Our favorite Japanese starter repair kits for ceramics, clothes and more

Things we own can accumulate their own history, becoming more treasured, rather than losing value. Photograph: Anya Why/Getty Images

In the US, a broken cup goes in the trash. A ripped shirt gets donated or discarded. Damaged objects are useless, disposable.

But in Japan, a different worldview has taken root. “Choosing to repair is not simply sustainable, it is philosophical,” says Atsushi Futatsuya, a sashiko practitioner who mends clothing using bold, visible patterns. “It is a decision to remain in relationship with objects, even after they show signs of wear, when many would consider them to have reached the end of their usefulness.”