Sustainability

Repairs

Planned obsolescence: an ecological disaster.

There was a time, not so long ago, when everything was fixed: socks with holes, broken irons, even glasses. But globalisation, the discovery of polymers (especially plastic), and the modernisation of lifestyles gave way to the concept of "disposable". Some even thought to themselves: "That's brilliant, we'll actually make things last as little time as possible, so people have to buy more often. What a great idea!" (It probably went something like that, at some point, in a meeting room at a fridge or tights manufacturer.) In a nutshell, we took it one step further with planned obsolescence.

Today, most of us realise we may have gone too far. After throwing away a lot, far too much, we're beginning to see that it wasn't such a great idea after all. That turtles mistake plastic bags for jellyfish. That fragments of toothbrushes turn up in the fish on our plates. That part of our waste now forms a "7th continent". Not to mention the invisible microplastics that end up in our food, our bodies and our children's.

Now that we're buried in plastic, we're actively looking for solutions to limit the damage already done. Recycling is a viable way forward, and we are still far from capitalising on the full range of possibilities it offers. But a solution from the not-so-distant past proves just as effective, or at least an essential part of the toolkit: repairs.

Repair to last.

To avoid unnecessary waste, you need products that last. For a product to be used as long as possible, you need to be able to repair it, patch it up, sew it up, and generally take care of it. As we explained in our article on eco-design, repairs need to be factored into the design of the product from the very start. The idea is simple: make repairs easy for whoever ends up doing them, and extend the life of the product in the process.

So offering a backpack repair service isn't "great", it's simply the norm. We call this "after-sales service". We do our utmost to create quality products built to last, but we're not immune to the occasional design or production issue, or a buckle that's less sturdy than expected (we know what we're talking about). We are responsible for the product we sell, which is why there is a statutory warranty period of two years. During this period, we must offer you a repair, replacement or refund.

But our responsibility shouldn't stop at the two-year statutory warranty. It should extend to a product's whole lifespan, right through to its end of life (which is why we've just extended our own warranty to 10 years).

Brands should be obliged to offer customers a repair and recycling solution, though the question remains: who pays? And customers should be encouraged to recycle their products rather than simply throwing them away. This only works if everyone gets involved: brands, customers, politicians, manufacturers…

After-sales service: a service for you… and for the environment.

In short, all this is to say that even though we try to make sturdy, durable bags, and we actually receive very few returns, we've set up a repair programme as part of our after-sales service. Since the start of the MeroMero adventure, we have been working with GreenWolf. This sewing workshop in Annecy is one of the pioneers in repairing outdoor textiles. They repair clothing and bags from the biggest outdoor sports brands such as Patagonia, Picture, Burton, Salomon, Norrona…

To best meet your expectations and reduce repair times, we also work with the Goodloop workshop in Lyon. Solenne and Louise, the two founders, take great care to extend the lifespan of your products. They cater to individuals, businesses, artisans, and major outdoor sports brands. So if you notice a fault within 10 years of purchase (buckles, straps, zips), please don't hesitate to get in touch. You can also visit our "Returns & Repairs" page for more information.

And if you need a repair but it's not our fault (a tear or straps caught in your bike's spokes), don't panic. We'll find a solution together (subject to a quote).

Refurbished.

As we mentioned, we actually get very few returns. But whatever their condition, the bags are neither thrown away, nor burned, nor left in a bin. Sometimes we ask artists to customise our bags, like our friend Sarah Buscail, who enjoys hiding a stain or turning a scar into a feature. Even if they're worn or repaired, our bags become one-of-a-kind pieces.

We wanted to set up a section on our website to sell reconditioned products, but it was too complicated. They're sold by word of mouth, at private sales or during events... We're not going to complain about not having enough returns, though…

In the meantime, do keep an eye on the "Bargain Corner" section of our website. We sometimes have end-of-line items at bargain prices.

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