Entrepreneur Monika Hauck has founded Repair Rebels, a pioneering digital platform connecting customers with local artisans for garment and accessory repairs, promoting sustainability and extending fashion longevity in Düsseldorf and beyond.
Monika Hauck, a Düsseldorf-based entrepreneur with a background in modeling, business administration, and sustainability advocacy, has launched an innovative digital repair platform named Repair Rebels. Founded in 2022, the company aims to revolutionize the fashion repair industry by making garment and accessory repairs easily accessible through an online service that connects customers with skilled local craftspeople.
Hauck’s journey into sustainable fashion was catalyzed by the 2013 Rana Plaza textile factory collapse in Bangladesh, an industrial disaster that killed over 1,100 workers and exposed the darker side of global fashion manufacturing. At the time pursuing her PhD in Open and Collaborative Innovation, Hauck was deeply moved by the tragedy and subsequently became involved with the Fashion Revolution movement, dedicated to increasing transparency and sustainability in the fashion industry.
Recognizing a lack of sustainable fashion dialogue in Düsseldorf—a city known for its style but not for ethical fashion—Hauck, together with her friend Anja Gräf, who is now Global Head of Impact Investments at HSBC Bank, took on roles as City Ambassadors for Fashion Revolution in Düsseldorf. They launched events promoting sustainable fashion dialogue to diverse audiences, featuring innovators and eco-friendly fashion entrepreneurs, aiming to inspire collaborative solutions within the industry.
Repair Rebels emerged from Hauck’s conviction that the most sustainable fashion practice is to extend the life of garments through repair. She saw an opportunity to digitize a traditionally analog and localized service sector, where repair skills and businesses have remained largely unchanged for a century. The digital platform simplifies the process of booking repairs for a wide array of items—from well-loved vintage sandals to high-end luxury handbags. The venture is also designed to support and preserve the craftsmanship skills of independent tailors, shoemakers, and other repair experts in Germany, which Hauck notes are becoming increasingly rare.
Since its inception, Repair Rebels has served customers ranging from those sending in their grandfather’s decades-old bathrobe to owners of Hermès handbags. The platform’s customer base includes a notable portion of male users—around 40 percent—many of whom prefer repairing familiar wardrobe staples to shopping for new clothing. Approximately 30 percent of users are first-time repair clients, drawn to the modern, convenient interface that Repair Rebels provides.
Hauck acknowledges that repair services come with higher costs compared to purchasing new, mass-produced textile goods largely made in low-wage countries. However, she frames these repairs as a form of modern luxury that preserves the economic and sentimental value of cherished clothing. Repair Rebels also manages all logistics and customer communication, offering what Hauck describes as an “all-around carefree package.”
In addition to Repair Rebels, Hauck continues to advocate for sustainable fashion choices, with recommendations for consumers in Düsseldorf to explore secondhand stores like The Mintage and eco-friendly local labels such as Wunderwerk. She herself recently purchased knitwear from Hessnatur, a brand producing in her native Lithuania, combining quality, sustainability, and personal connection.
Highlighting Düsseldorf’s vibrant creative scene, Hauck expresses admiration for the city’s art academy open house events, underscoring the parallels she sees between fashion and art in terms of creativity and international influence.
Repair Rebels was recognized as a titleholder of the Kreativpilot*innen initiative for 2023/24, marking an important milestone in Hauck’s mission to blend innovation, craftsmanship, and sustainability in fashion repair.
Looking ahead, Fashion Revolution Week, observed globally from April 22 to 27, will feature a range of activities in Düsseldorf, including a DFD Community Meet-up at the Theatermuseum on April 25. The event will present the new Cosh! map—a resource developed in partnership with the Fashion Aware Club and the city of Düsseldorf—featuring workshops and a clothes swap, all focused on promoting sustainability in fashion. Participation is free, and further details are available at cosh.eco.
Source: Noah Wire Services
