Velocio Partners with Apidura for UK Repairs

July 22, 2021

Bikepacking brand’s London repairs team to help reduce shipping without compromising quality

• Apidura will serve as Velocio’s UK repairs hub, alongside What Happened in Slovenia, who will serve as Velocio’s EU repairs hub and Vélocolour in Canada.
• The partnership will deliver high quality repairs to Velocio customers while reducing the environmental impact of shipping repairs back and forth.
• Repairs are essential to keep products in use longer, reducing their associated environmental cost.
• Both brands call on others in the outdoors industry to identify allies and partners to work with to deliver programs that drive impact beyond what each company involved could achieve alone.

Repairs are undoubtedly a better way to do business than encouraging fast fashion and replacing goods as they age, but for a global brand like Velocio, the shipping impact of sending repairs to a single hub can be significant. Keeping a product in use longer is the biggest factor in reducing its environmental impact but the hidden costs of shipping can quickly add up. In the age of next-day delivery and free returns, customers expect convenience and brands are reduced to competing for speed above all else. Consumers cannot be expected to wait for their kit to be sent around the world by sea, so air freight has become the norm and international repairs can accrue a significant carbon footprint.

Having regional repair hubs reduces shipping distances significantly, meaning repairs can be moved by rail and other more sustainable methods. Rather than operating repair hubs around the world, which would be costly and impractical for all but the largest companies, Velocio has partnered with like-minded brands with the expertise to carry out high quality repairs on their behalf.

Velocio has always offered a repair service in the US, and these repair hub partnerships in Canada, Europe and the UK mean Velocio can offer quick, high quality repairs worldwide while reducing the environmental impact of the shipping associated with each repair. Creating a partner network capable of meeting Velocio’s quality standards has been a long journey but it demonstrates the value like-minded brands can create through creative partnerships and mutually beneficial sustainability programmes.

“Apidura has a reputation for precision crafting and carrying out quality repairs that focus on keeping products in use longer and we are delighted to be able to bring them onboard as our repairs partner for the UK. Alongside our partner for EU repairs, Neža Peterca, (owner of What Happened and European Tour Manager for Patagonia Worn Wear) Apidura are helping us reduce the environmental footprint of our repairs program in Europe, without compromising on quality. We have seen their work up close and know our customers will be delighted with the quality of their repairs.”

Ricky Buckenlei, Head of Europe, Velocio

This partnership builds on Apidura’s own repairs and sustainability drives, particularly the in-store repairs program that has seen hundreds of repairs consolidated into larger shipments to reduce their environmental impact. As part of that process Apidura have managed to breathe life back into gear that many would deem beyond saving and launched a store to return purpose to repaired gear, called Revive. Partnering with other like-minded brands to expand the impact of these programs was a logical next step and both Apidura and Velocio hope to see others following suit to identify mutually beneficial opportunities to deliver services that add value for customers while also driving sustainability.

“Apidura and Velocio have traveled similar paths and share a focus on technological manufacturing processes, developing our own materials and focusing on function and longevity above all else. We even share some ambassadors, so it was a natural next step to explore ways to collaborate and enhance the impact of our sustainability efforts and find better ways to do business. This is the first step in an exciting new collaboration and we encourage others in the industry to think about ways they can work with like-minded allies to increase the impact of their own sustainability efforts.”

Tori Fahey, Co-Founder, Apidura

This announcement comes as Velocio releases a film – “The Trouble With Bike Apparel” – exploring the trouble with bike apparel and sustainability. In the film, Velocio speak to industry experts to explore where bike apparel can move forward and outline the path Velocio are taking to improve their supply chain, sourcing and manufacturing.

By releasing this film, Velocio is asking customers to demand more accountability from all brands in how their fabric is sourced, the associated carbon costs and what can be done to improve the industry at large. Consumers have the power to effect demand, to affect the supply chain and perhaps, most importantly, to affect the rise of a circular industry for the cycling industry. This is a message Apidura is keen to support, having championed high quality products that last since launch and more recently having found ways of reducing waste and repurposing the things we use.

About Velocio

Our vision at Velocio is to create cycling apparel that improves the experience of riding, to get at the stories told by cycling more efficiently, more comfortably, more absolutely. We do this by marrying technological progress in apparel with the natural progress of pedaling.

About Apidura

Apidura creates technical, precision crafted bike luggage that sets records, wins races and supports riders exploring continents, countries and cities. An independent family run business based in London, Apidura helps riders all over the world take their love of cycling further.