Activities
Repair & Reuse Demos
Join us for hands-on demonstrations every hour! Our instructors will guide you through practical skills for reusing and repairing items you already have. Bring your own supplies or use materials we provide. All skill levels welcome!
How to reuse old t-shirts
Holey Shirt
Do you have a t-shirt you never wear, maybe even has a stain or a hole? Join us for this kid friendly demo where we’ll learn how to repurpose old t-shirts into no-sew bags and yarn for fiber arts. Suitable for children who are confident using scissors.
Optional items to bring: T-shirts in any condition & fabric scissors
*extra supplies will be available
How to Patch a Bike Tire
Patch Perfect
Learn to repair a popped bicycle tube on-the-go to avoid wasted time and money. We’ll cover how to identify the cause of a flat, the tools needed to fix it, and how to get rolling quickly and safely.
Optional items to bring: Bike wheel with a flat tire or a popped tube, tire levers and patch kit.
*extra supplies will be available
An Introduction to Mending
Darn It All!
Keep your clothes out of the landfill and extend the life of beloved items. This demo will focus on teaching hand sewing techniques to mend knit or woven fabric. Topics including patching, darning, and visible mending will be discussed. Bring an item that needs repair to learn hands-on!
Optional items to bring: Clothing item that needs repair, matching thread or yarn, any other mending supplies you have.
*extra supplies will be available
Repair Cafe
Repair Cafes offer an alternative to throw-away culture and promote sustainability, waste reduction, and community building through sharing repair skills. Bring your broken household items and get help fixing them for free! Skilled volunteers will be on hand to teach and repair.
Please Note
- There is a limit of three broken items per attendee.
- Repairs will be assigned on a first come first serve basis as attendees check-in and repairers become available.
- Repairs that cannot be completed during the event will not continue after the event.
- Repairs are not guaranteed.
- This is not a drop off event. Attendees should plan to stay with their item for the duration of the repair(s).
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! There is no cost to participate.
Items such as small appliances (toasters, lamps, coffee makers), electronics (radios, laptops), clothing, knitware, and other linens, small furniture, small engines, and bicycles that are in need of repair and that you are able to transport to the event are welcome. Please keep in mind the scope of the event and the intention to help as many as attendees repair items as possible. Consider bringing items that need small repairs rather than items that are severely damaged (ie. resurfacing a table, assembling a bicycle from parts, or reupholstering a couch are repairs beyond the scope of this event).
If you know what's broken and can bring the replacement part (e.g. a button, cable, fuse, battery, etc.), please do! It increases the chances of a successful repair.
For safety and liability reasons, please do not bring microwaves, gas-powered equipment, or large appliances.
Yes, attendees are welcome to do their own repairs on their own items while at the event.
Yes! This event is open to all community members to learn & connect. There is lots to do outside of the Repair Fair, including attending hands-on demonstrations, visiting vendors booths, and more!
Unfortunately, no. While our volunteer repairers will do their best, not every item can be repaired. Sometimes the damage is too severe, or parts are unavailable.
Some items may be beyond the scope of this event in terms of timeframe, complexity, available supplies/tools, skill sets, etc. Items that cannot be repaired will be sent home with attendees. Repairs will not continue after the event.
All repairs are at your own risk. Volunteer repairers offer guidance and help, but they nor Zero Waste Madison can accept liability for items that are damaged during the process.
Meet A Few of Our Fixers
Linda learned to sew at the age of 8, and has taught her daughters and friends to read sewing patterns and sew clothes, costumes and housewares. You can sometimes find her at Central Library mending clothes on Thursday mornings with the crew from the Sewing Machine Project.
If your button-front shirt has a bad case of gap-osis, she can stitch it closed. If your belt loop got torn off, she can sew it back on. If your skirt got caught in a bike chain, she can patch it creatively. If your dog’s favorite Lamb Chop toy needs new eyelashes, or even a whole new face, she’s got you.
Limitations: if the zipper on your backpack or purse is destroyed, the item will need to be taken apart to be replaced, so know that zipper repairs are very involved and she would not attempt one at an event like this.
She’s excited to get mending!
Are you ready to reduce e-waste and save some money? Have you seen warnings on your device about no longer receiving security updates? Before buying new, talk to us about trying Linux! Bring your PC or laptop to us, and we'll bring everything you need to set it up and help you through the process. If you're just curious, we'll have some devices already set up for you to test drive. Declare your independence from the tech monopolies and give your devices new life with free and open software!
Madison Linux is a hobby group for Linux users of all skill levels. We meet monthly at Sector67 to meet and share knowledge, troubleshoot, and show off.
I grew up on a dairy farm in driftless Wisconsin where I learned the necessity of fixing things from a young age. I received a degree in electrical engineering with a major in computer science at UW Madison and have had a long career in computer networking and software development entrepreneurship. I am a long-time member and volunteer at Madison hackerspace Sector67 where thankfully there is a never ending stream of interesting repair opportunities. I enjoy metal work and working at the intersection of mechanical and electrical systems.
I am a jack of many trades and can give an earnest effort at diagnosing and fixing things like hand tools, lamps, and appliances. I'm game for trying to fix almost anything.r as a space to display recent reviews or FAQs.
Electronics Recycling
Donations can be working or non working. Donations of working or repairable electronics directly support local individuals and families in need through DANEnet's Digital Equity Project.
Laptops, tablets, smartphones, smart watches, e-readers, gaming systems, and small peripherals (mice, keyboards, storage devices, adapters, cords, etc.)
Items can be working or non-working.
Please factory reset devices if possible before donating.
Printers, fax machines, desk/wall phones, scanners, office equipment, or all-in-one desktop computers
Screen Printing
Alongside tours of the Trashlab, The Dane County Department of Waste and Renewables will also have live screen printing with one of their favorite sayings:
“Waste is not waste until you waste it"
Bring your own garment to print on (t-shirt or tote bag would be great), but don’t worry, they'll have some extras
