How to repair your winter clothes in Beijing

Fix up, look sharp

Ever feel like your Beijing lifestyle is especially hard on your wardrobe? Help your clothes survive winter wear and tear with these services.

For your nicer goods

Trust that your nicer garments will be treated with some serious TLC at Nicework. A scroll through the company’s WeChat Moments shows impressive before and after shots: weather-battered boots, harried handbags and shabby stilettos are all given new life at the hands of Nicework staff.

Services here range from basic cleaning, to custom-making leather pieces, to repairing luggage or even furniture. Their Tongzhou workshop itself is a hike for most but, fortunately, conversations about what exactly needs fixing can be conducted with their attentive staff via WeChat, and goods can be dropped off and returned via kuaidi. With this delicate work comes a wait – for handbag repairs (which start between 299 and 499RMB, depending on the bag’s size) we were quoted a lengthy 25 days.

Nicework Songzhuang Zhen, Xiaobao Bei Jie, Tongzhou district (400 888 0903; WeChat: baozheng105).

For alterations and touch-ups

Maizidian’s 258 Electronics Market stocks computer parts, knock-off electronics and video games, but wander up to floor three and you’ll find Jinying’s stall, where knits, jackets and outerwear are stitched back to life. Here, small alterations, such as sewing small tears closed, can typically be done on the spot and start at 10RMB. Bigger jobs, say, relining a jacket, start at 200RMB and turnaround will be about a week. One-hour pressing services are also available. Spot the large 'modify the clothes' English sign and you’ll know you’re in the right place.

258 Electronics Market 10 Zaoying Nanli, Maizidian Jie, Chaoyang district (135 2202 0709). Open daily from 10am to 7pm.

For leather

Leather in particular demands occasional maintenance and restoration, and at Sanlitun SOHO’s Scrub Brush Professional Care, you’ll get just that. Leather re-crafting is this shop’s bread and butter, and the team of specialists works wonders on dirty and lacklustre goods like shoes, boots, bags and wallets. In addition to cleaning and repairing everything from patent leather to shearling to suede, the company also focuses on waterproofing and protection to save your goods from future inclement weather damage. Most repairs can be done in a matter of days and start at 199RMB.

Scrub Brush Professional Care 3-312 Sanlitun SOHO, 8 Gongti Bei Lu, Chaoyang district (185 1952 4373).

For puffer coats

During colder months, your down jacket isn’t just your first line of defense against cold. It also withstands wind, pollution and salt, which can wear out fabrics and dull colours. If you can survive a few days without it during Beijing winter, head to the tailoring and repairs experts at Rong Xue (融雪定做翻新羽绒服制作中心) on Andingmennei where, from autumn through spring, a crop of tailors sets up shop, specialising in custom-made down jackets. Tired puffers are gutted and the feathers reused for a brand-new custom jacket, or those without a super warm coat yet this winter can start from scratch and have a whole new down jacket made to order (from 400RMB).

149 Andingmennei Dajie, Dongcheng district (136 8152 4518). Open daily from 9am to midnight.

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