Toast launches Renewed, a collection of "creatively repaired" pieces

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Feb 28, 2023

Fashion and lifestyle label Toast has launched Toast Renewed, its new collection of “creatively repaired pieces for increased longevity”. Prices range from £90 to £350.

It's just one in a large number of initiatives, coming from brands at present designed to increase the durability of their output, and to keep more clothing out of landfill sites, as well as reducing the use of precious resources.

The “one-of-a-kind visibly repaired” womenswear and menswear garments and soft textiles, expand on the brand’s “commitment to cherishing materials and creating long-lasting products,” we’re told. They highlight “the art of repair with skilled craftsmanship, demonstrating how it can be used to create characterful items with care and attention”.

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Each piece in the collection has been evaluated by a repair specialist “who takes fabric, colour and texture into consideration before embarking on the repair”.

Included are signature workwear repaired with the Japanese technique of sashiko (a popular option for brands, looking to repair items, and one that has been very publicly embraced by Uniqlo with special work stations in its flagship stores).

Also present are Swiss and woven-darned knitwear, intricately embroidered dresses and quilts mended with patches. 

Each repair is specific to the item, “showcasing the unique handwriting of [Toast’s] team of six repair specialists”.

The items themselves were originally damaged pieces from its stores and those returned by customers to the firm’s warehouse. Previously, these pieces would have been held in the warehouse and sold through sample sales and its outlet shops.

The company has actually been offering free in-store repair since 2018 and said that to date, 3,081 garments have been processed through Toast Repair. 

The company is planning to implement further sustainability initiatives across the business, from material sourcing and product development to recycling, and product lifecycle management.