Singer: The Downfall of a Great American Manufacturer
worseonpurpose.com
worseonpurpose.com
My son and I volunteer at the local repair cafe. The clothing/textile repair area is usually the busiest area, and I'd say that at least half of the people working the sewing machines are young women of reasonably affluent backgrounds - college-age or younger.
Perhaps people don't need to do it anymore, but many are choosing to.