How to Start Your Own Repair Café

The Repair Revolution is an inspiring read by a woman who set up a New York repair café that fixes lamps to cleaners, clocks to chairs, clothing to dolls and even sharpens tools.

Their website says ‘Most items get fixed – but even when they don’t, we have a good time trying!’

Although you should throw out dodgy Christmas lights etc, repair cafes are great to mend most items. Some staff are paid (a good honest way to make a living) and others are run by volunteers.

• Find a low-cost starter kit at Repair Cafe International.
• Use the unique code to order a Repair Café toolkit and find tips to repair clocks to furniture.
• In London, The Restart Project runs ‘repair parties’ (fixes tablets to toasters and iPhones to headphones).
• Lewes Repair Cafe has volunteers who can mend zips to bicycles, broken china to garden tools. You even get tea and cake!
• If you’re skilled in DIY, sign up at Restarters to get involved in the worldwide effort.