Joanne van Eck

Revaluation of Craftsmanship and Repair

We buy 90 million kilos of furniture per year, and throw away 80 million kilos of it. Furniture that is still in good condition or can be repaired. We are susceptible to every new interior trend. Because new collections keep appearing, quality is declining more and more; low-grade panel materials are used, and the need for quick and easy assembly is required. We use our furniture for increasingly shorter periods, and the quality is declining more and more.

To combat fast furniture, you are welcome at Café de Werkplaats. In addition to being a regular café and lunch spot where you can study, you can also get help here with repairing your old furniture. A furniture maker will help you get started and guide you where necessary. Additionally, you can buy second-hand furniture here that can shine in your interior again with a little restoration work. Furthermore, there are small projects made from scrap wood that you can purchase, such as making spatulas. There are also courses to learn more about the machines or, for example, to repair damaged veneer. By repairing furniture, you extend its lifespan and no new raw materials are needed. Repair is an important part of reducing your ecological footprint. Nowadays, it has become more common to replace a product immediately when something breaks. We have lost our repair knowledge, and the cost of repairing something is often more expensive than buying a new one. This must change.