United Repair Centre and Levi’s launch denim repair service

Amsterdam’s waste transition gains momentum with new collaboration

A new partnership between United Repair Centre and Levi Strauss & Co. marks the latest step in the city’s evolving waste-reduction strategy. Announced this week, the collaboration sees the launch of a dedicated denim repair service, offering customers the opportunity to extend the life of their garments through expert mending and tailoring. The scheme is part of Levi’s broader commitment to circularity and responds to a growing consumer appetite for sustainable, repair-driven fashion models.

At the heart of the operation is United Repair Centre, an Amsterdam-based social enterprise specialising in garment repair. The organisation’s environmental goals are to reduce textile waste and promote social inclusion through its employment practices. Among its team is lead tailor Ramzi, whose extensive experience in the denim production sector in Syria brings both skill and craftsmanship to the project.

Amsterdam, the circular transition city

The partnership arrives at a pivotal moment for Amsterdam, a city aiming to halve the use of new raw materials by 2030 as part of its Doughnut Economics-inspired waste transition plan. 

Initiatives like this and other locals, Lena Library, Brightfibre Textiles, and Cirotex address the pressing need to divert textiles from landfills and incinerators, which are responsible for significant environmental impact in the Netherlands.

For Amsterdam, the move is another marker in its ambition to become a leading circular city. With textile waste accounting for a considerable share of urban refuse, projects that enable garment longevity and local job creation are key to realising this vision.

Read more about circular companies combating waste in Amsterdam