In Japan, the art of repairing broken ceramics has been elevated to an art form. In Europe, a 'Right to Repair' is on the horizon, which will make repairs easier and more appealing. How can we also elevate repair to the norm here? On Monday 13 November, we will engage in discussions in Delft with entrepreneurs, creatives, scientists and policymakers during the Meet-Up 'From disposable economy to repair society'. Let's fix it!
- Date
- Monday 13 Nov 2023, 13:15 - 17:00
- Type
- General
- Spoken Language
- Dutch
- Location
Firma van Buiten (Delft), Firma van Buiten, Thijsseweg 1 Delft
From Throw-away to Repair Society
Fifty years ago, it was common practice to repair things when they broke. Vacuum cleaners, toasters, washing machines often lasted for decades. With increased prosperity, the habit of repairing has vanished. What's broken is often discarded in the trash. Welcome to the disposable economy.
How can it be different? What does a world look like where we repair items instead of discarding them? What mechanisms sustain the throwaway culture? What can we do to make repair appealing again? Will the European 'Right to Repair' help, or the new EU Ecodesign directive? How can we entice consumers to repair, and what does it require from designers? And what is the secret of companies successfully embracing repair, like Fairphone and Patagonia?
Meet-Up 13 November 2023
Come listen to scientists, entrepreneurs, policymakers and creatives who are exploring ways to reintegrate repair into daily life. With practical, local initiatives, entrepreneurial talent, and scientific insights into legislation, new business models, consumer behaviour, and clever design.
Featuring: Bas Flipsen (Assistant Professor and lecturer at TU Delft, Industrial Design), Ruth Mugge (Professor of Design for Sustainable Consumer Behaviour at the School of Industrial Design at TU Delft and part-time professor of Responsible Marketing at Amsterdam Business School), René Repasi (Professor at Erasmus School of Law and member of the European Parliament), Maaike Zwart (Alderperson for Sustainability, Labour, and Economy, Municipality of Delft), Jorien van Hoogen (Sustainability Specialist, Consumers' Association), Martin Hof (Branch Manager for Consumer Electronics at Techniek Nederland), Jan Post (Director/Owner of the Repair Shop), Kees Grimmelikhuisen (Technical Manager and Repair Café Coordinator, Ambachtscentrum Foenix Apeldoorn), Nicolet Dukker (Director Avalex), the Repair Café, Maja Valstar (Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management) and many others.
White paper
During this Meet-Up, the Leiden-Delft-Erasmus Centre for Sustainability will present the first (Dutch) edition of the white paper 'Reparatie in de circulaire economie', featuring contributions from researchers from Erasmus University Rotterdam, TU Delft, and Leiden University. A digital edition of the white paper will be published in English via this website.
