Discover our new factsheet in collaboration with Zero Waste Europe on creating a local reuse and repair culture,including what a Repair Café is and how to start one, with examples from Croatia and Portugal.

You can find the full factsheet here.

We’ve seen that local spaces matter. Repair cafés, reuse centres, and libraries of things don’t just fix items. They build skills, save resources, and bring people together.

What’s a Repair Café?
A community space where people repair items, from electronics to clothes, while sharing tools, skills, and creativity. It’s about saving money, reducing waste, and fostering collaboration.

How to Start One
Our 10-step roadmap guides you through everything from finding a venue and volunteers to promoting your café and keeping momentum.

Inspiring Examples

• Re-Geppetto (Croatia): Combines repair, art, and community — winner of the European Week for Waste Reduction award.

• Repair Academy (Portugal): The country’s first training hub for fixing electrical and electronic devices.

Ready to launch your own reuse initiative?
Explore the Kickstart Reuse guidelines, a hands-on toolkit with real examples from across Europe, and take the first step toward a circular, waste-free future.