Patagonia is expanding on its mission to keep its garments in service as long as possible with a new program called ReCrafted.
The outdoor gear company and sustainability stalwart is expanding on its WornWear program, launched in June, which collects gently used Patagonia apparel and refurbishes it for resale. In an extension of the successful effort, the company has introduced ReCrafted, which aims to salvage pieces that are beyond repair by deconstructing them and making them into entirely new garments.
Each unique item is assembled in Los Angeles, using anywhere between three and six pieces of used clothing sourced from the company’s Reno repair facility. Pre-worn garments comprised of different materials in various shades are deconstructed and rebuilt into one of nine different styles. The ReCrafted collection includes a down jacket, a down vest, a sweater, t-shirts, a toolkit and four bags, ranging from $37 to $327.
“Keeping gear in play as long as possible has been part of Patagonia’s business model since the 1970s,” the brand said in a statement. “ReCrafted is one answer to the question of what to do with those items that cannot be repaired, resold or recycled.”
The ReCrafted collection will be available exclusively on the program’s microsite, WornWear.Patagonia.com. Patagonia will also stage its first dedicated Worn Wear popup store in downtown Boulder, Co., featuring a selection of repaired and ReCrafted items. The space, which launched on Nov. 14, will be open through Feb. of 2020, the brand said.
Throughout the pop-up store’s run, the space will host regular repair workshops that teach consumers basic hand sewing, darning, and mending techniques for a variety of different types of apparel. Shoppers can also learn how to upcycle old garments, giving them new life. On Nov. 20, the Boulder shop will host a workshop on crafting totes and pillows from old t-shirts, according to the WornWear site.
The WornWear program will also continue its nationwide tour, Corley Kenna, Patagonia’s director of global communications and public relations, said. The company has taken its repair services on the road, making stops into college towns and ski communities across the country to solicit free repairs for all types of garments—not just Patagonia products.