Taipei small business builds reputation for repairing outdoor clothes

Taipei small business builds reputation for repairing outdoor clothes

2026-06-10

A small clothing repair shop near Taipei Main Station has made a name for itself by repairing outdoor wear. Founded 10 years ago, it now handles over 1,000 orders per month and has collaborated with major brands. Former president Tsai Ing-wen even had her jacket mended there. The owner Wu Pao-chu says fate has been kind to her. But is it really fate? Let’s find out the secret to the success of this small business.

Lots of people enjoy hiking, but having the right clothes is important. And they don’t come cheap.

Chen Chih-fan
FTV reporter
When a hiking jacket like this, worth thousands of New Taiwan dollars, gets ripped or its waterproofing is damaged, don’t rush to throw it away. At this small shop near Taipei Main Station, Ms. Wu can help you fix it.

An expert on the sewing machine, Wu Pao-chu works tirelessly patching and mending clothes. She has saved thousands of outdoor jackets.

- Our philosophy is to restore life to the clothing.
- You have to control the temperature and pay attention to how well it’s sealed.

Waterproof seams are the hardest to fix. The materials and temperature have to be just right, or the whole jacket might be ruined.

Wu Pao-chu
Seamstress
The first piece of clothing I repaired was from a doctor. He wasn’t scared that I would ruin it, so he gave me this NT$20,000 piece of clothing to fix. I said, if you’re going to give it to me, then I won’t take payment.

Close to Exit M7 at Taipei Main Station, this small shop of just over 30 square meters specializes in repairing outdoor clothing. Known for its affordable prices and hand-done repairs, it handles thousands of requests every month. Even celebrities trust this shop with their clothes, including former president Tsai Ing-wen.

Wu Pao-chu
Seamstress
I was so happy when President Tsai sent her clothes to be repaired. Her security detail brought the clothes over and told me, “Our boss said you do a very good job.” If I had known, I definitely would have taken a photo with the clothes.

Ms. Wu grew up in Taitung and started working before graduating junior-high school. She started as an apprentice in a textile factory right as Taiwan’s clothing industry was taking off.

Wu Pao-chu
Seamstress
I was nervous when I opened my own shop because Taipei is so competitive. If you’re just a small, insignificant business, you don’t know if you will do well. Plus, the rent in Taipei is really expensive. But sometimes fate is kind to me, and whatever bottlenecks I encountered I could overcome one by one.

Now there are 10 people working at Ms. Wu’s clothing repair business and it has partnered with several international manufacturers. Quietly committed to ensuring each item of clothing she receives can keep being used, Ms. Wu has made a name for herself as the queen of outdoor clothing repairs.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#clothing #repair #seamstress #outdoorclothing #hiking #clothingrepair #Taipei #TaipeiMainStation #smallbusiness

連小英都指名她! 隱身北車的"萬元登山衣救星"

2026-06-10

冷門產業卻創造龐大商機？台北車站有這麼一間10坪工作室，靠修補戶外運動服飾打響名號，創立10年，如今每個月平均接上千筆訂單，甚至吸引大廠品牌尋求合作，就連前總統小英都曾送外套來維修。來看這位"登山衣修補救星"的逆轉人生！

穿著登山服、帶上裝備，不少人喜歡爬山放鬆，不過一件好的登山衣，要價可不菲。

[[民視記者陳致帆]]
"上千、上萬元的登山衣，爬山時不小心勾破，或是防水膠條全部壞掉，先別急著丟，下山來到台北車站，這間小小工作室，交給吳姐施展魔法"

戴著老花眼鏡、腳踩縫紉機，一刻不停修修補補，她是登山衣修補救星--吳寶珠，人稱吳姊。

- 我們的理念就是，能夠讓衣服恢復它的生命力
- 你要控溫，那你還要看它的密合度

最難修的就是防水膠條，選材、溫度都得抓得剛剛好，因為一不小心，就有可能整件報銷。

[[登山衣修補救星吳寶珠]]
"(修)第一件衣服是一個醫生，他也不怕我把它用壞掉，所以他把那件兩萬多塊的衣服給我用，我跟他講說，那你給我用，我不要跟你收錢這樣"

座落在台北車站捷運M7出口附近，只有10坪大小的工作室，專修戶外運動服飾，因為價格實惠，加上又是「純手工」縫製打響名號，平均每個月上千件訂單，排隊得等上一個月。不少名人都是主顧，包括前總統蔡英文。

[[登山衣修補救星吳寶珠]]
"蔡總統(送修過)，我當時好開心喔，我說她的隨扈拿她的衣服過來，她的隨扈就跟我說，我們老闆說你用得很好，如果知道，我一定跟那件衣服合照了"

從小在台東長大吳姊，國中沒畢業就走入職場，恰逢台灣成衣產業起飛，於是進入紡織廠當學徒，開啟她的修補人生。

[[登山衣修補救星吳寶珠]]
"其實我剛自己創立工作室，我也是會怕，台北市競爭這麼大，你真的有時候你是很小很小，就是很渺小的一個，你也不知道說你做得好不好，而且台北又是租金非常貴，但是也是有時候就是上天對我比較好啦，就是有就是遇到什麼瓶頸，就會關關難過關關過"

工作室如今已是10人大小的團隊，也是多個國際大廠維修合作商。靠著低調耕耘冷門領域，成衣女工變身修補女王。

更多新聞內容，請鎖定：
民視台灣台（152頻道）週一至週五晚上9:30
民視新聞台（53頻道）週二至週六凌晨1:00

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China has stepped up its activities in waters east of Taiwan, dispatching its coast guard and government vessels that claim to be conducting law enforcement operations. Taiwan’s Coast Guard has pushed back, broadcasting warnings to both Chinese vessels and passing merchant ships, and stating that Beijing has no authority in Taiwan’s maritime zone. As tensions rise and concerns grow over China’s use of gray-zone tactics and cognitive warfare, Taiwan says it is closely monitoring the situation and remains committed to defending its sovereignty. The moves come as Japan and the Philippines conduct negotiations on maritime delimitation, which largely overlaps with Taiwan’s maritime zone. Both Japan and the Philippines have previously signed a fisheries agreement with Taiwan, and both have stated that the current negotiations will not affect Taiwan.

Japan and the Philippines have agreed to negotiate their maritime boundaries, a diplomacy breakthrough that China has used as an excuse to once again harass Taiwan. Beijing dispatched Coast Guard and government vessels to waters east of Taiwan, claiming the waters as their own and broadcasting messages to foreign ships. This is how Taiwan responds to them.

Changbin staff
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This is the Exclusive Economic Zone of the ROC Taiwan. China has no jurisdiction here. Do not harass passing vessels. Your actions violate international law. We demand that you leave the area at once.

Taiwan’s Coast Guard vessels also sent broadcasts to passing merchant ships to counter China’s claims.

Changbin staff
Taiwan Coast Guard
This is the maritime zone of the ROC. China has no sovereign rights or jurisdiction here. Please continue your normal voyage and pay no heed to the broadcasts from Chinese vessels.

China is increasingly resorting to gray-zone tactics and cognitive warfare to create the false impression that it exercises jurisdiction over the area. More recently, it even deployed naval vessels near Taiwan’s eastern waters. And Taiwan is not sitting idle.

Xavier Chang
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These actions by the CCP undermine our sovereignty and violate international laws and conventions. Our Navy and Coast Guard are monitoring the situation to ensure the safety of our people. We will not yield an inch of our waters. This year’s budget remains under review, and we hope that ruling and opposition parties will support funding the Armed Forces and Coast Guard.

Lin Chia-lung
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The governments of Japan and the Philippines have stated that their negotiations do not implicate Taiwan. As for the rights that Taiwan is granted under international law, we hope that everyone sees through the CCP’s attempts to expand its authority via claims of law enforcement, and that nobody falls for its cognitive warfare operations.

Opposition lawmakers had pointed out that the negotiations between Japan and the Philippines largely overlap with Taiwan’s Exclusive Economic Zone, and subsequently accused the government of compromising national interests. But Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung has stepped forward to clarify the matter and stem misinformation.

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VP Hsiao wraps up state visit to Palau

Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim has concluded her state visit to Palau. In her final day in the country, she hosted a closing luncheon for Palauan leadership. A highlight on the menu was a Taiwan-shaped taro rice cake, Taiwan’s answer to Palau’s many taro dishes. The president of Palau hoped that Hsiao would visit again soon. Later at a press event, Hsiao encouraged Taiwanese to visit Palau, to counter China’s use of tourism as a leverage against the Pacific island nation.

Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim has wrapped up her state visit to Palau. At the closing luncheon, Taiwan-shaped ōo-kué-khiau, a type of savory taro rice cake, was served to guests.

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Vice President
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We hope that it doesn’t take another 18 years for you to visit us again. We’ve had the opportunity to visit many places, but there’s still more to discover.

Hsiao told the press about the wide impact of the visit, with a peculiarly sweet metric to measure her engagements.

Hsiao Bi-khim
Vice President
From the very beginning, it’s all about building relations. I’d prepared lots of chocolate bonbons, more than 600. Almost all were handed out, meaning we’ve really met a wide range of people.

In a straw hat and walking shoes, Hsiao had gone on an early morning hike at 6 a.m., showing that Palau has much more for tourists than its famous pristine waters.

Hsiao Bi-khim
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The Taiwanese, from my years-long observation, really do enjoy climbing mountains and hiking. Palau tourism has been weaponized by China in recent years. China coerces Palau with extreme fluctuations in the number of visitors: a huge number at one moment and none at the next. I hope to invite my compatriots to visit, even if you already have. It’s really worth visiting again and again.

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This visit to our official ally, Palau is featured on the front page of a local newspaper. The exchanges have yielded fruitful results. It’s also hoped that the relations between Taiwan and Palau will continue to deepen on the basis of these exchanges.

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International baking champion shares secret to success

Bread comes in all shapes and sizes, with bakers constantly creating new flavors and innovative fillings. But the process of making any bread, from kneading the dough to taking it out of the oven, is long and complex. The winner of the Bakery World Cup, Wu Tzu-ching, has revealed his process for making bread, offering an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at how professional bakers work.

Bread comes in all shapes and sizes, with bakers constantly creating new flavors and innovative fillings. But the process of making any bread, from kneading the dough to taking it out of the oven, is long and complex. The winner of the Bakery World Cup, Wu Tzu-ching, revealed his process for making bread, offering an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at how professionals bake.

Baking champion Wu Tzu-ching carefully kneads the dough, adding filling as he molds it into the right shape. At the factory, the bakers copy his technique as closely as possible.

These pineapple buns with diamond patterns pressed on top are one of his specialties. So are these red bean buns, stuffed with filling right in the center. Wu loved watching Japanese cooking shows when he was young and developed an interest in baking, working hard to get his baker’s certification and even winning international competitions.

In 2022, he won the Bakery World Cup in Paris with his team. In 2023, he was named the Baker of the Year by the International Union of Bakers and Confectioners. But he never rested on his laurels, continuing to improve his recipes and spread his love of baking.

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After it comes out of the oven, the bread is cooled, cut, and manually inspected.

Wu Tzi-ching
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We use a two-stage method for fermentation. Because lots of fillings are rolled into the dough during production, we need to pay close attention to whether they create air pockets in the bread.

Whether it’s winning international competitions or leading factory production, Wu Tzu-ching pays close attention to every step. Through his dedication and professionalism, he shares Taiwan’s baking prowess with the world.

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Meanwhile heavy rains battered Central Taiwan, so much so that passengers on a bus in Changhua needed to use an umbrella. The waterproofing seal around the emergency hatch on the roof was apparently worn out from sun damage, resulting in leakage. The bus company said the vehicle in question is now under maintenance and repairs, while other buses with higher risk of leakage had also been recalled for a checkup to stay in service during the rainy season.

Sure, it’s raining heavily outside. But what are passengers doing with umbrellas open inside the bus? That’s right, the roof is leaking.

A passenger at the back posted this video clip online, in which three open umbrellas can be clearly seen.

Member of public
Commenting on video clip
Of course it’s a little ridiculous. It’s not well maintained. They need to improve. It’s passengers’ rights.

Member of public
Commenting on video clip
It was raining heavily. The vehicle is probably quite old as well.

The bus with a leaking roof is operated by Yuan Lin Bus Company…

… and the leakage came from this emergency roof hatch.

The weather stripping had become damaged with prolonged sun exposure. The bus company insists that it conducts regular checks on waterproofing. However, the past few days have seen prolonged showers owing to a stationary weather front and seasonal southeasterly winds. The rainfall has simply been too heavy, leading to the leakage. The company has recalled the vehicle from the fleet to replace the rubber seal.

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- If you receive a flight delay notice before takeoff, would you stay home a little longer, or go to the airport as planned?

- Of course you should wait at home! You’re just wasting your time waiting here, right?

- Especially if I received this message at home, I definitely wouldn’t want to go to the airport so early.

- I won’t leave late; I’ll actually get there early. Just in case things don’t go as planned, I’ll come and wait here first.

Many people who find out they have a delayed flight, think they can take their time. As the check-in counters only open three hours before takeoff and close an hour before takeoff, they think arriving early would be just a waste of time. But thinking this way might cause you to miss your flight!

- Oh, I never knew that. Isn’t that really wrong?

- Oh dear, how could this happen? This can’t be allowed!

Here’s a grim example: A passenger booked flight TR872 from Taipei to Seoul at 6:10 p.m. through a third-party platform. He received a notification at noon that the flight had been rescheduled to 9:25 p.m., a delay of over three hours. He thought he could take his time. He never imagined that at 4 p.m., he would receive a notification again that the flight time had been changed back to the original schedule. At this point, there were only two hours left before departure. When he arrived at the check-in counter, he was already past closing time. Fortunately, the ground staff were accommodating and allowed him to board smoothly.

Jesse Lin
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Upon receiving a flight delay notification, unless there is a change in check-in time, you must complete your airport check-in before the original check-in deadline. Don’t try to change your schedule on your own. Usually, check-in time changes only occur when the flight is rescheduled to the next day. This is primarily because most ground handling operations are outsourced and operate on strictly predetermined time slots.

The expert shared past SMS messages from airlines notifying passengers of delays. Unless the message specifically mentions a change in check-in time, passengers should not take matters into their own hands and arrive at the airport late. Otherwise, a leisurely trip could turn into a rushed one in an instant.

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