On the mend

What does it mean to mend? For most people it means to repair, patch or rebuild – it’s about making something whole again. And it’s also about the activity and utility of mending, through intention and necessity, to make something useful again. One thing is for sure, though: it is not about replacing something old with something new.

Mending textiles and clothing has always been an important part of past practices. We mended because we had to; it was a natural part of the useful life of things. As fabric became worn, mending was the next step in extending its life: creation, use, mending and