Patagonia is on a ski tour with a difference

If you listen carefully amongst the ski resorts of Europe this winter, you might just hear the whizz of a sewing machine, tucked away in a wooden Alpine ski hut on wheels. And you might wonder, what on earth is going on?

Ethical pioneers Patagonia are hitting the slopes on a winter jaunt, the Worn Wear Repair tour. Rather than pulling off half pipes and daring off piste action, the excitement is firmly inside, where Patagonia's seamstresses will offer on the spot repairs of any ski wear.

From repairing zips, replacing buttons, mending rips and tears and anything made of GORE-TEX, the Worn, Wear, Repair escapade kicks off this weekend, 24 January in Innsbruck, Austria.

The sustainable outdoors brand want to get people thinking about making and mending rather than buying and binning, upping the number of seasons your (probably quite expensive) ski gear lasts for. And it doesn't even have to be Patagonia - bring along anything that needs mending and they'll set to getting it back up to speed for you.

Oh yes and did we mention it's free?

By keeping a piece of clothing - any clothing - in action for nine months longer, we can each reduce the carbon and water waste by between 20 and 30%. 

If you're in Innsbruck this weekend, head to Patagonia's in-store party for launch or catch them at the following locations as they trundle through the snowy peaks.

Patagonia's Wear, Worn, Repair tour dates

24-26 January Innsbruck, Austria

16-17 February Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany

20-21 February Warth-Schrocken, Austria

23-24 February, Saalbach, Austria

27-28 February Zillertal, Austria

4-5 March Engelberg, Switzerland

7-10 March, Laaz, Switzerland

12 March, La Plagne, France

13 March, Lu Clusaz, France

19-20 March, Brunico, Italy

23-24 March, Bormio, Italy

3-6 April La Grave, France