France is introducing a new Clothing Repair Program to reduce waste in the country. Under this program, the government will offer a “repair bonus” to people to get their clothes repaired and mended. This is started in view of the large amount of textile waste generated in the country, which ends up in landfills.

This program will start in October. Those who are joining it will get a credit of $6.73 to $28.05 for getting their shoes and clothes mended by a cobbler or in a workshop. The program will be funded by the government with contributions of around $173 million over a period of five years.

State Secretary for Ecology Bérangère Couillard said, “It could encourage exactly the people who have bought, for example, shoes from a brand that makes good-quality shoes or likewise good-quality ready-to-wear to want to have them fixed instead of getting rid of them, and that is exactly the objective, to create a circular economy for shoes and textiles so that products last longer, because in government we believe in the second life of a product.” He explained that the goal of this program is to support those who carry out repairs, which will also help them get jobs.

This program is supported by eco-organization Refashion, which aims to motivate people to reuse and repair items. They also promote reducing the amount of articles purchased by them and donate things which they no longer need.