An association in Alençon now offers the “repair bonus” for clothing

A first to Alençon. For more than a month, the social and professional integration association Emergency collective has been labeled “repair bonus” for his workshop couture.

Up to €25 off

Like electrical and electronic products since December 2022, the repair bonus has been extended to textile and to the shoe repair in November 2023. This system set up by the State allows clothes and shoes to be repaired rather than thrown away. “An incentive measure,” admits Mélanie Vasseur, director of the Emergency Collective.

Thus, the association took steps with the Refashion organization at the beginning of the year before receiving the label. “The customer drops off their item, we take a photo of it with the customer’s contact details and once retouched, we send the invoice to Refashion,” explains the director. The deduction is immediate for the customer, the association is reimbursed directly by the platform.

From a simple hitch to changing a liner, the customer can have a repair bonus ranging from 7 to 25 € “up to 60% of the price of the repair,” specifies Mélanie Vasseur.

Recycling, not throwing away and recovering waste are the values ​​of the association. The repair bonus is a plus for customers because they were already bringing their touch-ups to us.

A double interest

After communicating on this label, the couture workshop has already had more than one ten additional requests. Proof that this device is being emulated. “It’s also a plus for employees returning to the sewing workshop. They are the ones who use the Refashion application for reimbursements. It’s a real increase in skills within the collective,” says Mélanie Vasseur.

Of the ten positions in the sewing workshop, sept are busy at this time. “We only have seamstresses but we are open to men! », smiles the director. Employees, monitored within the collective, are hired on fixed-term contracts for a maximum period of two years. The goal is reintegration into professional life with lasting employment.

Upcycling

In addition to sewing alterations, the workshop makes linensmade of embroidery or responds to requests from companies in the Alençon region who use their services.

Upcycling is an integral part of workshop life. “We recycle old fabrics and clothes to create new ones,” says the director. The fabrics are recovered in partnership with the Agir or Emmaüs associations or via their decluttering activity. Voluntary drop-off is also possible at the store. The creations are sold at the association’s boutique.

The recycling or repair that the association advocates, apart from due to inflation, is “a general awareness”, concludes Mélanie Vasseur.

Emergency group: Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. 13 rue François Arago, 61000 Alençon.

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