The Science of Mending
Research-backed data on why repairing clothes matters
Water Used to Produce One Garment
Every garment you mend saves this water from being used for a replacement
2,700 liters = 900 days of drinking water
That's how much water goes into a single cotton T-shirt
CO₂ Saved by Repairing vs. Replacing
Kilograms of CO₂ equivalent avoided per item repaired
7.5 kg
T-shirt repair = 25 hours of ironing
30 kg
Jeans repair = 600 cups of tea
45 kg
Jacket repair = 300 wash cycles
Fashion produces 8–10% of global carbon emissions
More than international flights and shipping combined
Where Discarded Clothing Goes
120 million metric tons discarded globally in 2024
80%
landfilled
or burned
or burned
80% — Landfilled or Burned
12% — Reused
7% — Other disposal
<1% — Recycled to new fiber
Less than 1% becomes new clothing
Textiles take 200+ years to decompose in landfills
Impact of Extending Clothing Life
Environmental footprint reduction by months of extended use
100%
90%
80%
70%
Baseline
+3 months
+6 months
+9 months
+12 months
5–10%
reduction at +3 months
20%
reduction at +9 months
£5 billion
UK annual savings potential
+9 months = 20% less carbon, water, and waste
The single largest opportunity to reduce clothing's environmental footprint
Source:
WRAP UK "Valuing Our Clothes"
Repair vs. Buying Second-Hand
How often each activity prevents buying something brand new
4 out of 5
repairs prevent a new purchase
3 out of 5
second-hand buys prevent new
Repair wins for preventing new purchases
Research conducted with Depop, eBay, Vestiaire Collective, SOJO, The Seam, and Finisterre
2,700L
water saved per T-shirt mended
20%
footprint reduction at +9 months
82%
of repairs prevent buying new