Tucked away on a quiet street in the heart of Daveyton township on the east of Johannesburg, you’ll find Patch and Stitch. Collen Shoko and Lesego Masilela opened the doors to their alterations and repair studio a year ago. They have been offering their community services that help extend clothing’s lifespan, save money and reduce clothing waste… everything from garment dyeing to repairs and alterations.

Explaining the business, Lesego says, “Patch And Stitch solves problems. We recognised that a lot of people cannot afford to buy clothes on a regular basis. It’s much more affordable to get clothes repaired and refurbished. And, some people have clothes that they consider to be old or out of fashion, so we up-cycle them. Others have difficulties finding their perfect size at retail outlets, so they bring their purchases to us for alterations.”

We recognised that a lot of people cannot afford to buy clothes on a regular basis. It’s much more affordable to get clothes repaired and refurbished.

Patch and Stitch also sell Lesego and Collen’s up-cycled designs. A recent collection demonstrates how they transformed previously-loved Lacoste polo shirts and caps into new bomber jackets and bucket hats (see image above, and immediately below). They have also transformed scrap fabric from previous projects into stylish 1/1 bucket hats.

Fashion’s history is a great informer of fashion’s future. Think, ‘looking back to move forward’. Research tells us that circularity practices from darning, patchwork and embroidery to upcycling are age-old practices that date back thousands of years. These practices were fastidiously passed down from generation to generation… Until a few decades ago.

Clothing used to consist of quality, staple investment pieces made with the intention to last and cycle through trends every 20 years. Now, trend cycles have shrunk to just a few months (even as short as weeks). In an article for Fashion Revolution Lauren Rees writes that, “Modern clothing just isn’t built to last; the fast fashion business model and micro-trends drive constant change, resulting in the mindless consumption of cheap, poor quality clothing that sometimes seems easier to throw away and replace than it is to repair.”

Rees notes further that the “world now consumes about 80 billion new pieces of clothing every year – 400% more than the amount we consumed just two decades ago.” It can be argued that the rapid uptick in cheap and disposable fashion has led to the downturn of skills critical to clothing longevity like mending.

Lesego is a self-taught fashion designer with over a decade of practical experience and research at Sew Africa Fashion college. Now the senior garment technician at Patch and Stitch, Lesego knows that the world doesn’t need more clothes. “I made a conscious decision to repair, refurbish and up-cycle the clothes that are already in people’s wardrobes,” says Lesego.

I made a conscious decision to repair, refurbish and up-cycle the clothes that are already in people’s wardrobes

When asked to imagine sustainable fashion in a South African context, Lesego says that the industry still has a lot of growing to do. “Most South Africans still need to become aware of slow and sustainable fashion. I think with the correct teach-and-learn influence, things will change in the near future,” says Lesego.

Patch and Stitch recently launched a collaborative project called Patch and Stitch LAB to “spread the sustainability gospel”. Patch and Stitch LAB’s first collaborator is Vuyiswa Ntombela – a freelance fashion stylist and a shoe collector from Katlehong, a township in Johannesburg.

“Working in townships makes it much easier to tell our story or teach people about sustainability with flair and fun. We decided to create content around that and invite like-minded, progressive and influential individuals as our guests. This way, we get to expand our community and build an innovative and sustainability-conscious culture,” says Lesego.

Patch and Stitch offer free pick-ups and deliveries for 5+ garments within the Daveyton area.

Address: 4820 Kheswa Street, Daveyton, Ekhuruleni 1520

Contact: 0797847256 or patchandstitchsa@gmail.com

Instagram: @patchandstitchsa

Trading hours: Monday – Friday: 9 am – 5 pm 

Saturdays: 9 am – 4 pm

Sundays and holidays: CLOSED

Images:

• Lacoste Upcycling Project: Photographer: @lefaditshego, Model: @nomathamsanqa_nomz
• Other images: Supplied by Collen Shoko and Lesego Masilela