Het bericht Audio description of a Repair Café supports those with sight loss verscheen eerst op Repaircafe.

The survey follows on from the previous three Global Repair Café Surveys, with the last being conducted in 2020. Since then, much has changed in the repair movement. That is why we are asking all Repair Café organisers to participate.

We are really interested to hear all about your Repair Café. How your events run, your goals and activities, and the barriers you may have faced.  We hope to receive a massive response from Repair Cafés around the world. So that this study gives us a good idea of what Repair Cafés achieve together and what they need.

It’s easy to join!

The survey will be available in English, French and German. You can answer the open-ended survey questions in your native language if you wish. The survey begins on the 7^th November 2025 and will close 7^th December 2025. All Repair Cafés will receive an invitation to participate. Please keep a look out in your Repair Café inboxes for the survey.

The findings of the survey will be shared with all Repair Cafés who opt in to receive a copy, alongside an invite to a webinar to discuss the findings.

Thank you for your support and participation!

This survey is being conducted by Beth Quinton and Peter Counter, PhD Research Students at the University for the Creative Arts in Farnham (UK). It is overseen by Professor Martin Charter, Director of The Centre for Sustainable Design at UCA and by Joanna van der Zanden, Chair of Repair Café International Foundation. If you have any questions, please contact the researchers by emailing repaircaferesearch@outlook.com

Het bericht The Fourth Global Repair Café Survey is on the way! verscheen eerst op Repaircafe.

The Dutch Linux Repair Cafés are already very popular. Meetings often attract dozens of visitors who want help switching to open source software. Repair Café International has been working hard behind the scenes over the past few months. The starter pack for your own Linux Repair Café will also be available in other languages from the end of November.

Why a Linux Repair Café?

Microsoft announced that it will stop supporting Windows 10, the operating system that runs on most computers worldwide, on 14 October 2025. There is now good news: Microsoft is extending this support by one year. After that date, millions of older computers are still at risk of becoming e-waste. We can use this year to familiarise more people with Linux open source software and help them make the switch!

Start your own Linux Repair Café

Repair Café International has developed a special starter kit for this purpose, which will soon be available in English, German, French and Spanish. It includes a manual that guides you step by step through the entire process of organising your own Linux Repair Café. From recruiting suitable volunteers, through technical preparation, to your first meeting. A comprehensive script explains what you need to do at each stage to make your Linux Repair Café a success.

In addition, the starter pack contains all kinds of additional materials, such as a ready-made press release for local media, fillable flyers that you can distribute in your neighbourhood, instructions for volunteers and a slideshow about Linux that you can play for visitors during your meeting. We also offer a special installation version of Linux Mint, which makes installation quick and easy.

Join in and request the starter pack for organising your Linux Repair Café from the end of November!

Het bericht Starter kit for your own Linux Repair Café coming soon verscheen eerst op Repaircafe.

We previously reported that our founder Martine Postma received the Sustainable Ribbon on 2 September. Later that month, it was Shrewsbury Repair Café’s turn. They won the Green Award at the BBC Radio Shropshire Make a Difference Awards 2025. A reaction from the happy winners: “An incredible honour and achievement, considering the nomination came from visitors to the Repair Café!” The award was presented on 26 September by radio presenters Adam Green and Clare Ashworth.

In the Netherlands, the daily newspaper Trouw has named Repair Café the most important sustainable initiative in the field of reuse and waste. The newspaper ranks Repair Café number 1 in this category, which is part of the Sustainable 100. The Sustainable 100 was announced on 9 October at Pakhuis de Zwijger in Amsterdam.

Important contribution to waste reduction

Both juries were full of praise for the impact that Repair Cafés have. The Trouw jury wrote: “Repair Café helps us to look at our belongings differently. Moreover, Repair Café shows how repairing not only reduces waste, but also brings people together and connects them.”

The chair of the Green Award jury, Dr Hezron Ottey, said: “This group makes an important contribution to reducing waste. It is said that in the United Kingdom, 80% of our waste can be recycled or recovered, but we only do this with 44%. This group is tackling this problem in an important way.”

Upon receiving the award, the team said: “It’s unusual to receive something that doesn’t need to be repaired – we thought the award might be presented in several pieces that needed to be glued back together!”

Has your Repair Café also won an award? Let us know at Repair Café International!

Het bericht And the winner is… Repair Café! verscheen eerst op Repaircafe.

The average electric toothbrush doesn’t last very long. Many people throw theirs away when the battery starts failing after 3–5 years. The devices also tend to break relatively quickly due to intensive daily use and poor maintenance. Humid bathrooms and improper charging don’t help either. For a layperson, repairing them may seem difficult—but the good news is: it’s definitely possible!

Common problems with electric toothbrushes

According to the RepairMonitor from our Repair Cafés, the top five issues are:

1. By far the most common: the battery no longer charges properly
2. The on/off button gets stuck
3. The device is no longer watertight
4. The toothbrush vibrates too much or too little
5. The toothbrush makes too much noise

Handy tips to prevent problems

With these tips from repair platform Mr Again, you can extend the life of your toothbrush:

• Clean it after every use: rinse the brush head and metal shaft to prevent toothpaste buildup
• Always use original chargers and brush heads
• Store in a dry place
• Keep it safe from falls

Repairing your toothbrush yourself

You’ll need some technical tools and know-how, but the online guides from repair platform iFixit can help. iFixit offers free step-by-step guides for opening up toothbrushes and replacing batteries or motors for different models.

Calling in expert help

“I had no idea these things could be repaired!” is the most common reaction Rob Kruizinga—also known as the “Toothbrush Bear”—hears. After repairing his own broken toothbrush, he started a dedicated repair service for electric toothbrushes.

“Repairing is a win-win,” he explains. “In the Netherlands, we throw away about 1 million electric toothbrushes every year. That’s a mountain of waste! Repairing prevents waste, saves raw materials, and avoids the CO2 emissions from producing new devices—often on the other side of the world.”

As an industrial designer, Rob is passionate about circular design. “My dream is the ultimate self-repairable toothbrush—so I can close my shop.” What started as a hobby has become serious: he now receives broken toothbrushes from all over the country.

If you’re looking for a repairer nearby, just visit a Repair Café.

Repair your electric toothbrush yourself—or drop by a Repair Café!

Need help fixing your electric toothbrush? Visit a Repair Café near you. Prefer to do it yourself? Find a step-by-step repair guide on iFixit. You can also use these guides to prepare for your visit to a Repair Café, so you’ll know what to expect.

Het bericht Repairing Electric Toothbrushes verscheen eerst op Repaircafe.

Overcoming cold feet

On October 14, Microsoft will stop supporting Windows 10. Many older computers and laptops cannot handle the upgrade to Windows 11. That means around 240 million PCs and laptops are at risk of being discarded! Repair Café International is here to help by making the switch to the alternative operating system Linux easier. Linux is free, community-owned, and continuously developed. But many people hesitate to take the plunge. That’s why we want to set up special Linux Repair Cafés. Will you join us?

How to start a Linux Repair Café

You can host a special Linux session within an existing Repair Café—or you can set up a stand-alone initiative. Our new starter kit contains everything you need to prepare for a Linux Repair Café:

• Technical instructions for volunteers on installing Linux Mint (including a special installation version)
• A ready-made presentation about Linux to show visitors
• A step-by-step guide to organizing your Linux Repair Café

First reactions are enthusiastic

The foundation has already tested three Linux Repair Cafés in Amsterdam. Visitors learned everything they needed to know about Linux, tried it out on demo computers and could get Linux installed for free on their own laptops.

Our colleague Rieneke Post reports: “After Martine Postma talked about this on national radio, the trial sessions were packed. Personal help turns out to be the key to overcoming people’s hesitation. That’s why we now want to roll out these Linux Repair Cafés more widely. And we’ll need lots of volunteers to make that happen! Luckily, Linux has plenty of fans eager to help.”

Get started with your Linux Repair Café

Existing Repair Cafés can download our starter kit for free. New initiatives are asked for a voluntary donation. The kit also includes a user-friendly manual for beginners who have just installed Linux on their computer. That way, the switch becomes even easier.

Het bericht New: Starter Kit for Your Own Linux Repair Café verscheen eerst op Repaircafe.

What is Sustainability Tuesday?

Every year on the first Tuesday in September, a few selected people in the Netherlands who contribute to a fairer, more sustainable society are honored in The Hague. The goal: to make sustainable initiatives more visible to politicians and the public.
Martine was in good company: NRC journalist and podcaster Wouter van Noort and Herenboeren founder Geert van de Veer were also recognized. In earlier years, winners included astronaut Wubbo Ockels, activist Marjan Minnesma, climate activist Greta Thunberg, and politician Frans Timmermans.

Praise for her perseverance

The jury of the Sustainability Award praised Martine’s vision, determination, and—most importantly for sustainability—her perseverance. They were impressed by the number of Repair Cafés worldwide, the RepairMonitor, and her contribution to the “Right to Repair” legislation. “Thanks in large part to Martine, there is now much more attention for repair in society and among the general public,” the jury said. “Martine is a tireless advocate for making repair accessible to everyone.”

Love, patience, and a touch of activism

Because Martine could not attend in person, Joanna van der Zanden accepted the award on her behalf. In her short speech, Joanna thanked all 55,000 volunteers, partners, staff, sponsors, researchers, and students. “Our movement is vibrant and alive. Repair is not a trend but an essential part of a sustainable society. And as long as it’s needed, we will continue to pass it on to future generations—with love, patience, and a little bit of activism,” she said.
Photo: Coen Halmans

Het bericht Martine Postma honored with Dutch Sustainability Award! verscheen eerst op Repaircafe.

“Our goal was to offer a platform to local Repair Cafés so they could showcase their work and connect with an audience they wouldn’t normally reach”, says Victoria Reece, UK marketing executive at WD-40 Company. “We also wanted to bring our Repair Challenge campaign to life. And we involved Men in Sheds Milton Keynes, a charity we’re deeply connected with, as we wanted to raise awareness of their meaningful work and give them visibility.”

32 volunteers of three local Repair Cafés fixed 53 items

More than thirty volunteers of three local Repair Cafés participated in the event. They loved it! “We had a fabulous time”, says Philippa Tipper, coordinator of Milton Keynes Repair Café. “We did 53 fixes, gave lots of repair advice and recruited nine new repairers.”

Philippa remembers many successful repairs that were conducted during the event. “Someone brought in a casserole lid that needed a new knob; the casserole lid blew its top in the oven. WD-40 applied and the correct tools meant that our repairers Len and Robert could take off the old knob and replace it with the new one that the owners had brought with them. What a success!”

Repair Café volunteers used WD-40 spray to fix a casserole lid

More uses and applications for WD-40 products in repair settings

Employees of WD-40 Company enjoyed the event as well. They handed out 2,000 product samples and persuaded 300 people to fill out a brand survey. “Our main takeaway is that in-person events continue to be the most powerful way to engage, educate and inspire people”, says Victoria. “We also discovered even more uses and applications for WD‑40 products in repair settings. The versatility continues to surprise us!”

Repair event should become an annual experience around the world

Victoria trusts the event has helped build new local connections for the Repair Cafés in and around Milton Keynes. “Such as partnerships with the shopping centre, which can help them expand their reach and resources.” WD-40 Company hopes to make the event an annual thing. “We’re already working on the 2026 edition and we want to inspire other cities and countries to adopt the concept and turn the Repair Event into a must-have annual experience around the world.”

More information

• Watch the video recap of the repair event
• Participate in the WD-40 Repair Challenge

Het bericht Repair Cafés join in WD-40 Company repair event verscheen eerst op Repaircafe.

How to make repairing cool for younger generations?

Students from the Creative Media & Game Technologies programme wanted to make a real impact on sustainability. That’s why they teamed up with Repair Café International for their graduation project. After months of hard work, their game Patch-up Planet is ready. The target audience? Teens and young adults. “Right now, most Repair Café visitors are older,” says student Thomas Bakker. “To get young people excited about repairing, we tapped into something they already love: gaming!”

A robot on a repair mission

The five-person design team came up with Patch, a curious little exploration robot. Patch lands on a broken-down planet with a mission: help the local inhabitants bring all sorts of damaged objects back to life. His ultimate goal? Repair a giant kettle that supplies hot water to the entire planet.

The choice of a kettle wasn’t random, explains student Lea Molema. “It’s one of the more common items brought into Repair Cafés.” The game also mirrors real life by highlighting the joy of fixing things together. And the sustainable impact is clear: with every successful repair, the once grey planet transforms into lush, vibrant green.

A playful take on a serious topic

“By letting Patch travel across an entire planet, we show the massive scale of our throwaway culture,” Thomas explains. “We’re turning a heavy topic into something accessible and enjoyable.” “And,” adds Rieneke Post, project supervisor from Repair Café International, “the planet’s residents only have one world — just like us.”

More information

• Watch the trailer on YouTube
• The game is free to download for Windows PCs

Het bericht New game inspires young people to start repairing verscheen eerst op Repaircafe.

Introduction by Martine Postma and Martin Charter

Martine Postma (Repair Café International) and Martin Charter (Centre for Sustainable Design, UK) opened the webinar. Martine talked about developments that Repair Café International has noticed, such as growing interest in repair from public authorities and more projects to promote repair and reuse of products.

Repair Café International sees opportunities for repair activities in places such as shopping centres.

First hour on textile repair

The first hour focused on textile repair, with presentations by Sandy Black (Centre for Sustainable Fashion, UK), Suzie Fromer (Repair Café Hudson Valley, US) and Beth Quinton (University for the Creative Arts, UK).

Suzie Fromer talked about textile repair in the 67 Repair Cafés in the Hudson Valley in New York State, USA.

Second hour on research

The second hour was devoted to research on and around Repair Cafés. Martine Postma gave a short introduction. This was followed by presentations by Peter Counter (University for the Creative Arts, UK) and two groups of students from Dutch educational institutions: students from Leiden University talked about their research into involving more expats in Repair Cafés. Game technology students from Hanze University of Applied Sciences in Groningen talked about the Repair Café game they developed as their graduation project.

Students from Leiden University talked about their research into involving expats in Repair Cafés.

More information

• Watch the webinar on YouTube
• Read more about the programme on the website of the Centre for Sustainable Design

Het bericht Looking back on 5th international Repair Café webinar verscheen eerst op Repaircafe.