Patagonia has revealed the opening in Paris of a new hub of the repair business United Repair Center.
URC was born from the partnership between outdoor brand Patagonia and social enterprise Makers Unite, with support from the Amsterdam Economic Board and is led by executive chair of the board, Thami Schweichler and chief executive officer, Paul Kerssens.
The first location opened in Amsterdam in 2022, followed by London in 2023.
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The company employs 50 repair technicians across these two centers, many of whom were refugees or tailors in their home countries, helping outdoor and fashion brands extend the life of their products.
The Paris hub, located in the 13th arrondissement, which will open its doors in February, marks a significant milestone as the city is a strategic hub for European fashion.
“France has been a global leader in introducing bold policies to limit fast fashion, making it a natural fit for United Repair Center’s philosophy,” said Schweichler. “With Shein’s physical store opening in the city, we’re arriving just in time to demonstrate the social and environmental impact of repairing beloved items rather than buying new ones.”
Alongside the repair center, the United Repair Academy will open and offer training and guaranteed employment to individuals facing barriers to the job market.
The expansion was made possible by a 3.2 million euro investment from impact finance firms such as French investment management company Phitrust, French nonprofit Makesense, and the Netherlands based regional development agency ROM InWest, alongside Doen Ventures and the international cooperative association Parrots Eyes, based in the Netherlands, facilitated by nonprofit cooperative Generous Minds.
Schweichler concluded: “We envisioned gathering the best impact investors to share our ethos and ambitions. The future of the United Repair Centre as a catalyst for systemic change across Europe, driven by technology and repair craftsmanship, is made possible by this extraordinary team of financial innovators.”
In 2024, URC repaired more than 29,000 items for more than 30 brands, including Patagonia, The North Face, Levi’s, Arc’teryx, Lululemon and Decathlon. The organization’s mission is to build a pan-European repair network, leveraging cutting-edge technology, creating skilled jobs, and fostering value-based partnerships.
