The no-cost workshops conducted within Primark stores are designed to impart basic repair and upcycling skills such as hem mending and the addition of buttons or pockets, and they are open to individuals at all skill levels.
The initiative is a component of Primark Cares, the brand’s overarching sustainability programme aimed at fostering more eco-conscious fashion choices while ensuring affordability and widespread availability.
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The first US workshops have launched in Staten Island and Tysons, Virginia, near Washington, DC and are set to expand into two additional markets, catering to residents of New York and the DMV area.
Workshops are scheduled at Primark’s Staten Island Mall store, with additional sessions planned for Primark Tysons Corner Center on 12 June.
Primark Cares director Lynne Walker said: “Bringing our free Love it for Longer repair workshops across the pond to the US has been a long-held ambition for us. We know people want to make their clothes last longer, but often just need a little help getting started. These workshops give them that – because sustainability shouldn’t be out of reach for anyone.”
The workshop series began in 2022 with nearly 400 free sessions already conducted in various European countries including the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, Spain, and France.
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By GlobalDataParticipants will receive a free sewing kit, a guidebook on repairs, and a reusable tote bag to encourage continued practice of these skills at home.
Primark US president Kevin Tulip said: “Over the last three years, we’ve hosted hundreds of repair workshops in our stores across Europe and the UK and are excited to roll out this offering in a handful of US markets – a major sustainability milestone for the brand and our conscious consumers.
“We know that educating customers on repair is a small step in our journey to becoming a more sustainable business, but through our scale, we can reach many people and hopefully spark some change in how people care for and wear their clothes.”
Under Primark Cares,the retailer produced 66% of its clothing using recycled or sustainably sourced materials and aims to achieve 100% by 2030.
The company has also released a Durability Framework designed to extend the lifespan of clothing and address textile waste issues.
In terms of emissions reduction, Primark has achieved a 21% decrease in Scope 1 and 2 (market-based) emissions in 2024 relative to 2023 levels and a 52% reduction from its 2019 baseline.
In October last year, Primark joined forces with Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) in a new three-year partnership that aims to reduce textile waste and extend the lifespan of clothing.
