Latest news with #RighttoRepair
Forbes
01-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Fix It: How Right To Repair Laws And Communities Are Eliminating Waste
getty You break it, you buy it. But what if you can't buy the parts needed to fix it in the first place? That is the very simplified dilemma that Right to Repair laws are trying to address all over the country—making it the manufacturers job to provide the tools necessary to fix their products instead of forcing one to just throw them away and buy brand new. The Waste Loop has more than just power tools, as seen here, and helps patrons mend clothing and other fabrics. Waste Loop 'The Right to Repair is a global movement pushing for broad and public access to the knowledge, tools, and material components necessary to repair and keep our items in use and out of the landfill,' explained Amanda Close, of Leavenworth, WA. Close is the education and outreach manager at Waste Loop, a non-profit organization in Washington that aims to help transform waste and refuse into useable materials and also staffing a tool library. She is a proponent for these legal protections, as they would also help eliminate large-scale waste when products break. In New York, there are currently two bills in motion for 2025, according to the state section of the Right to Repair site. Bill S04655 which would address home appliances and bill S04500 which would address powered wheelchairs. These laws, and the many like it nationwide, would force manufacturers to make certain parts, instruction manuals, and tools needed for common repairs available, as well as extend warranties. In regard to the wheelchair bill in particular, it also calls for all wheelchair repairs needed within 5 years of initial prescription to be deemed medically necessary. People at the Waste Loop in Washington State can bring their old items and, using the tool library, repair them right on site. Waste Loop 'In Washington State our legislature just passed a Right to Repair [for] personal electronic devices and Right to Repair wheelchairs bills this year, which is an exciting step,' said Close. 'The California right to repair law, which came into effect last year, has had a big impact on Right to Repair nationally since California is the most populous state and has the largest economy.' In addition to lobbying for legislation and donating to the cause, there has also been a cultural shift when it comes to repairing items at home, or in many cities, at a brick-and-mortar 'cafe' of sorts — not only mending the items but stitching together a community of likeminded individuals who support sustainability. 'The public can write to their state and federal elected representatives in support of current or future Right to Repair legislation,' suggested Close as to what we can do to help support the movement. 'Also, look up or start local repair cafes, fix-it fairs or similar repair events happening in the city or region to join the local repair movement. Sharing knowledge, skills, and simply adapting a repair mindset goes a long way—repair over replace!' What is a repair cafe or a tool library? Luke Dixon, store and salvage manager and Beryl Bils, outreach and tool library manager are employees at the Waste Loop, helping the organization thrive. Waste Loop In short, these community-driven third spaces are the way that folks have been responding to the growing need to repair their own items and can also be a place for learning new skills or finding a useful hobby like carpentry, sewing and more. Repair cafes and tool libraries are typically non-profit organizations, like the Waste Loop, that function due to community efforts and volunteers. In New York there is only one repair cafe in the city: Repair Cafe El Barrio in Harlem. 'Repair Cafe El Barrio is part of the global repair cafe movement, which began in Amsterdam in 2009,' said founder Rocio Salceda. 'Since then, it has grown to include nearly 3,000 repair cafes around the world, and as of now, we're still the first and only one in New York City. Our mission is simple: to bring people together, reduce waste and empower our community by fixing broken items rather than throwing them away.' Salceda, who is also a fashion designer, helps teach attendees how to sew with sewing machines she brings to the space to share. There are also other volunteers and shared tools for use in El Barrio, held in the Harlem Artspace building once a month. Attendance is free and the repair cafe is completely community-led, with the next opening on August 3 from 11am to 2pm. Participants at the repair cafe can bring in their broken items, like this camera, and receive help and tools to fix it themselves, free of charge. Rocio Salceda Across the boroughs from El Barrio, there is one free tool library in New York, backed by the Brooklyn Public Library system. Held out of the Greenpoint Brooklyn branch, the tool library allows you to check out power tools and other items for a week at a time, similar to a library book. The project is another way communities are coming together to support a sustainable future. 'In a place like New York, where space is tight and not everyone can afford or store a full set of tools, something like [a tool library] can be super useful,' said Salceda. 'It's all about sharing resources, which is really aligned with the spirit of the Repair Cafe—helping each other out, reducing waste, and making things more accessible.' Should you want to get involved, per the suggestion from Close and Salceda, check out the map on to find your local advocacy group, inquire at local libraries and community centers about repair initiatives, or, just take a second look at your damaged items before heading straight to the dumpster. Especially during a heat wave, having a working fan (or two) can be a blessing. Rocio Salceda 'To me, Right to Repair is about having the freedom and the resources to fix the things we own—whether it's a phone, a toaster or a pair of jeans—instead of being forced to throw them away and buy new ones,' concluded Salceda. 'It's about access: access to tools, to parts and to knowledge. It's also about choice. We should be able to decide what happens to our stuff, and we should have the option to repair it ourselves or with the help of our community.' 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Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Right to Repair? Army secretary pushes for access to tools, parts
(NewsNation) — The Right to Repair is gaining a ton of momentum across the country. Earlier this month, Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll committed to including right-to-repair provisions in all existing and future contracts with manufacturers. Right to Repair is a legal right for owners of devices and equipment to freely modify and repair products such as automobiles, electronics, and farm equipment. Presently, the Army has committed to securing right-to-repair provisions in contracts. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., is advocating for other military branches to adopt the requirement, addressing the long-standing repairability problems across the armed forces. Spyware suspected on iPhones of US, EU political figures: Report 'The Army's commitment to Right to Repair shows other industries that they can do the same,' she says. Last month in Washington, the Right to Repair became law after advocates had spent years trying to get it passed. In addition, a wheelchair bill in New York has also advanced, while a new bill has been introduced in Pennsylvania that covers consumer and business electronics. In 2025, 35 states — up from 30 last year — have considered Right to Repair legislation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Engadget
06-06-2025
- Engadget
You probably won't be fixing your own Nintendo Switch 2
The techs over at iFixit have completed their teardown of the Nintendo Switch 2, which launched this week . After completing a thorough analysis of the newest Nintendo console, it appears this generation of Switch is even harder to repair than its predecessor. iFixit has assigned the Switch 2 a repairability score of three out of 10. This represents an even lower score than the retroactive four out of 10 they awarded to the original model. To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here and view the "Content and social-media partners" setting to do so. A substantial consideration in iFixit's scoring system is the availability of repair parts from the manufacturer for the device in question. While there was some hope that Nintendo would have to comply with Right to Repair laws, sufficiently stringent versions of these regulations have yet to materialize , and OEM parts are almost impossible to come by. Further complicating the repairability is that the charge ports, main storage and a game card reader that are all soldered to the board. The USB-C charge ports are a particular pain point here, as disconnecting and reconnecting the charging cable wears on the charge port over time. A bad yank on the charging cable or a fall while it's connected could damage the charge port, which would require re-soldering a new one. iFixit found that the battery was also frustratingly difficult to remove — another major detractor to repairability, as batteries by their nature degrade over time. Beyond being difficult to access without the proper tools, it's held down with strong adhesive that requires a lot of effort (and isopropyl alcohol) to remove. So if you happen to get your hands on a Switch 2, buy a case and baby that battery, because if it needs any repairs you'll likely be shipping it to Nintendo and paying a pretty penny .
Forbes
04-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Can New Laws Tip Europe Into A Repair Society?
New laws are coming in Europe--some as soon as June 2025-- requiring products like smart phones to household goods to be designed to repairable backed with incentives for consumers, but will they go far enough? At a well-lit table in a church hall in the south England market town of Horsham, Simon Humphreys is testing frayed wires on a plug and cable that once powered a portable radio. Julian Olszowka, the radio's owner, is hoping that Simon, an electrical engineer by profession, can avoid the device ending up, shredded and dumped into the waste stream. Nearby Andrew Ramsden is peering into the back of a Krupps coffee-making machine that appears to have lost its ability to pump water. Stephanie James, the coffee machine's owner, says it is still capable of frothing milk but can't filter coffee. 'I would have had to dump it if I had not heard about this repair café, so I thought let's give it a go,' says Ms James. The Horsham repair café is part of Sussex Green Living, a regional southern England environmental group. It is staffed by a small group of volunteers, some of whom are experts and some of whom are applying common sense. Andrew admits he 'knows nothing about coffee machines' but stresses for most electrical goods the principles are the same. 'Whether it is a coffee machine or a vacuum cleaner, it is normally about have you got power going to where it needs to go and are things doing what they should do,' says Mr Ramsden. Simon reckons they can fix over half of the small electrical goods they see, but both despair at the way some goods are seemingly designed to be impossible to fix. Simon Humphreys checks out a defunct boom box while reporter Nick Nuttall looks on at the Sussex ... More Green Living Repair Cafe in Horsham, West Sussex, England 2025 Frustration ranges from 'built in obsolescence' meaning the manufacturers design goods to fail fast and in ways that make them hard to repair, up to the Herculean efforts often needed to source a crucial part at a realistic price. There are today some 700 Repair Cafés in the UK with more across Europe and the United States. The backbone of the current system is committed community and green groups, a small but growing suite or repair shops and customers who feel uncomfortable with the throwaway society. But there is also an increasing group of campaigners who feel, with the right incentives for customers and stronger rules for manufacturers, repair could play a key part in a modern economy while helping to combat climate change and create new green jobs. The focus right now is on a new law, called the 'Right to Repair' Directive, that is set to come into force across the European Union (EU) perhaps as soon as July 2026. It is allied to what is called the Eco Design Product Sustainability Regulation. The first is aimed at citizens, giving them more rights to get manufacturers to repair their faulty household goods while obligating governments in the EU governments to provide information or incentives for consumers to visit repair shops. The second is aimed at companies, requiring them to design products to be more repairable, and to ensure relevant parts are available to consumers and repairers. The new measures will apply to EU manufacturers but also to non-EU ones selling into the bloc. It means that a country like the UK, which is also seeking to strengthen repair laws at home, or a big exporter like China, may need to mirror much of the EU legislation if they want to continue exporting. Last year, the adoption of the 'Right to Repair' Directive marked a milestone in our push for a more sustainable and consumer-friendly Europe. This bold move reflects our commitment to a culture of repair, sustainability, and a circular economy across the European Union. It guarantees that consumers can repair their products even beyond the legal warranty, helping reduce waste and breathe new life into goods Many campaigners agree that progress is being made. But believe there is room to expand the scope of repair. Especially as member states (and perhaps non-EU states like the UK) move to translate the new requirements into domestic laws and plans. Under the Right to Repair, each member state of the EU has to choose at least one action that could range from information campaigns up to financial incentives. The Restart Project in the UK, part of a pan European network of 29 organizations under the banner Right to Repair Europe has begun trials in three London boroughs of what they believe is a key part of the jigsaw puzzle. The pilot, funded until September by the North London Waste Authority's Community Fund, is offering citizens vouchers that give them a 50 per cent discount at shops doing repairs. Fiona Dear of the UK Restart Project Fiona Dear, Restart's UK Director of Strategy and Operations, says they are working with ReLondon, a circular economy initiative led by the Mayor of London and local authorities, with the aim of making repair vouchers London-wide. But the big prize is to encourage the UK Government to make repair vouchers nationwide. Ms Dear said:' We know from polling in 2023 that 79% of the UK public support a government repair voucher scheme. But we also know that often, national policy needs to be based on regional trials'. Similar calls are being made in the EU where repair vouchers have been successfully piloted in the Upper Austria region. That led to a national, now two-year-old, programme. France also has a nationwide scheme. But the Right to Repair Directive does not mandate them EU-wide. Campaigners are also pressing for the scope of products covered under the new Directive and Eco Design rules to be significantly expanded. Familiar white goods like washing machines and fridges are already covered and others have been added like tablets and batteries in products such as e-bikes. France has for some years carried a repairability score on white goods like washing machines, alongside the familiar energy ratings, as a way of encouraging consumers to make better choices. New energy efficiency plus now repairability stickers to appear on an increasing number of ... More electrical goods under the Right to Repair Directive in Europe Under the new repair push, repairability ratings will appear on smartphones and tablets in the EU from 20 June 2025 with more goods included next year. But campaigners want more ambition including a rating that includes not only how repairable a product is but the likely price of spare parts. Meanwhile, they want more commitment to financial incentives for consumers, ranging from Europe-wide voucher schemes or VAT cuts for repair to perhaps lower business rates for commercial repair shops and repair cafes. Cristina Ganapini, parts of the Right to Repair Europe which also links to 180 member organizations across 30 countries, says repair is not a nostalgic nod to the past, but has a big role to play in a modern, sustainable facing, society. The European Environmental Bureau (EEB) says extending the lifetime of all washing machines, notebooks, vacuum cleaners and smartphones in the EU by just one year would save around 4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) annually by 2030-- equivalent to taking over 2 million cars off the roads for a year. This could help the EU to meet its climate targets under the Paris Agreement and other related goals. A report by the German government's environment agency says a strong Right to Repair culture could generate around 60,000 additional jobs, many of which could be well paid in sectors such as Information and Communications Technologies, textiles, engineering, and electrical occupations Rosalind Peters repairs damaged clothing at Sussex Green Living's Repair Cafe in Horsham, West ... More Sussex, England 2025 How far campaign groups can push the European Commission, the EU member states and the UK government to go further and faster remains to be seen. Commissioner McGrath said the work now focused on ensuring the countries of the EU fully implement the Right to Repair Directive by July next year but did signal further steps. 'A major next step is the launch of the European Repair Platform by January 2028, designed to provide easy access to repair services across Europe. At the same time, we're pushing forward with eco-design legislation to set high repairability standards, making products longer lasting and easier to fix. These actions not only benefit consumers but also spark new opportunities and drive economic growth in the repair sector, 'he added. Back at Sussex Green Living's Repair Café, the coffee machine fault has been linked to a small rubber device. Given the wind in the sails of Right to Repair, Andrew and Stephanie and repairers and consumers in the EU and beyond may find sourcing such a spare part soon becomes less treasure hunt and more speedy reality. Much will depend on the ambition of EU member states to go the extra mile, the extent to which other countries, like the UK, act and the success of campaigners on both sides of the English Channel to win new and significant practical and political gains.
Fashion United
23-04-2025
- Business
- Fashion United
Tom Tailor partners with Dutch repair platform Mended
Almost a year ago, in May 2024, Mended, the Dutch online platform for clothing alterations and repairs, expanded into Germany. Initially, this was through a partnership with Cologne-based sustainable brand Armedangels. This partnership proved so successful, generating 100 repair orders within 15 minutes of launch, that Mended is now collaborating with Hamburg-based clothing retailer Tom Tailor. The partnership is part of Tom Tailor's 'BE-Part' sustainability strategy and its loyalty programme. It responds to the growing demand for repair services, driven on the company side by new EU regulations such as the 'Right to Repair", the Circular Economy Act, and the Circular Economy Action Plan, and on the consumer side by the demand for practical, sustainable solutions. According to Mended, this makes repair 'not a trend, but a necessity.' 'We are not known for just fixing clothes — but how we engage customers and reposition repair as a desirable choice. Our partnership with Tom Tailor is a major milestone and shows that repair is becoming the new standard for fashion companies,' comments Mended co-founder Agnes Weber in a press release on Wednesday. How does the collaboration work for customers? Customers book their repair online via Tom Tailor's repair portal and pay a fee starting at 7.99 euros plus shipping. This service is available to all customers from today; loyalty members receive additional benefits such as up to 20 percent off on their first repair. After booking, customers receive a QR code which they can use to drop off their item at a local post point. All repairs are then carried out by Mended's tailors within Germany, without cross-border shipping. The repaired garment is then delivered directly to the customer's home within ten days. '72 percent of Mended users are first-time repairers. This repair number is growing steadily as brands are increasingly pushing repair across their marketing and loyalty channels,' reports Mended. Furthermore, according to studies, 64 percent of consumers want repair services directly from the brands they shop with – not only for environmental reasons, but also for the service aspect. Repair should become standard 'We are testing today what could be standard tomorrow. Repair goes beyond sustainability but can also play a key role in our loyalty programme,' confirms Maximilian Zippel, head of consumer engagement D2C at Tom Tailor, in the announcement. 'With Tom Tailor's large and loyal customer base, this partnership has the power to reposition repair as a modern and desirable choice for many. It is a big step in putting repair where it belongs — in the spotlight,' adds Weber. Mended also wants to change how consumers think about repair. While it was common a generation or two ago to mend clothes at home or take difficult cases to the trusted hands of a tailor, which were still plentiful, repairing and mending today has a rather old-fashioned feel. 'We need to move away from this dusty image and create new, appealing talking points,' says Weber. 'Shopping is an experience, but repair was not - so we changed that.' This also includes the repaired garments being packaged and delivered 'with a bow on top' to replicate the unboxing experience of new purchases. Tom Tailor x Mended. Credits: Tom Tailor About Mended Mended was founded in 2022 in the Netherlands by Agnes Weber and Daan Maasson. The company has recorded thousands of successfully completed repairs to date and won the Newcomer of the Year 2025 award. The company describes itself as 'a circular service platform that makes extending the life of clothing as attractive as buying new' and offers repairs, alterations and resale of clothing, as well as branding and marketing. Sustainable apparel brands such as Kings of Indigo, Mud Jeans and Armedangels are already working with Mended. In addition to the B2B service for fashion brands, the company also offers a B2C service and carries out repairs for consumers, albeit on a smaller scale. 'We mainly do this to collect data,' explains Weber. 'It gives us insights into which brands consumers want to have repaired, and we can also use this information to approach potential clients.'
