Why I Built The Seam: A Founder’s Note

3 min read by Layla Sargent

Five years in, I realised I don’t often share my own story. Not because it isn’t important - but because the heart of The Seam has always been our Maker community: the talented specialists who care for your most loved pieces. But as we’ve grown, it feels like the right moment to reintroduce myself, and to share why I'm so committed to building and growing The Seam.

In 1989, I was born in Birmingham. My nan – a dressmaker for over 65 years - is my muse. Growing up she tailored every garment in our family and cared for each piece. We lived a circular life long before I knew the meaning of the word. Nothing was wasted; everything was cherished. A button was not just a button - it was a link to memory, to care, to craft.

When I moved away to live in New York, Berlin, then London, I realised how hard it was to find someone I trusted to care for my clothes. There were options - but not the right ones. I wanted a specialist. And I knew there were already enough in the UK - they just weren’t easy to find. So I built The Seam: a place to find the finest repair specialists for every treasured item. When you come to us, we match you with the perfect expert – from silk dress to shearling coat to sneakers – and we aim to make the process joyful, effortless, and of the highest quality.

The Philosophy of Repair

Repair is as old as human culture. For most of history, to repair was not an act of frugality, but an act of honour – a recognition of the value in what already exists. We once lived in a world where repairing shoes, mending hems, and darning jumpers was an ordinary part of life. Then came the culture of disposability. Repair shops vanished from high streets. Garments were made to be replaced rather than cared for.

When The Seam began, most people told us they would only repair something if it was worth over £200.

Today, that threshold has dropped to £75. It's a small but significant shift – proof that more of us are choosing to extend the life of everyday items, not just the most expensive ones. To me, this is not nostalgia – it's progress. The future of fashion will be shaped not only by what we buy, but by what we choose to keep.

Where We Are Now

In five years, we’ve served many thousands of customers across the UK. This year alone, we’ve:

• Added new, key delivery partners (DPD, Royal Mail)

• Made significant platform changes to make bookings smoother

• Expanded into new categories including accessories and sunglasses

• Welcomed exceptional new Makers, including many cobblers to meet a surge in footwear repairs

• Trained new Makers ahead of knitwear season.
  

Today, 62% of the garments we restore are from luxury brands – many from heritage houses whose craftsmanship deserves to be worn for decades, not seasons. And over the last few years, our work has diverted an estimated 15 tonnes of textiles from landfill.

Where We’re Going

We want to be the service you know you can rely on to care for all your favourite things – beautifully, quickly, and with the care and attention every cherished item deserves.

Thank you for taking the time to read and be part of our story.

With care,

Layla