Trine Skødt

Historically, practices of clothing and textile repair and refashioning (to reuse the fabric of worn-out clothes for the construction of new clothes) were fundamental to foster material resourcefulness and promote longevity of textile products. However, with the outsourcing of textile and clothing production and the cheapening of garments in the late 20th century, Denmark has witnessed a decline in textile skills and knowledge within both the industry and among citizens. A diminished textile literacy, coupled with a lack of economic incentive, has resulted in a widespread abandonment of repair and refashioning practices in contemporary society. Consequently, Denmark faces significant challenges in transitioning towards a circular textile economy. Furthermore, historical research on clothing and textile repair and refashioning in Denmark remains scarce. 

On this background, this PhD project investigates Danish examples of clothing and textile repair and refashioning historically, and how knowledge about these practices can contribute to contemporary ideas and action towards material resourcefulness of textile products. 

The PhD study employs a multidisciplinary approach, combining historiographical research with practical, design-based methodologies to examine the infrastructures that facilitated repair and refashioning practices historically. The research focuses on three key examples of clothing and textile repair and refashioning: 1) darning samplers from the National Museum of Denmark’s collection, 2) handicraft education’s inclusion of repair and refashioning techniques in the Danish primary and lower secondary schools from late 19th century to the present, and 3) the repair and refashioning service initiative of Clothing Repair and Exchange Centres of the 1940s and 1950s. The project findings underscore the need to revitalise textile craft education, enhance textile literacy in industry and among citizens, and provide political and economic support for a repair infrastructure, for example, repair service initiatives. By bridging historical and contemporary perspectives, this research demonstrates the potential of past practices to inform and inspire current efforts to promote repair and increase the use phase of clothing and textile materials.

The project is funded by the Royal Danish Academy - Institute of Design, Product and Material and is partnered by the National Museum of Denmark. The project is supervised by associate professor, Else Skjold, Institute of Design, Product and Material, Royal Danish Academy, research professor Ulla Mannering, National Museum of Denmark and professor Kate Fletcher, School of Art & Design, The Manchester Metropolitan University.