matter how much they can afford to spend.
This supports Primark’s commitment to strengthen the durability of its clothes by 2025.
The retailer is looking to understand the factors which impact on how long clothing lasts.
To do this, it is partnering with environmental and behaviour change experts Hubbub. As part of the project, Primark has commissioned the University of Leeds School of Design to carry out independent academic research that tests the physical durability on a range of women’s and men’s clothing of different price points under controlled conditions.
Primark will also work with Hubbub to research consumer attitudes to clothing and to examine consumer wearing and washing habits in practice in order to further understand the factors that impact clothing durability. The findings of both these studies will be shared later this year.
Moreover, following a successful pilot in 2022 with 43 repair workshops rolled out to customers and colleagues in UK and Republic of Ireland, Primark is expanding its free repair workshop programme to more stores, with additional European markets to follow.
The hands-on sessions cover core basic repair skills – from sewing buttons, zips and mending tears, as well as lessons in customisation.
To maximise the reach of these repair skills and tips, Primark has created an online customer hub featuring easy-to-follow repair videos, covering everything from basic stitching to sewing on buttons and zips. The tutorials will be available across all its social channels.
Primark Cares director, Lynne Walker said: “We believe passionately that more sustainable fashion should be affordable for all and whatever your budget you should be able to trust that the clothes you are buying meet a certain standard and can go the distance. This has never been more important for our customers.
“That’s why we want to see the introduction of a durability standard across the fashion industry, and we want to understand more about the behaviours and attitudes which impact how we all wear and care for our clothes.
“We know that many clothes that are discarded may still have plenty of wear left in them and that’s why we want to help people learn new repair skills to be able to sew, fix a button or even customise a piece of clothing and give it a new lease of life.”
