Ozempic Wave Boosts Cobblers and Tailors as Americans Tighten their Belts

US consumers taking weight-loss drugs such as Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro are turning to cobblers and tailors to save money while shedding pounds.

Cobblers and tailors in the United States are seeing increased demand for belt shortening, clothing alterations and other repair services as consumers lose weight while using GLP-1 medications. [Photo: NovoCare]

The trend is being driven partly by the rising cost of living and higher out-of-pocket medication expenses as some US employers reduce coverage for GLP-1 drugs, Danielle Kaye and Alexander Marrow reported for Reuters.

Over the past year, leather repair shops have reported a surge in requests for adjustments linked to rapid weight loss.

Customers are seeking alterations not only to belts but also to shoes and bag straps to accommodate their changing body sizes.

The increase in demand for alterations highlights how weight-loss medications are reshaping consumer spending, creating opportunities for some businesses while challenging others to adapt.

About 11% of US adults use GLP-1 drugs to lose weight, according to Gallup, prompting many consumers to seek affordable ways to update their wardrobes.

Cobblers Direct, an online shoe and handbag repair business with 25 physical stores in Texas and a nationwide mail-in service, has recorded double-digit year-over-year growth in its belt-shortening business, CEO Stephen Kelly said.

The company, whose approximately 100 artisans are expected to move into a nearly 30,000-square-foot warehouse in Austin, is shortening as many as 500 belts a week, Kelly said.

Some customers arrive at its stores carrying five or six belts over their shoulders. After having additional holes punched into the belts, some ask to keep the excess leather as a “badge of honor,” he said.