Maybe try a different techniques when disassembling the controller. I've taken apart at least 250 controllers, and while I do keep ribbon cables on hand to replace really gross looking ones I have yet to break one myself.
Cutting the end is a good trick, you can usually get away with trimming the ends of a cable with a bent pin or two to make it work like new. If you really wanted you could order your own from a place like oshpark and just design your own flex. Their flex pcb should last a lot longer than the usual ribbons