Clothing and Footwear Repair in Australia - Industry Research Report

Beyond repair: As disposable income grows, consumers are less likely to use industry services

Clothing and footwear repairers have faced volatile trading conditions. Disposable income growth has provided consumers with more money to purchase new clothing and footwear items meaning they have increasingly chosen to buy new goods rather than repair existing items. Despite these challenges, volatile consumer sentiment over the period has prompted many households to scale back spending on new clothing and footwear, instead choosing to extend the life of existing items through repair and alteration services. Industry repairers have also benefited from the growing popularity of upcycling, where old garments are transformed into new items. Overall, industry revenue is expected to increase at an annualised 1.0% over the five years through 2022-23, to $286.0 million. This includes an anticipated increase of 2.5% in 2022-23, driven by a drop in disposable income and consumer sentiment.

Operators in the industry undertake repairs or alterations to clothing and footwear. Services offered range from basic repairs to complete restyling of older garments to make new clothing. Repairers may operate under a franchise model or as independent businesses. Stores are primarily located in shopping centres or shopping strips, which increases their exposure to passing consumer traffic.

This report covers the scope, size, disposition and growth of the industry including the key sensitivities and success factors. Also included are five year industry forecasts, growth rates and an analysis of the industry key players and their market shares.