Tchibo is trialling a textile repair service with Bridge&Tunnel and Repair Rebels

Tchibo is launching the “Trag Gutes Weiter” pilot project for a digital textile repair service with immediate effect. The Hamburg-based company is thus expanding its range of services centred on a circular economy suitable for everyday use. In future, customers will be able to register selected Tchibo garments online for professional repair and then post them in with ease. The pilot will initially run for six months (and only in Germany). Together with two specialist partners, Tchibo is combining customer access, digital processing and skilled repairs. The Düsseldorf-based start-up Repair Rebels is responsible for organising and managing the entire process, whilst the upcycling workshop Bridge&Tunnel carries out the repairs.

With this new service, Tchibo is responding to a growing need among many people: to use clothes for longer rather than discarding them prematurely. There is a strong desire to continue wearing favourite items, particularly when the repair process is simple and transparent. This is precisely where the pilot project comes in.

“Repair is by no means a new concept for Tchibo; rather, it forms part of our understanding of the circular economy. What is entirely new for us, however, is its application in the textile sector – an experience through which we are consistently refining our approach as part of this partnership project.”

What makes this project special is Tchibo’s collaboration with two partners who are rethinking repairs from very different perspectives.

Bridge&Tunnel is a multi-award-winning upcycling workshop based in Hamburg-Wilhelmsburg, founded in 2016 by Hanna Charlotte Erhorn and Constanze Klotz. The workshop produces high-quality bags, accessories and homeware from salvaged textiles such as denim, velvet and linen for its own brand, as well as from many other materials for corporate clients. In doing so, Bridge&Tunnel combines environmental and social sustainability: the team consists of women with refugee or migrant backgrounds who experience a sense of inclusion and appreciation through their work.

“Behind every repair is a person. That is exactly what we want to highlight together with Tchibo and Repair Rebels: high-quality textile work, local value creation and new opportunities through the circular economy.” Dr Constanze Klotz, Bridge&Tunnel.

Repair Rebels is a start-up specialising in digital textile repairs, founded in Düsseldorf in 2022 by Dr Monika Hauck. The platform makes it easy to send clothes, shoes and bags in for professional repair. The aim is to make repairs a practical part of everyday life, to support local craft businesses and to keep resources in circulation for longer. With its network of qualified partner businesses, Repair Rebels is one of the pioneers of digital repair services in Germany.

“Since Repair Rebels was founded, we have been pursuing the vision of making repair a natural part of fashion consumption once again – simple, accessible and in keeping with the times. Clothing is more than just fabric – it carries memories, stories and value. Repair means preserving this value and keeping resources in circulation for longer.” Dr Monika Hauck, Repair Rebels

The repair service has been deliberately designed to be accessible. Customers submit their request online, select which item of clothing is to be repaired, and receive their postage label by email. They then post in their (for example) torn ski jacket or trousers that need shortening. Once professionally repaired, the garment is sent back to them. The turnaround time is around 14 days.

To begin with, various product categories can be repaired, including trousers, jackets, skirts, dresses, rucksacks, as well as ski wear and children’s clothing.

The price ranges are transparent: for trousers, they range from €14.99 to €29.99 depending on the type of repair; for rucksacks, from €22.99 to €26.99.

Small, simple repairs such as sewing on a button are deliberately not included in the service. Instead, Tchibo provides DIY guides with videos from Bridge&Tunnel in its online shop (which are already available).

For many people, the circular economy remains an abstract concept – until it becomes a practical part of their everyday lives. That is precisely the idea behind the pilot project: to conserve resources, extend the lifespan of products and offer customers a service that fits in with their lives.

The fact that the issue is also gaining significance in regulatory and economic terms is further demonstrated by the current debate on the right to repair and extended producer responsibility (EPR) for textiles. Tchibo sees these developments as an opportunity, as repair has been part of its own circular economy strategy for years – for example, with coffee machines (Tchibo Refurbished) and spare parts for furniture. The new textile repair service now expands this approach to include an additional, customer-focused component

Tchibo will cover the delivery costs for the first 100 orders. After that, customers will be responsible for the postage costs for both delivery and returns.