STORIES – CONSCIOUS CHOICES #3

FIRST AID FOR DAMAGED SKIWEAR

Join us at Åre Syverkstad and Elevenate’s repairs service, where Marie Rödin extends the life of damaged skiwear.

The shell jacket is brand new, but has a cut right across the chest.

“This piece of the jacket was in the way when someone opened a box with a blade,” says Marie Rödin, stroking the garment.

We’re at a sewing workshop, Åre Syverkstad, a few hundred metres from Elevenate’s office in Åre. Shelves of GORE-TEX fabric cover one wall; Marie scans them with an accustomed gaze, selects a piece in the right shade.

“The damage won’t be visible when I’m finished,” she says, showing the seams she intends to open to replace the damaged section.

Marie Rödin owns Åre Syverkstad and has long been an important part of the service provided to Elevenate’s customers. She is also part of our sustainability work, because we always try to mend and extend the life of damaged garments, regardless of whether this involved a faulty item, wear and tear, or bad luck.

Marie has repaired damaged functional clothing for 25 years and is one of the few certified GORE-TEX workshops in Sweden. She works on new and well-worn garments with an astounding level of skill. She has spare parts for most of Elevenate’s products: buttons, zippers, zipper sliders and many other details.

“Zippers are the part that gets the most wear, but they usually don’t need completely replacing. Often it’s just that the slider’s worn out, which is easily fixed.”

Marie lives in Edsåsen, just outside Åre, with views of mountains, forests and water – her elements for walking, ski touring or sea kayaking. Over the years, she’s seen a change in people’s attitudes to outdoor clothing.

“More people want to mend their garments. It’s a good thing, as often the item can last a few more years.”

She finds Elevenate’s garments enjoyable to work with, as they have durable materials and good craftmanship, which makes repairing them – when necessary – rewarding.

“These are such classic, timeless garments that they are always wearable.”