‘Repair café’ breathes new life into old things
Whether it’s a one-eyed teddy bear, a jammed zipper or a broken toaster, you can have it fixed – for free – at one of Switzerland’s ‘Repair Cafés’.
This content was published on March 5, 2016 - 11:00- Deutsch Das Repair Café haucht alten Sachen neues Leben ein
- Español Un nuevo aliento para objetos desahuciados
- Português "Café dos Consertos" dá vida para as coisas velhas
- 中文 旧物修理点
- Français Comment ressusciter nos objets quotidiens
- عربي حياة جديدة لأغراض كانت ستؤول إلى سلة المهملات
- Pусский Repair Café или новая жизнь старых вещей
- 日本語 壊れたものが生まれ変わる「修理カフェ」
- Italiano Come risuscitare oggetti buoni per la spazzatura
On regularly scheduled dates all over the country, volunteers of all ages donate their time, tools and expertise to repairing electronics, clothing, toys, and other household items. Many are retired and appreciate the chance to share their skills in a lively and sociable atmosphere.
Indeed, the demand for their services is quite high. It’s first-come, first-served, so it pays to arrive early. And while there’s no charge for the money-saving repair service, tips are certainly appreciated. Sometimes it’s even possible to “upcycle” old objects – creating something new and unique out of what might have gone to waste.
Sponsored by KonsumentenschutzExternal link, a Swiss consumer protection foundation, the Repair Café workers make a note of commonly occurring defects and report them to the manufacturers. swissinfo.ch visited a Repair Café in Bern – where all sorts of defective goods were being rejuvenated.
(Photos by Ester Unterfinger, text by Susan Misicka)
This article was automatically imported from our old content management system. If you see any display errors, please let us know: community-feedback@swissinfo.ch