| Under bright overhead lights, Elena Galindo leaned over a gleaming white counter and prepared to begin her examination. Her patient was laid out in front of her: A burnt orange men's jacket. It's one of about two dozen items undergoing repairs at Arc'teryx's store in New York City's SoHo neighborhood, where the outdoor company has devoted a floor to fixing and selling used gear. Its owner had it admitted for a small tear in its waterproof outer layer. Peering down at the three-year-old jacket in front of her, Galindo identified what was ailing the young garment, finding the roughly inch-long rip on the back. "This is what we would say is the primary concern," said Galindo, 31, who manages ReBIRD, the brand's initiatives around care and repair, resale and upcycling. Shoppers are increasingly starting to see clothing as less disposable and more deserving of care throughout its life. Instead of buying new every time, they're tapping into repair services and programs that allow them to fix or trade in their old gear. This is giving used items a second, or even third or fourth, life — and keeping them out of landfills. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, clothing ranks as the top source of textiles in municipal solid waste, above furniture, carpets, footwear, linens and towels. In 2018, the agency reported that landfills received 11.3 million tons of textiles, more than 7 percent of their total waste. Much of this discarded clothing is oftentimes still wearable. "What we're seeing is that customers really understand the value of used, both financially and from a sustainability perspective," said Laura Kelley, senior manager for recommerce at REI, an outdoor apparel and gear retailer. To test out how these programs work, we brought our own item — a well-loved all-purpose outdoor jacket — to the Arc'teryx store to have its trade-in potential assessed. Click below to see how it went. Write me with your questions at climatecoach@washpost.com. I read all your emails. | 
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