20 November 2024
marked the official launch of ShaRepair Practices, an
innovative project aimed
at making sharing and
repairing part of everyday
life in urban areas. Led by
Wageningen University &
Research, Rijksuniversiteit
Groningen, and TU Delft,
the consortium brings
together academia,
government, industry and
civil society to tackle
environmental challenges
through practical,
sustainable solutions.
What’s the Goal?
The project seeks to
overcome barriers to
sharing and repairing by
analysing these practices in
real-world contexts.
Combining expertise from
sociology, industrial design
and environmental analysis,
ShaRepair Practices
explores how these
activities can reduce waste,
foster community and
transform urban
consumption habits.
Living Labs: Real-world solutions in action
At the heart of the project are three Living Labs, each testing and scaling innovative solutions:
Workplace repair cultures
(Living Lab 1)
Circular IT Group leads efforts to double the lifespan of IT-devices like laptops and smartphones through repair initiatives.
Repair networks in Amsterdam (Living Lab 2)
Gemeente Amsterdamfocuses on creating acity-wide network of repairservices for electronics.
Neighbourhood sharing
(Living Lab 3)
MilieuCentraal explores how diverse communities can embrace sharing practices, from appliances to everyday goods. These labs, coordinated by the Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions (AMS), serve as experimental hubs where public and private stakeholders collaborate to design and test interventions in real-life settings.
Key takeaways from the event Participants at the launch event engaged in breakout sessions and workshops to explore challenges and opportunities in sharing and repairing.
1. Repair networks:
Social cohesion and stronger policies are essential for making repair practices widespread.
2. Sharing practices:
Co-creation and efficiency are vital for overcoming resource and time constraints.
3. Workplace repair cultures:
Reducing resource consumption requires practical workplace solutions and policy support.
Regional insights
and strategies
In a lively fishbowl session,
representatives from
Gemeentes Arnhem,
Wageningen, and Nijmegen
shared their approaches to
promoting circularity:
Gemeente Arnhem stressed
the need to move beyond
waste-focused policies and
make circularity more
tangible for citizens.
Gemeente Wageningen
highlighted their circular
economy action plan,
urging stronger instruments
to make circularity a
"must-have."
Gemeente Nijmegen
emphasised collaboration
through a circular council
but noted limited resources
remain a major barrier.
Gemeente Amsterdam
shared optimistic insights
about successful
campaigns, such as
banning fossil fuel
advertisements, and
suggested similar efforts for
circular initiatives.
What’s next?
With a shared vision and
actionable insights,
ShaRepair Practices is set to
bridge the gap between
research and real-world
impact. The project will
continue to test, refine and
scale solutions through its
Living Labs, aiming to make
sharing and repairing
accessible and appealing
for all.
Stay tuned for updates as
the project unfolds, paving
the way for a more
sustainable and circular
urban future.