International Repair Day

International Repair Day is a global annual event held on the third Saturday of October, bringing together repair communities at local, national and international levels. Each year, it celebrates the power of repair to reduce waste, extend the life of everyday items and connect people through shared practical skills.

International Repair Day 2025

On 18 October 2025, Repair Network Aotearoa joined communities around the world to mark International Repair Day, with a focus on the growing e-waste crisis driven by software obsolescence. (Waste MINZ article, view the event recording)

On 18 October 2025, Repair Network Aotearoa joined global celebrations for International Repair Day, spotlighting the growing e-waste crisis driven by software obsolescence amplified by the end of free support for Windows 10 just days earlier. The repair movement responded with practical solutions, from promoting alternative operating systems through the End of 10 initiative to supporting an international open letter urging Microsoft to extend support.
Across Aotearoa, Repair Cafés from Whangārei to Ōtepoti Dunedin hosted hands-on events, contributing to a landmark year of 50 repair-focused gatherings nationwide.
Brands like Blunt Umbrellas and Cactus Outdoor also took part, sharing repair tutorials to empower people to extend the life of their gear demonstrating that, despite policy setbacks, a strong culture of repair continues to grow from the ground up.

International Repair Day 2024

On Thursday 17 October 2024, Repair Café Aotearoa marked International Repair Day with the 2024 Aotearoa Repair Summit a free online event (recording available here) that brought together repair enthusiasts, community leaders, and sustainability advocates from across the motu.

The summit celebrated the power of repair as a practical response to waste, gathering passionate individuals to exchange knowledge, share skills, and explore how everyday fixing contributes to a more circular economy. Participants joined discussions spanning electronics repair, textile mending, and broader conversations about what a culture of repair can look like in Aotearoa New Zealand.
The event was a reminder that repair is never just about objects it's about community, resourcefulness, and choosing a more sustainable path forward.

International Repair Day 2023

Held on 21 October 2023, the summit featured seven presentations spanning policy, research, and community action. Hon. Rachel Brooking, Associate Minister for the Environment opened the 2023 Aotearoa Repair Summit online event for International Repair Day.

Dr Paul Smith (Consumer NZ) reviewed progress on the Right to Repair movement in Aotearoa
Hannah Blumhardt & Sarah Pritchett (WasteMINZ) unpacked product stewardship and its links to repair
L'Rey Karatiana shared a frontline perspective on waste management challenges across the country
RCANZ presented initial data findings on Restarters the volunteers who make Repair Cafés tick
Sustainability Trust showcased their RepairED Repair Stations initiative in Wellington
Sierra Alef-Defoe shared preliminary results from RCANZ's 2023 community survey
Lucie K. Ozanne (University of Canterbury) presented research exploring what visitors get out of attending a Repair Café

International Repair Day 2022

Repair Café Aotearoa NZ held our online event: “The Repair Show”, with over 100 registrations once again
We launched the Repair Café Aotearoa NZ Song, created by Baz Caitcheon and featuring over local Repair Cafés!
There were 7 Repair Cafés held throughout the motu, from North Auckland to Queenstown including 2 Repair Cafés who livestreamed their event during “The Repair Show”
Our Repair Cafés and volunteers participated in the global #RepairEverywhere video created by The Restart Project

International Repair Day 2021

Repair Café Aotearoa NZ held our first online event for International Repair Day, our official launch! This event saw 100/100 tickets RSVPed and featured videos, presentations and live repair from many partner and supporting organisations and repairers, including Para Kore, The Zero Waste Network and The Rubbish Trip.
We launched the Repair Café Map hosted by Environment Hubs Aotearoa
We also joined the International Repair Community on the Open Repair Map for International Repair Day events
3 Repair Cafés were held on this day, with a further 6 planned, but disrupted by COVID19