We are excited to introduce a new feature in the fight against overconsumption – a repair thread sewn into each of our garments! In this context, we are sharing a (completely real ;)) conversation with a stressed and skeptical customer:
Customer: – Mayday, mayday! I have a t-shirt crisis here and need immediate help!
NP Support: – Hi! We are, of course, ready to assist with a t-shirt crisis. What happened?
Customer: – Okay, this is a bit embarrassing, but I put my NP t-shirt in my backpack along with an open sausage pack. My dog (who loves sausages) got hold of the shirt in an unguarded moment, and now there's a tear across the stomach (of the shirt). Can you help??!?
NP Support: – Oh no! We understand both that dogs like sausages and that accidents can happen. We believe you can repair this entirely on your own. Do you have a sewing needle?
Customer: – I should have one! Otherwise, I can search the neighborhood or borrow one from my mom.
NP Support: – Great! Check the bottom right side of the t-shirt. There you'll find a small pocket with a thread in the shirt's color. Cut off the loop the thread is hung on, and voila - in a couple of minutes, the shirt will be as good as new 😊
Customer: – Do you seriously think I can SEW?? I failed the potholders I knitted in the crafts class!!
NP Support: – No worries – now you can learn a new skill! Watch this short instructional video, and you'll get all the information you need to repair small holes with just a needle and thread.
Customer: – Okay, challenge accepted! But shouldn't the shirt have withstood a bit more than this?? He (the dog) doesn't have that sharp teeth.
NP Support: – Believe it or not, we expect and hope that our clothes will eventually get damaged. After all, they are made to be used. Additionally, your t-shirt is made of thin wool and silk. While they have fantastic properties, they don't withstand all kinds of stress. Therefore, it's even more important to make it as easy as possible to repair our garments.
Customer: – It would have been easier just to buy a new t-shirt, right??
NP Support: – To be sustainable, we believe in buying quality and using it for a long time – Buy less, Play more! And you don't need to buy new even if something gets damaged or worn. That's why we've designed our garments to be repairable from the start, whether it's tears and holes from thorns, bushes, or hungry dogs.
Customer: – So you expect your customers to eventually walk around with clothes full of sewn-up holes and patches???
NP Support: – Actually, yes! We offer one free repair, but the goal is for the garments to be repaired more than once. And if it becomes too holey to wear on a date or a party – wear it anyway! It's super functional under a ski jacket or suit shirt.
Customer: – Okay, okay – I see you've thought this through. But back to this thread you now sew into all the garments – do I, as a customer, have to pay extra because you expect buyers to be a bunch of klutzes who ruin their clothes??
NP Support: – No – we cover that cost. Since you buy the product directly from us without intermediaries, we can afford to include such details. Especially when it aligns with our philosophy for design and sustainability; that our clothes should work for everything, last long, and be repairable 😊.
Customer: – But enough about sustainability – I have to go if I'm going to learn to sew. Wish me luck!
NP Support: – You got this – and have a great trip!
PS: We at Northern Playground have thought long and hard about whether to include the repair thread or not. Sewing it into each garment means extra materials and work, and if it doesn't get used, it's wasted resources. We definitely want to avoid that. Therefore, we hope to encourage people to actually use the thread; to teach ourselves to take care of our products, and that a hole or a tear doesn't mean the garment is ruined. Additionally, you'll experience the joy and confidence of being able to repair things yourself. Maybe it will even inspire you to fix other things in life!
