If you’ve been reading Global Garbs for some time you know that sustainable fashion wasn’t always at the top of my mind or values.

Shoe repair to me was something I rarely took advantage of.

The majority of my shoes were cheaply made of harmful materials like “pleather” and were pieces of garbage.

My thoughts were, why should I pay $40 to fix my heels when I can just buy another pair for practically the same price.

And it’s what I did for many years.

I bought cheap crappy shoes, wore them for a few years (at most), and either donated or threw away.

It wasn’t until 2013 (Rana Plaza) that I finally began to question where things were made and where they actually go when you donate them.

So fast forward seven years, and I not only have a blog about sustainable fashion, but I also own a shoe repair shop called Goods & Services with my husband - go figure!

With that said, let’s dive into the seven reasons why you should always repair and not replace your shoes.

GOODS & SERVICES LOCATED IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES

Repairing your shoes is better for the environment

Well, of course this reason is sort of obvious, but did you know that we throw away over 300 million pairs of shoes each year - and that’s just the US alone!

Not only do shoes made of natural materials take 30-40 years to truly decompose, but some shoes made of plastic and other synthetic materials can take more than 1,000 years. 😱

By repairing your shoes you’re doing your part to keep them out of the landfill and also extend your shoe’s life for as long as possible.

It’ll save you money in the long run

When you repair your shoes you’ll ultimately save money by not having to buy new shoes.

This also goes hand in hand with buying better shoes.

When you buy higher quality shoes, they’ll not only last longer but you’ll be able to repair them over and over for decades.

Case in point: When I used to work at my corporate job in NYC I never bought nice shoes. When I finally received a big promotion, my gift to myself was to splurge on a luxurious pair of boots I had been eyeing for months. The cost? $460. I had never spent that amount of money on shoes before in my whole life and I almost had a panic attack.
However, ten years later and these boots look almost brand new. I’ve resoled them numerous times and religiously had them cleaned up, polished, and restored every season. They are my favorite pair of shoes and I never regret buying them now.
Had I continued to purchase cheap $60 shoes every year or so I would have spent well over $600 and I would have most likely thrown away or donated half of them.

It will save your feet!

Shoe repair isn’t just an environmental thing, or even a save your money thing, it’s a comfort thing! And who doesn’t like to be comfortable?

If your shoes are too tight? Stretch them out. If they’re too big and causing a blister, add an insole. Flat shoes have no arch support, so adding a thicker sole works wonders for your feet and back.

There’s honestly so many things you can do to help make your shoes more comfortable that many people have no clue about!

A big reason people throw away or donate shoes in the first place is because they hurt. This can usually be fixed somehow to save your shoes and feet.

You’ll become a more conscious consumer

I used to be so guilty of buying things I didn’t need just because it was on sale.

Or I just aimlessly shopped altogether because it was fun. And while I can at times still be somewhat guilty of the latter, I know I’ve made great strides in becoming more of an intentional shopper.

When you start to repair your shoes and understand the importance of buying quality items, you almost take pride in doing this act of repair. It’s almost as if you’re doing a good deed. You feel good about repairing your shoes and in turn you’ll be more aware of the types of shoes you are buying in order to ensure they can be repaired

You can buy those sample sale shoes🥳

We’ve all been there. There’s a blowout sale, a sample sale, or just a style you love completely sold out, except for one that’s almost your size. Whether it’s a half size too big or too small, when you take them to your local shoe repair shop you can easily fix this.

By adding an extra foot bed to make a big shoe smaller, or stretching out a size that’s a little too tight in the toe area, there are ways to make a shoe work for you - especially when you buy a shoe of higher quality made from a good leather.

Maintain the life of an item with sentimental value

We all have items that have been passed down to us from our grandparents. For me, it’s a Gucci handbag from my grandmother. The leather is worn, the GG print is a bit scratched, and the handle is falling apart, but what I didn’t know is that you can also get items like these fixed at shoe repair shops.

Many (not all) shoe repair shops offer full restorations on vintage shoes and even handbags that are falling apart.

The thing about vintage clothing and accessories is that the quality is there. Prior to fast fashion, the fashion industry and designers actually made quality items that were designed and built to last for much longer.

And while, being attached to an item for emotional reasons seems somewhat silly or unreasonable to some, I personally don’t think that by holding onto a few items from our past is being considered a hoarder.

You are supporting your community and a small business

Most likely your local shoe repair shop is a small business that has been around for years if not generations.

As a dying craft in the US, these types of shops need the community to stay afloat.

Similar to your local dry cleaners, tailor or coffee shop, these are the businesses that make a community a community.

It’s what gives each neighborhood character.

When you support a small local business, you not only are helping that individual store itself, but you are supporting your local community and neighborhood.

Prior to being a small business owner, I truly believed this to my core.

I hate giant big box corporations, stores, and brands. I will do everything in my power to avoid if possible, and I always buy local coffee over my local Starbucks. It’s simple things like this type of mentality that will keep your neighborhood alive, unique and well.

So here you have it. Seven reasons why you should repair your shoes.

And as you can see, this not only benefits YOU as a consumer, but your community, and the planet as well.

It’s a win-win for everyone, so here’s to cleaning out your closet and getting some of your shoes repaired!

7 Reasons Why You Should Repair and NOT Replace Your Shoes