Primark promises to create workshops and durability standards

Irish multinational fast fashion retailer Primark has launched a series of initiatives to extend clothing life.

Irish multinational fast fashion retailer Primark has launched a series of initiatives to extend clothing life. With the introduction of new repair services and technology, the fashion giant expects consumers to “love wearing clothes longer.”

Primark is beginning to partner with WRAP to create a new standard for durability in clothing. The partners are exploring the relationship between product value and consumer behavior. The retailer is also expanding the number of its workshops after a one-year test period.

The new initiatives are designed to support Primark Cares’ long-term strategy of striving to run a circular business. The company aims to develop a standard that will give consumers the understanding that an item will last regardless of cost.

The retailer plans to complete the program by 2025 by analyzing the factors that affect the lifespan of clothing. Primark is also working with environmental and behavior change experts Hubbub on the project. Research results will be available by the end of 2023.

In 2022, the company opened 43 repair shops in the U.K. and Ireland, allowing consumers to take advantage of free longevity extensions on purchased items. The free repair shops will now open in other European countries.

Primark Cares director Lynne Walker said: “We believe passionately that more sustainable fashion should be affordable for everyone and whatever your budget, you should be able to trust that the clothes you are buying meet a certain standard and can go the distance. This has never been more important for our customers.