How Primark in Birmingham is helping customers to make their clothes last longer

The world’s biggest Primark on the High Street in Birmingham city centre has been holding clothing repair workshops to help reduce fashion waste and help customers learn new skills.

This initiative proposed last year by fashion designer Lorraine Mitchell is helping Primark to become a more sustainable business and has proven a hit with Pirmark fans.

Paul Chittim, the General Manager of Primark Birmingham, says that the new repair workshops are part of a wider strategy regarding sustainability, which is known as Primark care.

“There’s loads of information on the Primark website, which talks about the nine key commitments of the business under the three overarching principles of people, planet and product. And this is the latest in a line of initiatives, you know, designed to highlight that to customers. And it’s really important that we do this with the local community here in Birmingham.”

This strategy is designed to make sure that customers can love their clothes for longer, that products are more durable, and that sustainable fashion choices are more affordable.

Lorraine says that the main goal is to give customers the confidence that they can actually repair their clothes.

She says: “it’s mainly a repair shop, and is actually, hopefully, to give quite a number of customers confidence that they can actually repair their clothes. Because as you’re aware, so many people - they really don’t know what to do.”

Lorraine points out that many people are horrified by the amount of clothes that are wasted each year, and these skills can help to reduce that waste. She also notes that these skills can save people money in the long run.

“Everybody’s thinking about costs, and these types of skills are life skills. And then the good thing is by doing those life skills, it actually helps you yourself, thinking to yourself - not feeling bad - but I’ve wasted all my time throwing garments, giving them to charity shops. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with giving to charity shops.

“But those life skills will give you confidence that you can repair the garments. And all it is - fall in love with it again! And think to yourself, it’s not a bad idea to actually go back to it and see what it can do and you can save some money.”

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