Amber Hardy is the founder of Mend It 605, a nonprofit that helps folks repair their clothes and other textiles at no cost. She started sewing during the pandemic using her grandmother's vintage machine, and, after years of practicing and learning, she started Mend It 605 in March. Hardy sat down with Sioux Falls Simplified to chat about about sewing, building community and sustainability.

Answers are edited for length and clarity.

How did you ‘get smart’ about mending things? What in your background prepared you for starting Mend It 605?

In my professional life, I am a licensed attorney and a trust officer, but with this, I was like poking around on the Secretary of State's website and decided to start it as a nonprofit. That's kind of how it came to fruition.

I started trying to sew many years ago, and then we had Covid, and I decided I was going to make a quilt.

• It's all been a learning experience and YouTube and all these places – you can go online and get so much information.

I was listening to my podcast while I was sewing, and they were talking about a repair cafe. I was like, 'this sounds really interesting.'

• I don't know about electricity and fixing lamps and stuff like that, but I know about textiles. I can help people fix their textiles, or I can show them how to put the button back on. It's very low stakes, and it's very fun.

We’re all about simplicity here. Can you describe what Mend It 605 is all about in 10 words or fewer? 

Contributing and trying to be part of a circular economy.

When you talk about mending – what do you mean, exactly? What types of skills do folks need to be a ‘mender’?

They don't need to know anything. We offer the option of we’ll mend it for you, a volunteer will mend it for you, you can sit and do it with the volunteer and they’ll teach you and make suggestions.

• Or you can just use our stuff. You don't have to have any experience or anything.
• The idea of sewing it is so simple, people just don't know where to start. So come with a piece you need to mend or just come and hang out with us.

My favorite is when I'm just going out into the wild and whoever comes comes and whatever we end up doing even if it is just being nerdy and talking about repairs and talking about sewing, that’s exactly what needs to happen. It's community-building as well.

Why is mending important to you, and why should more folks care about it?

I think about the history of textiles – it used to be very precious because it wasn't machines that made the fabric, it was people.

• It was people going and getting the wool off of the sheep and spinning it into thread and then weaving it into the fabric. It was very labor-intensive, time-consuming, so everything had to be used for as long as possible

Now we’ve gotten to the point (where if something is damaged, the mentality is often), 'oh no you should throw it away.'

• And we’ve seen over the years how that has impacted the environment and the abuse inherent in the system. If you find a shirt for $5, the person who made it – there's no way they're getting a fair wage.
• It's a really dirty industry, and when you know how to make clothes and if you’ve made a garment before, you just really appreciate (the work it takes).

It’s just powerful to me, and I think everybody can learn this stuff (how to mend).

• Its not about knowing everything, there's a lot of collective knowledge.

What are some misconceptions about mending clothes? What do you think people get wrong and how would you set the record straight?

That it's only for poor people, and only people who are 'less than' will mend and care for their clothing because they have to. That's kind of the stigma that’s around.

• (On the other hand) I was just listening to a podcast, and they were like well I don't wanna make it seem like I’m flaunting my mending, like a reverse stigma thing.

I don't know how to get over that, but I mean how cool is it to have an item that you have visibly mended yourself and that you’re proud to wear? That’s art that you have created, and that is one of a kind only for you. That's just really, really cool to me.

If you could recommend one tool to be in everybody’s 'mending' toolbox, what would it be? What’s the best place to start? 

Well, don’t buy anything. Come in and see us, and we’ll just give you the stuff.

• There’s so much out there – buying it brand new, you’re just wasting money. Just come see us.

What's a good entry point for people who want to get into mending?

Patching is a good gateway drug. It's just finding the cutest piece of fabric – like, (for example, for my daughter, it was) just cutting out Bluey and putting it on the inside of her jeans. And then you have Bluey peeking out, or maybe it's a beautiful flower.

How can people connect with Mend It 605? And is there anything else I didn't ask you about that you wanted to be sure to mention?

Instagram is probably the best way to connect and where to find pop-up events and our weekly Giggle & Stitch mending events in the parks.

What I want people to know is mending is for everyone. It's not just for people who can sew. It's for people who have never sewn. It's for people who want to create a little community.

I think with the internet and social media we all can have this kind of loneliness, and when everyone comes to these events, we’re only using phones if we're trying to explain something or look up an idea.

• Otherwise, we’re sitting and talking to each other.

If you need something to get mended, if you have a sewing thing, if you do embroidery, great bring it along. If you crochet, knit, whatever, bring it along.

• It's about meeting each other, experiencing our beautiful parks and just meeting other people that are like-minded.