Weight-loss drugs are driving a surge in clothing alterations and resale

Consumers losing weight on GLP-1 drugs are flooding tailors and cobblers, seeking inexpensive fixes for belts, shoes and bags as their sizes shift. Cobblers Direct, which runs 25 stores in Texas and a mail-order service, now shortens up to 500 belts weekly and is expanding to a 30,000-square-foot warehouse in Austin. A Trimi survey of over 700 users reports that 80% keep wearing ill-fitting clothes for about six months before purchasing new items, with jeans being the most problematic.

Researchers at the University of Cambridge note that most users regain around 60% of lost weight within a year, discouraging full wardrobe overhauls. Online resale platform ThredUp and styling service Stitch Fix are responding by emphasizing smaller sizes, stretchy fabrics and adjustable designs, while discount and thrift retailers see heightened demand.