Make Do and Mend: How Wartime Britain Learned to Repair,
Reuse, and Carry On
I want to return to learning
a little about life on the Home Front during the Second World War. Today I want
to look at something that became a huge part of life for ordinary families that
was Make Do and Mend.
When Britain entered the war in September 1939, life changed
very quickly. At first, some of the shortages were manageable, but as the war
continued, food, fuel, and clothing became much harder to get. Ships that were
bringing goods into Britain were being attacked by German U-boats. Factories
were more focused on making equipment for the war, and materials like wool,
cotton, and leather were in short supply.
By 1941, clothing rationing had been introduced in Britain. Everyone
was given a limited number of clothing coupons each year. These reduced as the
war went on. In 1941 people were allocated 66 coupons. In 1942 they were allowed
48 coupons and in 1943 they were reduced again to 36 coupons. Later on they
reduced even further. These coupons had to cover everything from coats and
shoes to underwear and socks. Buying new clothes was no longer something people
could do whenever they wanted. Every purchase had to be carefully thought about.
This is why Make Do and Mend became so important. The phrase
came from a campaign by the government that was launched by the Board of Trade
in 1943. The idea was simple. Instead of throwing things away, people were
encouraged to repair, reuse, alter, and recycle what they already had.
Old clothes were patched rather than replaced. Worn-out
socks were darned. Dresses were altered to fit children as they grew up or
reshaped to fit the changing fashions. A man’s old suit could be turned into a
jacket for a young boy. Some people used old blankets to make coats or dressing
gowns. Nothing useful was wasted.
This really must have needed some real creativity and
patience. Many women got incredibly good at sewing, knitting, and mending
because they had little other choice. Mothers often spent their evenings in the
dim light repairing clothes. All after probably working long and tiring days or
volunteering in the war effort.
Children also grew up understanding that clothes had value. Ripping
a sleeve was not a reason to throw something away. It was something that needed
to be fixed. Hand-me-downs became normal, and younger siblings usually wore
clothes that had already been used and mended by other members of the family.
The campaign also influenced attitudes about other things,
not just clothes. Furniture was also repaired, household items were reused, and
scraps of fabric were saved because you never knew when they would come in
handy. Wartime Britain became a place where resourcefulness came into its own.
People learned to look at old items and think, What can this become?
Of course, Make Do and Mend was about more than saving
material. It also became a mark of resilience. To me it reflects a wartime
mindset, one of endurance, determination, and refusing to waste precious
resources while the country was fighting for survival.
The message still feels very relevant today. In a world
where everything seems so easy and quick to replace, maybe we could learn
something from wartime Britain.
Do you think we could learn something from the wartime
spirit of Make Do and Mend?
