John Lewis customers will be able to breathe new life into their favourite leather jacket or have their cushion covers repaired as part of a repair partnership with Timpson Group, renowned for giving ex-prisoners a second chance.
The service, which will be trialled in five stores from Monday, aims to encourage shoppers to pay to have items altered, repaired, cleaned or restored, rather than throwing them out and buying new ones.
Extending the life of your clothes by 9 months Reduce carbon, waste and water emissions by up to 30%According to Wrap, a charity that supports the circular economy.
John Lewis’ cheapest repair service costs £10.95 for minor rips and tears or fitting a new half pocket. A broken zip on a cushion cover can be fixed for £28.50. At the more expensive end you can pay £99.95 to have a handbag repaired – any brand item can be repaired with this service.
The 16-week trial, which will take place in John Lewis’ Oxford, Liverpool, Cheadle, Milton Keynes and Welwyn branches, is a collaboration with 200-year-old dry cleaning company Johnson’s.
Johnsons is known for its lock-making and shoe-repair business of the same name and is part of the Timpson Group, which owns brands such as the photography chain Snappy Snaps.
The group has a long history of employing ex-prisoners, who make up more than 10% of its workforce, some 1,200 in total.
As a result, shortly after Labour’s landslide election victory earlier this month, its chief executive, James Timpson, was appointed Keir Starmer’s new prisons minister.
John Lewis and Timpson highlighted the environmental benefits of repairing rather than replacing clothes and household items.
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Will Lankston, managing director of Timpson Direct, said: “Alterations have always been a core part of our business and this trend has grown over the past few years as more customers become environmentally conscious and want to repair and revive beloved clothes and accessories.
John Lewis said the trial would demonstrate which customers want to use the service and what they want from it, including the types of clothes most often brought in for repairs.
