Repair Café

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About

Repair Café is a global movement to reduce waste and build skills and community.

During this monthly two-hour event, we have community members on hand who can help you with your items that need fixing. If you have a small appliance or piece of clothing or something else that needs fixing, please bring it in and have it repaired - for free :)

Thanks to our awesome team of volunteer "fixers", more than half of all the broken items that are brought in get repaired! Some of the items that have been repaired in the past are: toaster ovens, curling irons, clocks, lamps, jeans, purses, coats, chairs, radios, microwaves, and many more.

Dates

Fall 2024

• Wednesday, September 11, from 6 pm to 8 pm - Jalna Library
• Wednesday, October 2, from 6 pm to 8 pm - Beacock Library
• Wednesday, October 16, from 6 pm to 8 pm - Reimagine
• Wednesday, November 6, from 6 pm to 8 pm - Dorchester Flight Exec Centre CANCELLED
• Wednesday, November 20, from 6 pm to 8 pm - East London Library

Interested in being a “fixer”?

Please see this document for more details on what being a fixer involves and then visit our volunteer page and complete the form at the bottom of the page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Repair Café and how does it work?

The Repair Café is a free, volunteer-run initiative that operates about once per month with the goal of repairing items that were once loved but are no longer working. It is our hope to extend the lives of different items that would otherwise be sent to landfills and replaced by purchasing a new item.

Here’s a brief rundown of how our Repair Cafés work:

1. RSVP to a Repair Café near you, making sure to sign the waiver and read our FAQ
2. Arrive at Repair Café a bit before the scheduled time to guarantee an early spot in the queue
3. Check in at the check-in desk – volunteers will direct you to a fixer or, if no fixers are available, add you to the waitlist
4. Wait in the waiting room until your name is called, then volunteers will direct you to a fixer
5. Describe the repair to your fixer and hang out with them while they attempt the repair
6. When the repair is finished (fixed or not), check out at the check-out desk, and volunteers will ask for your feedback and record some information about your item
7. If you have another item to repair, return to the check-in queue and repeat from step 3 – otherwise, you’re all done!

Do I need to RSVP ahead of time?

While not mandatory, we highly recommend that you RSVP for two reasons:

• It gives us a better idea of the number of people to expect so we can make sure to have the right number of volunteer fixers present; and
• We can make sure that at least one fixer is skilled at repairing the type of item that you plan to bring.

Having said this, if you decide to attend last-minute and have not registered, we’ll gladly still take a look!

How many items can I bring?

In order to give everyone a chance to have their item looked at, we’ll only repair one of your items at a time. If you bring more than one item, then we encourage you to return to the check-in queue after your first item has been looked at and check in with your next item.

What types of items can you fix?

We’ve successfully repaired over 500 items at London’s Repair Café events! Depending on the repair, the following items are worth bringing:

• Clothing/fabric items with various rips and tears (see below)
• Lamps that need electrical parts replaced
• Sewing machines
• Small appliances (like blenders, toasters, coffeemakers etc.)
• Items with physical breaks, such as broken glass or ceramics (if not broken into too many pieces!) and wooden pieces (such as chairs) etc.
• Clocks
• Bicycles (please check our guide to purchasing new inner tubes, if that’s the problem)
• And much more! If you’re not sure, email info@londonrepaircafe.ca and ask!

What types of items can you likely NOT fix?

While we’ve successfully repaired a variety of items, with the experience we’ve gained over the years, the following items may be too difficult to fix. However, you’re still welcome to bring them for a fixer to take a look and offer advice.

• Mini refrigerators
• Dehumidifiers
• Zipper repairs (see below)
• Certain clothing/fabric repairs (see below)
• Please note that we will not accept any gasoline-powered items

Can you fix my broken zipper?

We are currently unable to replace zippers at Repair Café due to time constraints (it can take up to 2-3 hours). However, if only a small section of sewing is loose around the zipper, then we may be able to repair it - no guarantees though!

Can you fix my clothing/fabric item?

This depends on the type of fabric and repair:

• Normally, we are unable to repair items with leather or heavy fabric, unless the item can be hand-sewn. Feel free to send a photo to info@londonrepaircafe.ca if you’re unsure.
• We can try to make small alterations, like hems and waistband adjustments, but please come with your item pre-pinned and marked.
• We are unable to provide precise tailoring or significant alterations — but we’re happy to refer you to a local business who can assist!

Important: please ensure that all clothing/fabric items are laundered and free of pet hair when you bring it to Repair Café!

What should I bring to Repair Café?

• For electrical/electronic items, please bring the power cord and/or batteries so that we can check the problem and test the repair
• For broken items that need parts replaced, please bring those parts (Repair Café is entirely volunteer-run and the “fixers” in attendance are volunteering their time and tools to help fix various items — they’re not responsible for supplying replacement parts)

Some examples of replacements parts that you may need to bring:

• New cell phone screens
• New switches for electrical items
• New lightbulbs for lamps
• Buttons to be added to clothing/fabric items, etc.
• Inner tubes for bicycles (see our guide to purchasing those here)

If you don’t know what new parts you need, please contact us ahead of time (info@londonrepaircafe.ca) or come to Repair Café near the beginning (6 PM) so that one of our fixers can take a look and advise you on what part(s) you may need. If time allows, you might be able to run to the hardware store, purchase the part, and return to Repair Café to get your item fixed – no guarantees though!

Will I be seen as soon as I check in on the day of the Repair Café?

Based on our experience, you might be seen right away if you come near the beginning of Repair Café – but more likely than not, you’ll have to wait.

It’s not possible for us to estimate wait time (because we don’t know how long repairs will take until our fixers are working on them), but to minimise wait time, we recommend that you come early (before 6 PM).

And please be patient on the day! We’re all volunteers just trying to make a difference.

On the day of the Repair Café, is it first come, first served?

In a way, yes – as soon as you check in, your name is added to the waitlist in order of check-in. However, our fixers have different areas of expertise (sewing, electronics, bicycles etc.), so your name won’t be called until an appropriate fixer is available for you. This means that if you bring a toaster and someone after you brings a pair of jeans, and a sewist becomes available before an electronics fixer, then the person after you may be called first.

Is there a charge to this service?

No, there is no charge. We’re all volunteers!

Can I make a donation to the Repair Café?

We gratefully accept donations, which enable us to continue offering these volunteer-run events.

How to donate to the Repair Café:

• Send an e-transfer to info@londonrepaircafe.ca
• Make a cash donation at the check-in or check-out desks at any Repair Café event, or at Reimagine Co (206 Piccadilly St, London) on Tuesday to Saturday during opening hours