Join The Repair Revolution With These Stylish & Durable Textile Mending Patches
- Words by Peppermint
Meet Sophie and Megan Dyring, the sisters who turned a wardrobe malfunction into a nifty solution – beautifully designed textile repair patches that help to make mending accessible to everyone.
images FabPatch
Tell us how the business came about!
Sophie: I was in Finland a few years ago and wound up with a hole in my pants – that’s when I discovered FabPatch. When I got back, I told Megan about it and, because we both had piles of damaged clothes we couldn’t part with, we jumped online to order some – only to discover they weren’t available in Australia.
Megan: We had no experience in retail – I’m a secondary school teacher and Sophie is an architect – but we believed in the quality of the product and were aware of the horrible statistics around textile waste in Australia. So we put together a proposal and emailed the company in Finland – little did we know just how receptive they’d be to these upstarts from Australia!
You have big dreams for these little patches, right?
Sophie: We do! We want to change society’s perception of mending: we want to bring it into the mainstream and make it available for everyone, regardless of their skill set.
Megan: We want people to patch proudly – that’s why we’ve come up with these beautiful designs. And it isn’t just clothing we want people to mend: it’s beanbags, couches, cushions, shoes, wetsuits – all of these things can be repaired using FabPatches because they’re rub-on, not iron-on.
You talk a lot about a “repair revolution” – walk us through that.
Megan: As an economics teacher, I’m very cognisant of the earth’s limits to support us and the currently unsustainable way we use its resources. Australians are the second-largest consumers of textiles [per capita, beaten only by the US], buying an average of 27 kilograms of new clothing each year – twice the global average. Some 6000 kilograms of clothing and textiles are dumped in landfill every 10 minutes.
Sophie: Our motto is, ‘long live the adventure’, the idea being that we all experience adventure in our lives – from finding that special item while thrifting, to the kids’ outdoor adventures connecting with nature. Sometimes our adventures can damage our clothes, and we hope to inspire people to think twice before throwing them away.
If we can extend the life of our clothing by nine months, we can reduce the carbon, water and waste footprints by an average of 20 to 30 per cent.
What other changes would you like to see in the fashion industry?
Sophie: It really needs to adapt: consumers are becoming more aware of the social and environmental impacts and that is affecting their buying choices. Organisations such as America’s Remake, which produces an annual accountability report, and Baptist World Aid Australia, which releases an ethical fashion guide, make it much easier for consumers to make informed choices. Unfortunately, based on these reports, we can see that companies still have a long way to go in becoming sustainable.
Megan: It would be great if the industry could lead the transition to a more sustainable model, rather than being forced to [by a government body]. The Seamless Clothing Stewardship Scheme charts a course for the fashion industry in Australia to become circular by 2030 by charging a fee for each item made or imported, which is then used to fund clothing collection, sorting, recycling and education campaigns. The aim is to divert 120,000 tonnes of clothing from landfill by 2027.
Sophie: We want to engage with these companies to see how FabPatch can help them achieve their targets.
What are the patches made of?
Sophie: The current collection is produced using stretchy 100% recycled polyester. The production process starts in China, where PET bottle waste is turned into pellets and then thread. The thread is spun in Türkiye then the fabric is produced in Finland by a responsible operator.
Megan: The patches are also printed in Finland, using digital printing, which consumes less water and energy than traditional methods. The adhesive we use has never been tested on animals and it doesn’t contain any solvents or animal-based materials.
Sophie: The current supply chain isn’t ideal, but the company in Finland is working on establishing local suppliers, which would create a market for closed fibre circulation in Finland. Our goal is to develop localised manufacturing once the product is established in the Southern Hemisphere.
Now tell us about the fun stuff – the patterns!
Sophie: We currently have six designs, with two patterns by Jocelyn Proust and Charmaine Brown (skin name Napurrurla), whose work illustrates the beauty and breadth of our country. We did market research with approximately 10 different Australian designs and our audience overwhelmingly chose these because they complement so many materials and colours.
Megan: The purpose of these beautiful designs is to allow people to make a stylish statement. Of course, that isn’t the only option – we have black and denim so you can hide your patch if you’d prefer! These can be used internally for more discreet repairs, then there’s the option of invisible patching for the inside. They’re also very soft against the skin.
How long do FabPatches last?
Megan: That’s the value of them: they’re durable, long-lasting and hard-wearing. The pants Sophie patched back in 2022 are still going strong! That’s an extra two years she’s got from her favourite pants. They’ve now been patched on three separate occasions – without FabPatch, they would have ended up in landfill a long time ago.
This article originally appeared in Issue 61 of Peppermint, in partnership with our friends at FabPatch. Click here to get your hands on back issues as well as our lovely Sew&Tell digital magazines.
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TOGETHER WE STITCH RETURNS! 🪡✨
Ditch the dishes. Clear your cutting table. Pop the kettle on. Because Together We Stitch is back from 15 to 22 March for seven joy-filled days of sewing, learning and reveling in the joy of shared community, no matter where you are in the world!
Hosted by Megan from @SewAndTell.Co, this global online sewing event brings thousands of makers together for a week of practical know-how, confidence boosts and those “why didn’t I know this sooner?!” moments.
This year’s line-up is packed with masterclasses and practical inspiration, like:
🪡 Simple knit finishing tricks to make your garments look store-bought by @SewAndTell.Co’s Megan Linley
🪡 Troubleshooting your sewing machine by Jenni Miller from @LetsGetSewingNow
🪡 Hands-on pattern adjustments for sway back from @GinaReneeDesigns
🪡 An interview with Brandon Hayden from @HappilyDressed about building a garment around the fabric you love
🪡 Iron Care 101 by @MicheleMuska
🪡 Kate Boyle from @MindMovementHealth shares posture tips and exercises to help prevent sewing aches and pains
🪡 An easy jeans-to-skirt upcycle project from @LaCreativeMama’s Victoria Martinez Azaro
🪡 DIY custom fabrics and creative craft-room upgrades by Stephanie Young from @So_Stephanie_Says
🪡 Plus choosing prints with intention, making your dream wardrobe a reality, and meeting the creator of Project & Cut, Clinton Blackmore to talk all things PDF pattern future
Together We Stitch is all about expert-led sessions, creative demos, practical tips you can take straight to your sewing table, and a community that celebrates every win along the way. Join live or catch the replays when it suits you.
Head to togetherwestitch.com or hit the link in bio to save your seat. 🪡
#TogetherWeStitch #SewingExpo #SewingInspo #MeMade #SewingCommunity #SewistsOfInstagram
Coffee begins long before your morning cuppa! ☕️
2026 has been declared the International Year of the Woman Farmer, led by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the @UnitedNations. It’s a global spotlight with a practical purpose: to recognise women’s indispensable roles across agrifood systems, and to push for the changes that still haven’t arrived evenly, like equal access to land, finance, training, technology and decision-making.
Into that bigger picture steps Elizabeth Duna, a coffee farmer from Papua New Guinea and the chairwoman of the Keto-Tapasi Progress Association. Elizabeth is also the only female chairperson across the @FairtradeANZ cooperative network in the Pacific, overseeing farmers across the association and helping ensure Fairtrade standards are met.
We had the privilege of chatting to Elizabeth (just in time for International Woman’s Day this Sunday, too!) about what’s been growing and changing within her cooperative, what ‘fair trade’ means to her, and the hopes that manifest in a ‘simple’ bag of coffee beans.
Link in bio ☕️
#FairTrade #FairTradeCoffee #InternationalWomensDay
DIFFICULT ✊🏻✊🏽✊🏿
The collab we needed for International Women`s Day… and every day!
From @DangerousFemales:
"Hands up if you’ve ever been called difficult behind your back, to your face, or by an Australian Prime Minister during a Q&A?
DIFFICULT by Grace Tame, in her own handwriting is… one word: ICONIC!
100% of profits from our tees are donated, 100% of the time. Funds from this @TamePunk tee will go to @BerylWomen_inc, a First Nations led women’s refuge in the ACT.
Kinda ironic, don’t ya think?
Supporting an org in the parliament state with words from a politician for Australia’s longest running and underfunded women’s refuge.
Thank you @TamePunk for being difficult." 🫶🙌
Link in bio to get behind this tee!
#InternationalWomensDay #DangerousFemales #GraceTame #Difficult
NEW PATTERN ALERT 🎉
She’s giving comfort, she’s giving style, she’s giving palate-cleansing sewing. There’s nothing quite like an easy breezy dress that’s not only a dream to wear but a delight to sew, and the NEW Peppermint Myrtle Shift Dress delivers!
Cute, classic and cool with a touch of retro: the Myrtle Shift Dress is a beginner-friendly make with sleek lines and elegant curves. Bust darts are in play for shaping and spacious pockets to hold all your treasures. Top-stitching detail around the neck and armholes invites creative contrast threads and the keyhole loop closure at the back neck begs for a feature button (or a tie closure!).
Myrtle cuts above the knee with options to customise the length. Don’t think she’s reserved for hot weather either: try a heavier-weight fabric to turn your Myrtle into a pinafore-style garment for layering.
For our fabrics we chose two from @Karmme_Apparel – the bold Rottnest Stripes in a lightweight, soft-drape cotton, and the quality linen in the handpainted Mexico Collection. Karmme also stocks darling tassels so we popped a hot pink one on as a closure!
The love child of Imby Langenbach, Karmme Apparel (fittingly pronounced ‘calm’), is a haven of boho apparel sewing patterns alongside complementary fabrics steeped in tradition with modern iterations from Jaipur, India. Hand block-printed and digitally printed soft cottons produced by Indian artisans showcase rich colours and designs from Imby’s travels, perfect for showing off me-made masterpieces.
Our dresses were superbly stitched by our sewing manager @Laura_The_Maker, and modelled magnificently by Shannon @Pins_And_Tonic and Serah @SerahSews. And that perfect pink wall was courtesy of the good folk at @ShareTheDignityAustralia, an organisation that aims to bring dignity to women, girls and those who menstruate who are experiencing homelessness, domestic violence and period poverty.
Get making the Myrtle – the only question is, can you stop at just one?
Link in bio 🪡
Photos: @KelleySheenan
Sewist: @Laura_The_Maker
Patternmaker: @GarmentaApparel
Models: @SerahSews and @Pins_And_Tonic
Fabric: @Karmme_Apparel
#PeppermintMyrtleShiftDress #PeppermintPatterns
Connection 🫶🏻
Such great ideas from @GrowWithColby:
“A common theme I noticed in 2025:
Everyone is craving more connection.
Use these friend nights to make it happen in 2026.
Send this to the people you want to do these with.”
#Connection #Friends #Community
No bull - these pants are the cat`s (or cow`s) pyjamas...
Jenny from @RhubarbSundays:
And they are done! My @PeppermintMagazine #PeppermintFernPleatedPants made using a gorgeous fabric from @IndyBindyFabrics! I absolutely love this fabric! It’s soft and drapes beautifully. And the best thing about it is that, from a distance, it looks like an abstract print and then you look closer and theres a curious bull looking right at you. 🤣🤣 🐄 🐮
Really happy with the end product. They are very comfy! I didn’t make many changes to the pattern. Just a touch more room in the rise and a little bit off the waist. I’ll post some closeups of the details tomorrow when I actually take them off. 🤣 "
Grab the pattern from the link in bio!
#PeppermintPatterns #IMakeMyOwnClothes #ClothesThatFeelLikePyjamas #SewersGonnaSew
