But not everything that breaks has to be pulped and recycled. German sports apparel and equipment manufacturer Schöffel has operated its own service factory for some time now. Customers can send in their damaged clothing, and for 40-60 euros it will be repaired. American sportswear brand Patagonia even provides instructions to help its customers patch up their own clothing, as well as offering a separate marketplace for preowned goods. One of the main reasons the system works is that Schöffel and Patagonia both cater to the higher end of the market – and customers know that quality comes at a price, even if it the items are second-hand. This can also be clearly seen on the Austrian online marketplace willhaben, where designer goods by Louis Vuitton and Burberry fetch high prices, particularly during the run-up to Christmas. In one study conducted by the site which, admittedly, is not exactly representative, one in every two users confirmed that they would consider giving someone a second-hand product as a present. And almost 90% of respondents indicated they had already been gifted something used and were happy about it.