The average westerner throws away, on average, 32kg of clothing a year. Sure, some of that’s socks with holes in, or that shirt you introduced to a glass of pinot noir. But much of it we’re just too lazy to fix; stymied by a broken zip we toss a coat in the bin, because it’s easier to buy a new one. But this attitude wastes millions of tonnes of textiles and water, means manufacturers pollute more fields and rivers with dyes and detergents, and encourages a fast fashion cycle that will eventually force librarians to refile Cormac McCarthy’s The Road under the reference section. Not that there’ll be libraries when we’ve all gone feral. Which is why Patagonia, a brand that’s always worn its environmental credentials on its hardwearing sleeve, wants us all to get savvy with a needle and thread. The brand is touring the UK, stopping off in eight locations throughout April to educate customers on how to fix everything from fabric tears to busted buttons, and why a make do and mend mindset is so important for staving off the apocalypse. And because the Patagonia guys know that this is a problem that goes beyond brands, its fixers will happily patch up whatever you bring them. Even if it doesn’t have a Patagonia logo on. The Patagonia Worn Wear tour kicks off on 15 April, visiting: 15th & 16th April – Keswick, George Fisher & Nurture Lakeland blogger-fest 17th April – Grassington, Fellsman Climbing Event 18th & 19th April – Betws-y-Coed, Wales, Moel Siabod Cafe with Save the Conwy 21st & 22nd April – Shrewsbury, High Sports 23rd & 24th April– Stevenage, Countryside Ski & Climb 26th & 27th April– London, The Brokedown Palace at Boxpark with Waterkeeper 28th April– London, The Brokedown Palace at Spitalfields Market 30th April – 1st May – Cornwall, Down The Line Surf Shop with Save Our Sands
