Care & Repair
- Partner(s): Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, AMSIB, morgenmakers, Comuun, Fabriek Fris, Mended, Leemans & Wicker, Modint, Miele, Fornet, Le Nouveau Chef, Livera, America Today, Denim City, New Order of Fashion, Modestraat, Milieu Centraal a.o.
- Financier(s): ClickNL
- Started in: September 2025
How can we extend the life of clothing and textiles? That question is central to the research project Care & Repair. The project is led by Elise van der Laan, our Associate Professor of Fashion & Design Research. She works with our Fashion and Design professorships, the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences and many partners from the fashion and textile sector. The project is supported by CLICKNL and runs until April 2028.
Why Care & Repair: urgency in fashion, textiles and sustainability
Worldwide we produce more and more clothing, while the lifespan becomes shorter. Many garments end up at the back of the wardrobe or in the bin, even though they could still be worn or repaired. Extending product life is one of the most effective ways to reduce fashion’s environmental impact. That’s why Care & Repair looks less at materials and more at how we use clothes; from washing to mending and alteration.
What we research: from design and textiles to behaviour and use
In this project we explore how care (maintenance) and repair can become a natural part of fashion practice. We focus on questions such as:
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Why do people keep or repair their clothes—or not?
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How can designers build repair and maintenance into their designs?
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What role can brands play in motivating customers to wear garments longer?
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How do we connect users, tailors, designers and brands in one working ecosystem?
If we truly want a circular fashion industry, we must learn to handle clothing differently. Repair and maintenance are just as important as new design.”
— Elise van der Laan, Associate Professor of Fashion & Design Research and Care & Repair project lead
Our approach: design-driven, system-focused with real-world pilots
We use a design-led, systems approach. In co-creation with partners, we work through four phases:
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Explore: map current behaviours, barriers and opportunities.
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Develop: design prototypes, interventions and concepts.
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Test: run pilots in real-life settings with users and companies.
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Implement: translate outcomes into guidelines, tools and formats ready for broad adoption.
Impact: knowledge and tools for practice
Care & Repair delivers fresh insights and solutions that can be used directly in practice. During the project we develop and test different directions that will take shape as the research progresses—for example practical aids for designers and brands, materials that help consumers care for and repair garments, and new knowledge about the designer’s role in system change. We share the outcomes so that what we learn becomes widely available.
Partners: working with major brands and design studios
Care & Repair is carried out by ArtEZ University of the Arts and the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, together with nearly twenty partners across the chain, including:
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Education & knowledge: Milieu Centraal
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Brands & businesses: Miele, Fornet, Livera, America Today, Le Nouveau Chef
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Design & creative: Leemans & Wicker, Fabriek Fris, morgenmakers, Comuun, Mended
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Networks & organisations: Modint, New Order of Fashion, House of Denim Foundation (incl. Denim City), Modestraat
By linking design, making, retail and use, we create solutions that work in real life. From consumer-facing materials and workshops, to guides for designers and new business models for brands.
Part of NewTexEco
Care & Repair is part of NewTexEco, our research community in which we collaborate with the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Saxion Hogeschool and dozens of partners towards a circular future for textiles and fashion.
Contact
Questions or want to stay informed? Please contact us at carerepair@artez.nl
Follow #ArtEZresearch on LinkedIn to stay up to date with our research in the fields of fashion, design and sustainability.
