The whole point of buying well-made gear is that it can be repaired. But most people never repair anything because they do not know where to send it. Here is a working list of American repair shops that actually do the work well.
Boot Resoling
If your boots are Goodyear welted, they can be resoled. See Goodyear welt explained for why. Resoling typically runs $80-150 and extends boot life by 5-10 years.
Factory resoling. Many brands offer factory resoling through their original makers:
- Red Wing. Ship boots to their Red Wing, MN factory. $110-140 depending on sole type. Six to eight week turnaround. Red Wing Shoe Care
- Alden. Ship boots to Middleborough, MA via an Alden dealer. $180-250 for shell cordovan, $140-180 for calf. 8-12 weeks.
- Allen Edmonds. Their "Recrafting" program. $150 flat fee includes new soles, heels, laces, and a complete refurbishment. 4-6 weeks.
- Wolverine. 1000 Mile boots can be resoled at their Rockford, MI facility. $120-160.
- Whites / Nicks / JK. All three Pacific Northwest bootmakers offer factory resoling. Multi-month waits because they are making new boots at the same time.
Independent cobblers. Usually faster and cheaper than factory resoling, and for common sole types (Vibram, Dainite) the result is identical. Quality varies wildly. Ask to see before-and-after photos.
- B. Nelson (NYC). Old-school NYC cobbler. Handles shell cordovan and complex welted boots. Mail-in service.
- NuShoe (San Diego). Large-volume cobbler that handles factory work for several major brands. Good for standard resoles.
- Brian the Bootmaker. Handles full rebuilds on Pacific Northwest work boots. Limited capacity, waitlist.
- Modern Shoe Repair (Portland, OR). Full-service boot shop handling logger-style boots and heritage work boots.
For factory-original work, use the brand. For cheaper or faster service, find a local cobbler with heritage boot experience. Avoid mall cobblers for welted boots — they often cement-glue new soles, which ruins the welt.
Denim Repair
Raw denim wears through at the crotch, knees, and back pocket corners. Darning repairs at a denim specialist run $20-50 per spot and extend jean life by years. Self Edge - Denim Repair
- Self Edge (SF, NYC, LA, Portland). The gold standard for denim repair in North America. Chain-stitch hemming, darning, reinforcement. Mail-in service available.
- Indigo Proof (Portland, OR). Specialty denim repair run by Maynard Larson. Works on Japanese and American selvedge. Does crotch repairs that are nearly invisible when done.
- Denim Therapy (NYC). Longstanding mail-in denim repair. Their "reweaving" technique rebuilds the warp threads to match the original fabric.
- Darn It All (multiple locations). Chain of specialty repair shops. Variable quality but reliable for simple darning and hemming.
For chain-stitch hemming specifically (which creates the roping effect on the hem of raw denim), Self Edge and Indigo Proof both offer it and it runs $15-25. A regular tailor cannot do this — they do not have the Union Special 43200G machine.
Waxed Canvas Repair
Waxed canvas — Filson Tin Cloth, Carhartt Detroit jackets with wax treatment, Stormy Kromer outerwear — can be patched, re-waxed, and re-seamed indefinitely.
- Filson Restoration. Filson offers factory restoration on their own Tin Cloth gear. Ship to Seattle. They rewax, patch, and replace zippers and buttons. Cost depends on the work needed.
- Dave Page Cobbler (Seattle). Works on Filson, Carhartt, and other waxed canvas. Long-running Seattle shop with heritage brand experience.
- Rain Shed (Corvallis, OR). Outdoor gear repair shop that handles waxed canvas along with other outdoor fabrics.
For basic rewaxing, you can do it yourself with Filson Oil Finish Wax or Otter Wax. Warm the garment with a heat gun or hair dryer, rub in the wax in small sections, then heat again to melt it into the fibers. See how to rewax a jacket.
Wool and Flannel Repair
Wool and flannel shirts develop holes at elbows, collars, and under the arms. Basic darning closes small holes. Larger repairs require visible mending (Japanese sashiko style) or elbow patches.
- Toad & Co. Mending Library. Free mending service for their own garments, but they also share mending tutorials that work on any wool.
- Your local dry cleaner/tailor. Surprisingly competent for basic darning and elbow patches. Ask for "invisible mending" or "reweaving" for nicer results.
- Patagonia Worn Wear. Not American made, but their repair program is a gold standard model that other brands should copy.
Leather Jacket and Bag Repair
Heritage leather jackets and bags can be re-stitched, re-lined, and re-dyed.
- Schott NYC. Offers repair on their own leather jackets. Relining, zipper replacement, and leather patching. Ship to Elizabeth, NJ.
- B. Nelson (NYC). Also does leather bag and jacket work in addition to boots.
- Rago Brothers (NYC). Leather specialists for jackets and bags. High-quality work on heritage pieces.
- Leather Repair Shop (Houston). Regional shop with good reputation for jacket and bag restoration.
What Costs What
- Boot resole (welted, Vibram sole): $100-150
- Boot full recraft (sole + leather refurbishment): $150-250
- Raw denim chain-stitch hem: $15-25
- Denim crotch repair: $30-50
- Waxed canvas rewax (jacket): $40-80, or DIY for $20 in wax
- Leather jacket zipper replacement: $80-150
- Wool elbow patches: $30-60 per pair
All of these are cheaper than buying new. A $150 boot resole on a $350 pair of boots is the best value in clothing. A $25 hem on a $250 pair of jeans is trivial.
Bottom Line
Every piece of quality American-made gear has a repair path. The hard part is knowing who to send it to. Bookmark this list, or save the phone numbers in your contacts. The next time you get a hole in your raw denim, you will not hesitate. For gear worth repairing, see best American-made boots and best American-made jeans.