Clothing alteration, tailoring, repairs, and re-design services are all key services for maintaining a sustainable wardrobe. I look at 7 different types of services available in London, some of which also offer virtual consultations and accept repairs globally. I’ve selected a mix of services that cater to luxury items, vintage, upcycling, and visible mending.
1. The Reclaimery – Clothing Redesigns
The Reclaimery upcycling, and embroidery services as well as bespoke clothing redesigns. The Reclaimery is a platform that empowers communities and consumers and helps to protect the planet through fashion. They focus on social and sustainable practices, carefully working with what already exists and providing essential skills training and employment to local communities. They accept all types of garments from fast-fashion brands to luxury brands – and even vintage.
Prices start from £80 for services that will help you renew a top. Smaller alterations and minor repairs are all POA – as are larger redesign jobs.
How it works:
- Use the contact form to get some guidance if you aren’t sure exactly what service you’ll need or how many hours of work it will take
- If you do know what service you want you can go ahead and purchase a package that gives you a number of hours with a specialist
- Take your measurements – see how to measure your body shape here
- If you’ve booked a VIP service (the founder Juliet will visit you at home – London ONLY)
- Pack up your items and send recorded in the post
- You’ll get confirmation that your pieces have been received and when you can expect them returned
- Try on at home – and if there are any issues, you can get in touch and have a follow-up service to get the items tweaked
To book your first alteration or repair visit their website: use RSL10 to get 10% off your first job.
Check out their Ethical Brand Directory Listing – and see why they made the cut for my collection of stylist approved brands
You can also see them on my Sustainable Shopping Map in London
Check out my review of my Little Black Dress Transformations as part of a gifted service collaboration with The Reclaimery
STYLE MADE EASY
10 simple things you can do to transform your style
2. The Seam – Find Local Seamstresses & Tailors in London
The Seam is a London-based business that helps connect local Makers with those looking for certain people with specific skills for their sewing-based projects. whether that’s a simple repair or something made to measure. Use their simple search filters to discover local Makers near you who specialise in the service you need. You can even request for your Maker to visit you for a fitting at home or your workplace, it really couldn’t be any easier!
Prices vary, an example cost would be a blazer that requires some fitting (tapering) and will cost you £48. Adding a new button will cost you £3 and a service fee of £8 is applied. It would appear that they accept all types of garments – you would likely need to specify if you’re looking for someone with plenty of experience in vintage or luxury fashion.
How it works:
- Enter your postcode on their website
- Choose your project: alterations or repairs or custom projects
- Choose your items: trousers, skirt or top for example
- Select the alteration or repair required to form a predefined drop-down list
- Browse Makers from a list sorted by location and distance from you
- Select your maker and then decide if you will go to them or post the item
- Enter what day you will go to their studio or post it, and when you need it back by
- Complete payment
Check out their website for more information.
3. NEWLESS: ON DEMAND & POP-UP EXPERIENCES
NEWLESS lets you breathe new life into your old, pre-loved pieces. They specialise in creating bespoke and zero-waste outfits with a modern twist. A great upcycling service to try if you’re a fan of fast fashion and modern cuts but want to be more sustainable, you’ll feel right at home at NEWLESS as they will create a fashion blogger look out of your old clothes in just 90 minutes!
Simply purchase your desired service on their website and follow 5 easy steps to create your custom piece.
How it works: On-Demand are upcycled styles made custom for you.
- Simply select your desired style from the items listed on their website.
- Either mail in your pre-loved’starter piece’ or purchase one of their pre-vented vintage options.
Check out their website for more information.
4. LOOM- Clothing REDESIGN APP
Loom is a fantastic new app; Daisy, the founder, likened it to Fiverr for fashion projects. The app launches soon ( Feb 2025) and has a network of creatives that can help you dye your clothes, upcycle a wedding dress, or redesign an old coat. There really is no limit; post a project and you’ll get matched with the most suitable freelancers—it’s as easy as that!
Pricing is varied as they offer bespoke services; you can expect to pay a fair price for the skills and labour. It’s not fast fashion, so prices will reflect the true cost of clothing alterations, repairs, and redesigns. It’s definitely a service you should think about and invest in getting something truly meaningful co-creaed with them.
How it works
- Post a job
- Get connected to designers
- Accept the quote
Check out their website for more information
5. The Clothes Doctor – Clothing Care Experts
The Home of Clothing Care. They offer online alterations, clothing repairs, and restoration treatments. However, they seem to have really moved their focus towards sustainable, plastic-free, non-bio, eco-friendly, fragranced laundry detergents, clothing care tools, and brushes, which can help you maintain your clothes for longer.
Costs vary; some are quite low, such as a zip replacement starting from £17, a fallen hem starting at £12, and a coat or jacket relining will set you back £175 + It would appear that they accept all types of garments but seem to specialise in restoration of materials like silk, cashmere, and leather.
How it works
- Review the website for the service you require and the pricing
- Request a quote
- Send in your items (self-ship to their team, or choose to get a CollectPlus label)
- 7-10 days later, your revived clothes will be delivered to the comfort of your home.
Check out their website for more information
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6. Splendid Stitches – Vintage Clothing Repairs & Alterations
Splendid Stitches specialises in vintage clothes repairs and vintage bridal gown fittings in London. From Split seams to patching rips, tears, and holes. They even do reworks, such as changing a dress to a skirt or a jumpsuit to trousers and re-lining vintage garments. Splendid Stitches specialises in pre-1990s vintage.
Costs of repairs are N/K- their website is a little dated and also lacks good before or after pictures. However, they have been recommended to me on several occasions hence making this list! They are very specific about excluding any fast fashion or contemporary fashion—in fact, they refuse to work on fast-fashion garments for ethical and operational reasons.
How it works
- Fill out the contact form with details and a photo of the vintage item
- They will be in touch and confirm if a fitting is required in their studio
- Note: they are unable to take on projects from outside the UK, leather, suede, or contemporary pieces.
Check out their website for more information
7. SoJo – The Clothing Alterations and Repairs App
Sojo is the UK’s first clothing alterations & repairs app. They are on a mission to help us all in our quest to create a more sustainable wardrobe. An ideal solution for Londoners who need to make small adjustments to their existing wardrobe and want the convenience of an app They connect customers to local seamstresses through their app, a very similar concept to The Seam.
The price for a pair of wide-leg trousers to be tailored at the waist it’s £22 and the shortening of the hem is £16.50 with a turnup, it would be £24.25. To repair a zip in the same trousers £22. Delivery is £3.99 for both the pick and return.
How it works
- Download the app (iPhone)
- Download the app (android)
- Enter your postcode (see if your area is covered)
- Select the garment you’d like altered or fixed
- Select the service you require for that item
- Book a pick-up time
I wasn’t able to use the app myself as my postcode in my old North London (zone 4) address wasn’t covered, or my new address, which is even further North.
I hope you’ve found this blog useful and will consider trying out some of these amazing services. You may find my other blog: 3 Shoe and Handbag Repair Specialists For Your Radar (coming soon) useful too; make sure you sign up for alerts so you don’t miss it. Let me know about your experience with these providers and if you have a blog or review with a before or after photo, please pop in in the comments below.
