So, you've got clothes that need mending. You just don't have the time, the skills or the things you need to fix the problem.
If you're really lucky, you might know someone who can help - a seamstress, a local sewing shop, a repair shop or a fantastic relative or friend with the time to take care of it.
Chances are though, you're not in this boat and you want your favourite clothes mended fast, by a professional you can trust.
As with many things in life, the internet has created the opportunity for a handy alternative - an online clothes repair shop.
What is an online clothes repair shop?
An online clothes repair shop is an online store where you can buy a service to fix your clothes. Behind the online store are professional seamstresses and tailors, with years of experience, all the best equipment and time to take the very best care of your clothes. There are also helpful people waiting to answer any questions you may have.
How does an online clothes repair service work?
You choose the service you need, for example, zip replacement service and select the size of zip*. Add this service to your cart and proceed to the checkout. The checkout process is very straightforward, allowing you to add additional postage insurance if your item has a high financial value (click here for more information about this). You'll receive confirmation of your order right away.
Next, look out for the reusable heavy-duty envelope which we'll send you in the post, along with postage labels to use when sending off your clothes for repair. There will be instructions inside to explain the process. You pop your item inside the envelope, seal it, stick the prepaid postage label on it and take it to any Post Office.
It will go straight to the seamstress we've selected for your repair who will take care of it as soon as she can fit it in. Once your clothing has been mended, it will go back in the envelope and be sent back to you, via courier. We use Evri for the return to you and will email you with the tracking information so you know when to expect it.
You receive your precious item of clothing back and are hopefully thrilled with the result.
Finally, we ask you to post back the reusable packaging so we can clean it and reuse it, and we provide you the postage label to use.
*If you're not sure which service to choose or have a more complicated request, such as alterations, please email us at hello@mendbymail.co.uk and we'll answer your questions as quickly as possible.
How much does it cost to have clothes repaired?
The price for each repair service is shown on our 'get a repair' page. This is the equivalent of a clothes repair price list. Costs depend on the type and size of repair you need.
There's a postage and packing cost which includes lending you a reusable envelope, sending your garment to our seamstress and having it returned to your doorstep.
The majority of the price you pay goes to remunerate our seamstresses, who have years of training and experience, and have to pay for equipment and supplies like new zips, buttons, threads and needles to mend clothes. The postage and packing cost is as low as we can manage, to offer the convenience of a postal service via Royal Mail and the Post Office. We don’t make any profit on this.
We’re trying to keep our costs down to encourage as many people as possible to have their clothes mended. We think that the alternative, to throw away clothing and buy new, cheap clothes, has many hidden costs to the environment and society.
What makes Mend by Mail a great online clothes repair shop?
We're in business to give more people a way to have their clothes repaired. We believe that there are people with the skills to repair clothes who would like the opportunity to work flexibly and remotely, by post. We also believe there are many people who need clothes mending but need a service that works with the way we live today ie online and by post.
We have sustainability at our heart which is why we're pioneering reusable packaging.