repaircafés

Repair cafés are community events where people bring broken objects to be repaired by volunteers. The concept combines repair with social gathering to extend the life of goods and reduce waste. The movement began in 2009 in the Netherlands, initiated by Martine Postma, and later organized under the Repair Café Foundation. Since then, hundreds of venues worldwide have hosted sessions, often monthly in public spaces such as libraries, community centers, or schools.

At a repair café, attendees describe the problem, and trained volunteers (repair technicians) attempt to diagnose and fix items. Tools, spare parts, and safe workspace are provided, and participants can observe and learn repair techniques. While repairs are usually offered for free, parts may be charged if needed, and some complex or hazardous items may be declined.

Commonly repaired items include small electrical devices, appliances, clothing, bicycles, and furniture. The emphasis is on reusable repair rather than replacement, and sessions aim to teach basic skills to empower users to fix things themselves.

Organizational model centers on volunteers running repair stations; local organizations may partner with municipalities or sponsors. Sustainability benefits include reduced waste and data on repairs that can inform circular economy efforts, while challenges include finding skilled volunteers, ensuring safety and insurance, and sourcing spare parts.

Impact and reception: repair cafés contribute to waste reduction and community engagement but vary in scale. Measurement tends to be qualitative, sometimes quantitative in kilograms of waste saved or number of items repaired.