Based on recent data from M&S, which indicates that just 10% of people are self-assured enough to fix clothing, and that 60% of customers want retailers to provide more services that help them reduce their carbon footprint, M&S is collaborating with SOJO, a leader in clothing repair and alterations.
Launching in August, the “M&S fixed by SOJO” hub will assist consumers in giving their M&S clothing “another life” and lowering textile waste, which is a crucial component of the retailer’s Plan A roadmap to promote the circular economy. The collaboration expands on the retailer’s previously launched garment donation programme with Oxfam, which has gathered over 36 million articles of clothing and raised an estimated £23 million to combat global poverty.
Customers of M&S will be able to choose and schedule a variety of custom repair services, such as invisible knitwear repairing and zip repairs, using a single, easy online form thanks to a dedicated online hub. M&S apparel can be submitted to SOJO’s in-house repair team for repairs starting at just £5, and the items will be fixed and returned to the customer’s doorstep in seven to ten days.
The collaboration with SOJO coincides with M&S’s release of “Another life.” This month, Plan A, “Another life,” will be available on the retailer’s website, app, and physical locations. It unifies all of the retailer’s circularity services in one location.
Richard Price, Managing Director of Clothing & Home at M&S, commented, “Through the launch of our repair service, we’re making it even easier for customers to give their clothes Another life, whether they are using our new repair service or long-standing clothes recycling scheme.”
Josephine Phillips, Founder and CEO of SOJO, commented, “I’m so excited that M&S has chosen to launch a repair service with us at SOJO as it’s an incredibly big step towards that mission. As a brand that has remained a firm constant in almost every household and wardrobe in Britain, this partnership with truly bring easy, accessible and convenient repairs to the masses. Beyond that, as one of the longest standing British brands, having M&S join our Pledge to Repair adds such a great weight to our call for industry-wide change here in the UK.”
