Bootmaker Dr Martens is set to launch a shoe repair service in the UK next month in a move to make its products “great again” and keep them in circulation for longer.
Speaking at a capital markets event, Dr Martens CEO Kenny Wilson said the services will appeal to “people who are into sustainability and who don’t want to buy new things, and others who have a loved pair and want to make them great again.”
His comments come after receiving messages from customers asking if the retailer offers services to get their shoes repaired.
“It is one of the things that consumers write to me about the most — emails and hand-written letters — about old pairs they’ve owned for many years and want to get repaired,” said Wilson.
He notes, however, that that it could lose “some business” in the short term.
“We think about it long-term, therefore we think it will breed customer loyalty, and it’s the right thing to do,” he added.
Subscribe to Sustainability Beat for free
Sign up here to get the latest sustainability news sent straight to your inbox everyday
Dr Martens will pair up with The Boot Repair Company, offering repair services of any component of their footwear.
Whereas it would cost close to £169 to buy a new pairs of Dr Martens 1460 boots, replacing a sole will cost close £81 with other repairs costing less than that.
How is Dr Martens marching towards net zero?
The repair programme is one of its initiatives to reach net zero by 2040.
Earlier this year, Dr Martens started using recycled leather at its Northampton factory for some of its boots in a bid to have 100% of its footwear made from sustainable materials by 2040.
The shoe company also aims to have all of its products to have a sustainable end of life option by 2040. Last year, Dr Martens launched a ‘ReSouled’ scheme with Depop where boots are repolished, given new laces, soles, heel loops and insoles before being resold.
“We think this is going to be a big part of how consumers shop in the future,” Wilson said at the time.
“This is part of something really important for the business longer term. Our incredible strength is the durability of the product. I can own a pair for seven or eight years and they are still perfectly good for someone else who wants to buy them,” he continued.
“There are people of all ages saying they would rather buy something that is reconditioned rather than new. There are still lots of other people who do want new. It is about choice,” added Wilson.
