A Cumbrian-based couple have turned their attention from radiators and drainpipes to rucksacks and down jackets to take their careers in a new direction — and encourage less waste.
Plumbers Jane Ambler and Martin Miceli have been repairing outdoor gear from their home workshop for the last two years, and have bought a former betting shop at 6-7 Great Dockray, Penrith, as their new base for their company, RWC Outdoor Gear Repairs.
From hillwalking and camping gear to skiing and swimming kit, the pair, who themselves enjoy running and climbing, take great satisfaction from giving damaged kit a fresh lease of life, as the trend for more sustainable clothing grows.
Self-taught Jane said: “It is insane how much we throw away. So much of what we use and wear outdoors is non-recyclable and would end up in landfill. People say they love the outdoors so we should also be passionate about our kit and invest and look after it to make it last.
“We want people to have things repaired and to be as good or better than they were before. A repair is not second best.
“We can enhance things and improve them. It is important that we do a good and affordable repair. It is not about botching something to just fix it for a little while.”
Jane and Martin repair lots of waterproofs, rucksacks and down jackets as well as more unusual items such as boat spray decks and safari tents. They believe tears and broken zips need not mean the end for kit that can be fixed at a reasonable price.
The couple, who live in Shap, do not accept fashion items and alterations of regular clothing or curtains. Around half of their work comes in the mail from the south of England.
“We repair lots of stuff that may not be worth a lot, but it may have some sentimental value for the owner,” said Jane.
“People often have favourite pieces that they don’t want to lose. We’ve just put a new base on a rucksack that had been used on loads of trips and the owner wanted to keep using it.”
Jane works full-time in the business while husband Martin combines plumbing with two days at the workshop.
“I fell into this by accident and loved it,” said Jane. “About two years ago, I got involved with a project turning Wembley pitch covering into sports bags for charity — that got me my first sewing machine. Martin became involved and the RWC Outdoor Gear Repairs was born, and it has gone from there.”
RWC stands for Really Weird Company which refers to a nickname Jane’s family gave themselves some time ago.
The couple joke that Martin, who has a GCSE in textiles from his school days, is the better qualified of the pair. Eventually he hopes to spend more time in the workshop.
Martin added: “We take great pride in each piece of work and take as long as we need to get it right. I think we have brought that from plumbing where you get a lot of satisfaction from doing a good job.”
The workshop opens Tuesday to Saturday to enable customers to arrange drop off and collection of items.
