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Repairing becomes even cooler: Repair Rebels X Mono-Quick

 

DATE

30.08.2022

 

Fashion lovers can now have even more reasons to repair their favorite pieces. Our startup venture Repair Rebels just announced a collaboration with Mono-Quick – the biggest Patch company in Germany. Together, they want to revive the repair culture in Germany and help individual stories of the garments to continue!

The History and Making of Patches

The role of embroidered patches in fashion has an old history and a rich cultural background. Their use can be tracked back to the 3rd century BC in China, South America, and even the Viking times (OldEnglischCo., 2021). Before the Victorian era, when the mechanical sewing machine had been invented, patches were hand-stitched. Artisans sew their art directly on clothing using several mending and sewing techniques. The first embroidery machine was created by Alphonse Kursheedt in the early 1800s. It used a combination of hand and looms embroidery. Then a few years later, Issak Groebli built the “Schiffli” embroidery machine with a continuously threaded needle and shuttle which brought major improvements in the process (AmericanPatch, 2013). Nowadays, patch production is being digitalized and a lot of them can be simply ironed on clothing. For people who don’t know how to sew or never used a thread and a needle, this is a very convenient and fast option to get started with clothing repairs.

From Punks and Hippies to High Fashion

The traditional use for patches was to cover up holes and give clothing a clever upgrade, giving more years to wear. In the military, though, patches were used to show people’s rank and achievement. Later on, many social movements and groups throughout the world used them for identification purposes. Patches were used in protest of feminism, civil rights, and gay rights. Wearing patches on the sleeves or on the back gave people a voice and a sense of belonging to a community (Solomatina, 2016). To this day, wearing a patch, can communicate a message and support social change.  

The Hippie community started growing in the mid-sixties, as a group known for their non-weaponry protesting movements with love, peace, and harmony. Their fashion style embodied their values and political statements. Baggy but flowy pants, colorful tops, bandanas, and bold accessories were made themselves or bought second-hand, as buying new was rather unpopular to show the problems of consumerism. Patches became a staple piece in their outfits, with bold statements, rainbows, peace signs, and smileys.

In the late seventies, eventually, new cultures were emerging, known as the alternative culture. They were the opposite of the hippies as they wore dark clothes and had an edgy attitude, as they did not believe that everything could be solved with love, peace, and harmony. This also split into subcultures like the punks. Their fashion style was or even is to this day filled with leather, used denim, spikes, and chains. Patches were playing the part of showcasing favorite brands and political statements (Mary, 2018). What also trended in their punk community were shoulder and back patches of large sizes. They were typically roughly stitched into clothes or applied by using safety pins, giving them even a bolder look. Such techniques influenced the high fashion area and the emergence of designers such as Vivien Westwood, who also worked against “the anti-fashion phenomenon” (Solomatina, 2016). 

Designer Raf Simmons showed patches in his collections and influences further designers to do the same. Today, luxury brands like Gucci, Moncler Burberry, or Marc Jacobs frequently use embroidery patches in their collections. Some even sell their designed patches separately for consumers to use them at home.

"We believe in the mission of Repair Rebels, as it is not about replacing clothing, but about working with the local craftsmen to give your favorite clothing the long life they deserve. Together we want the individual stories of the garments to continue."

German Patch Pioneer – Mono-Quick

In 1968, the family-run company was founded by Jörn Rauser, who liked to decorate clothing with personal initials. He started ordering personalized shirts with embroidered monograms in 1966 in New York – that is how the idea for Mono-Quick was born.  However, the philosophy, as well as the portfolio, changed rapidly! Iron-on pictures of all kinds to creatively extend the life of clothing were and still are the main arguments for patch products. The family-owned company deliberately does not address a specific customer target group, but rather offers everyone an opportunity to choose patches depending on their own style and cultural affiliation. That is why today Mono-Quick has over 800 motifs and 30 licenses on its website. Since 2005, Mirko Rauser has been the second generation, operational manager, leading the company through digitalization and the challenges of our time (Mono-Quick, 2022).

At the heart of the new product pallet, are RECYCLPatches, made from recycled PET bottles and with a strong environmental message. Hereby, 5 cents per piece sold will be donated to the Schule-Klima-Wandel (a project of the SV-Bildungswerk). In general, Mono-Quick is looking for interesting cooperation partners for their donations. As part of their sustainability efforts, Mono-Quick is actively engaging with schools, by donating their patches and educating the youth about clothing repairs.

Repair Rebels X Monoquick Collaboration

Mono-Quick and Repair Rebels embrace similar values in their mission of reducing clothing waste and giving a second life to the clothing that we already have. By adding-up a patch, a piece of clothing can become even more personal – in line with the Repair Rebels’ motto “Repaired clothes are loved stronger”. This collaboration helps our young startup to expand the repair horizons, as many people are still unfamiliar with the repair culture or think of it as too costly and unfashionable. Mono-Quick and Repair Rebels show that this does not need to be the case – quite the opposite! With the simple and fast application of a patch, as well as the convenient ordering of an online repair, the repair culture in Germany is revived!

To embrace this collaboration to the fullest, visit https://www.repair-rebels.com, and until the end of September 2022, use the code FashionRebels-10 at the checkout to get a 10% discount on your repairs and receive two patches from Mono-Quick gifted to you and your friend! 

#IcareIrepair #RepairRevolution #SmallBusiness

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