Meet our Local Repair Shop Keeping Good Gear on the Hill, and Out of Landfill
We first came across the lovely team at Snowdonia Gear Repair last year, when we took in a Paramo jacket with a broken zip for repair. Since then, we’ve been following their journey and watching them go from strength to strength.
It’s no secret that repairing is having a “moment” right now, from The Repair Shop to Patagonia Worn Wear to all of those incredibly satisfying videos on social media. But repairing is nothing new. As Rosanna tells us, mending clothes was a part of her life long before she opened a business dedicated to it.
Your business is 4 years old now, but tell us a little about how you got started. How did you actually learn to repair things?
I come from a long line of makers and sewers. Both my grandmothers were really keen sewers, one of them was actually a commercial pattern maker. And my mum was super into making and mending. She was an outdoor instructor too, so she also made a lot of her own kit. Especially before women’s outdoor kit was really a thing.
I’ve always been quite mathematical, and I love problem solving, so I studied engineering at uni. I never stopped sewing though, and a few years into my career, realised I wanted to work more with my hands. So Snowdonia Gear Repair was born!
Looking back it makes so much sense, the business to me blends this engineering brain of wanting to figure out how things work, with a love of the actual process of sewing. Plus I’m a pretty big environmentalist and always wanted that to be a big part of my work.
Setting up a workshop is no mean feat. What have the last 4 years looked like?
A lot of blood, sweat and tears!
But seriously, yes it’s been a lot of work. I started from my spare bedroom at home with 3 machines I’d bought at auction.
I just started handing out flyers and telling people I could fix things!
The local outdoor shops were a huge support at the start. All of the shops in Llanberis really helped to get the word out there, and we still have a drop off point at Joe Browns now.
Shout out to V12, Rumdoodles and Crib Goch too.
About a year and a half in I moved out of the house, which was a really scary step. And then shortly after moved again, and hired our first 2 staff all within the space of a few months. We spent quite a long time renovating our current workshop. But we’re so happy to have it as a space now. We’re really lucky!
Before….
And after….
You obviously talk a lot about the environmental significance of what you’re doing. Tell us more about the ethos behind the business
Possibly controversially, I was really determined to set up a business rather than a charity. Having briefly worked for another company doing repairs, it quickly became apparent that the repair side of the business was entirely funded by profits from sales of new items.
That just didn’t seem like a sustainable business model to me.
If we’re going to operate in a truly circular economy, it needs to be self-sufficient financially. We can’t rely on subsidies, profits or even grants from elsewhere.
And with repairs we’re offering genuine financial value to a customer, so it’s absolutely something that can be charged for. We regularly repair zip sliders or add sewn patches for less than £40 on gear that’s worth hundreds.
Good for the planet, and good for your wallet. That’s always been the aim
Plus I was really clear that we would be independent. That means we’re free to call out whatever we like and we don’t have to hide behind any corporate green washing.
If you come into our shop, we’ll tell you exactly how it is! We aim to be the experts you can trust to actually tell you the truth about your gear. With nothing to gain besides hopefully having you save some money by repairing your kit.
It sounds like you’ve put a lot of thought into the shape of the business. How did you find a team that matched that energy?
They actually found me. Sadie was our first employee. We sat on a bench next to each other at an event and just got talking. Ceri came by the workshop with a mutual friend and immediately got excited about the sewing machines. And Hannah just walked into the workshop and asked for a job! All of them just felt right straight away. We all have a pretty similar outlook on life, and want the same things from our work.
The environmental aspect has to come first. And I’d say we’re all pretty committed on that front (and yes we’ve had arguments how recycling processes before!).
Building the right team is foundational to running a successful business, and I’m incredibly grateful to have found a really amazing group of people to work with.
So you’re 4 now, what’s next for the business?
We’ve just recently launched a new class, teaching people to sew on industrial machines. I’ve always wanted education to be an aspect of the business. Give the man a fish and all that. So that’s really something we’re working on right now.
Trying to show people how easy it is to get their gear fixed, whether that’s sending it to us, doing a DIY repair at home, or coming to one of our classes. We’re on a mission to get the outdoor industry as obsessed with repairing kit as we are!
If you’re curious to learn more about Snowdonia Gear Repair, you can follow along on their socials here:
https://www.instagram.com/snowdoniagearrepair/
Or to request a quote, fill in the form on their website here:
https://www.snowdoniagearrepair.co.uk/repairs
And if you’re a DIY repairer, they also offer classes and DIY materials, as well as blogs filled with awesome repair advice you won’t find anywhere else. Check it out here:
https://www.snowdoniagearrepair.co.uk/learn
So, if you’ve got a favourite piece of kit that needs a little TLC before heading back out on the trails, we’d wholeheartedly recommend getting in touch with our friends at Snowdonia Gear Repair. Giving good gear a second life is better for your wallet, better for the planet and keeps trusted kit doing what it does best – getting you outdoors.
