Clothing and footwear repair presents a large opportunity for circularity, but this industry faces stronger headwinds than other sustainable markets.
Circular Fashion News, a media and foresight platform, published “The State of Clothing Repair & Care H1/2026,” a report on the state of the European repair industry and the key developments in the first half of 2026. The report synthesizes industry reports, academic studies, brand news, and policy developments released in this period.
The report states that the European clothing and footwear repair market was worth an estimated 2.8 billion euros ($3.1 billion) in 2025 and is projected to grow 5.5 percent a year to 3.7 billion euros ($4.1 billion) by 2030. These numbers are sourced from the Fédération de la Mode Circulaire and KPMG.
The ongoing discussion around circular VAT in the EU is a potential opportunity. This would create a reduced VAT rate on repair services and potentially on secondhand sales. The EU has allowed for reduced VAT on repair since 2022, but it has not yet been widely implemented. In May 2026, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and 69 organizations signed a statement seeking targeted policies for circular business models, including a call for lower VAT on second-hand sales and repair. The European Commission opened a public consultation on circular VAT in September of this year. Fast and ultra-fast fashion remain a challenge to the repair industry, disincentivizing repair with low prices and product quality.
Another opportunity lies in repair bonuses. France is the first country to implement this policy with a repair bonus program that began in 2023, which gives an instant discount of 7-25 euro ($7.80-$28) per repair at certified repairers. Brands fund the program with EPR fees. Ireland also has plans to pilot a repair voucher scheme in 2027, seemingly modeled on France’s program.
The report also tracks nine brand repair programs that were created or expanded in the first half of 2026. These brands included Next, Kiabi, Salomon, and Primark. Most of these programs were launched with specialist repair partners, which included Sojo, Save Your Wardrobe, and United Repair Centre. Levi’s Wear Longer Project also kicked off in January 2026 with the goal of educating young people about repair. The program includes a free digital curriculum, in-classroom lessons, and community workshops.
The uptake of repair depends mainly on consumer behavior. Australian circular materials company Samsara Eco published a study that demonstrates the cost of garment failure. The company surveyed 5,000 global, circular-conscious Gen Z consumers and found that when a garment fails, 1 in 4 consumers leave the brand. Fabric thinning or developing holes was the top concern (62 percent), followed by seams splitting or unravelling (55 percent). The majority of consumers said they expect their clothing to last for at least 30 wears.
The report also highlights a study by RISE Research Institutes of Sweden on consumer preferences around repair services. The study found that saving money motivated consumers more than environmental reasons for repair. The study used jeans as a case study, and researchers found that participants were willing to pay at least half the price of new jeans for a repair.