Repair and wear
Research from First Mile found that nearly a third of people would be more likely to replace a damaged item of clothing rather than try to repair it.
A sustainable fashion future relies on us all making small conscious changes. The good news is that these are often good for your wallet as well as the planet.
Read on to find some fast fixes to help repair clothes for you and your little one, as well as discover fun ideas to revamp them in the process! We've also added handy links to YouTube tutorials to help get you started.
Button it
Sewing on a button is one of the easiest fixes you can do.
Did you know that we attach a spare button to our care labels so you can easily replace if needed?
Buttons can also bring bags of personality to clothing. Contrasting ones add a pop of colour or see if you can find fun buttons that make you smile.
If you are feeling particularly adventurous with your own clothes, you can even make them yourself, either by crafting from scrap wood or perhaps sculpting out of clay. Imagine the fantastic unique designs you could create!
Solve drawstring dilemmas
Don't let your drawstrings disappear, never to be seen or used again.
If you can, pull the entire length out and attach a large safety pin to one end. Thread back through the channel and out the other end. Children's drawstrings should be stitched in place, so use a knitting needle or similar to hook out the lost end!
If your drawstring is lost forever, get creative! Ribbons or shoelaces can make great options. Or sew together something like old festival fabric wristbands for an extra funky drawstring.
Stop them sneaking away again by knotting the ends. Perhaps thread a large bead (or several!) onto your drawstring to add some flair to your waistbands. On children's clothes, always make sure any new additions are very secure.
Shorten those straps
Straps that are too long and constantly slipping off can be exasperating. Fortunately, shortening them can be an easy fix.
For your own clothes you might want to explore different strap styles such as halter necks, racerbacks or tie straps.
Depending on the style of your straps, you may want to remove them entirely and replace with something like a length of ribbon.
Patch that hole
If your little one has accidentally damaged their clothes during an action-packed adventure, it might be time to think about patching them up.
Choose any fabric but be careful if it frays. You may wish to hem the patch or fuse it to lightweight interfacing (this is especially useful if you have chosen a fabric that stretches).
Sew your patch of choice over the hole however you like. Experiment with different stitches and thread colours to make your sewing a decorative detail.
On your own clothes, you can also cover holes with brooches and badges but please keep anything sharp away from children's garments.
Fix fallen hems
Dropped hems can be really frustrating and also ruin the look of a garment - not to mention being a trip hazard, especially for small people!
Luckily, they can be simple to repair, either with a needle and thread or by buying hemming tape for a no-stitch fix.
Again, this can be an opportunity to get creative. Why not try stitching with a contrasting thread?
If a hem has been trodden on or has frayed or ripped, it may be beyond repair. Can you cut a few centimetres off and hem from there, creating a cropped look? This works especially well for little ones who are growing fast too.
Jo's top tip
Our founder has a great solution for when shortening denim.
After you have shortened the hem, rub the edges with a pumice stone to give the new hem a soft and lived-in look. We love this simple and very effective idea.
We hope this blog has shared a little inspiration to help you repair and wear your clothes, as well as a few easy ideas to add your own twists too.
We would love to see your fixes! Please share with us at info@kite-clothing.co.uk or tag us on social media at @KiteClothing.
