Five everyday products leading the self-repair revolution

As right-to-repair legislation lags, designers are reimagining everyday products for easy DIY repair. The European Union has some of the strongest rules, but they only cover white goods, smartphones, TVs, and tablets. In response, pioneers are creating repairable alternatives. Kibu headphones by Morrama and Batch.Works, a Dezeen Award-winning design, are made from minimal parts, 3D-printed from recycled bioplastic, and snap together without screws or glue. The Spoke Sofa by Anderssen & Voll for Danish brand Takt uses exposed mechanical joints and removable recycled polyester upholstery, allowing indefinite lifespan extension. Kasey Hou, a University of Edinburgh graduate, designed a flat-pack toaster with IKEA-style instructions, aiming to make users confident in repairs. The ARIA concept car by TU/ecomotive from Eindhoven University of Technology uses standardized components and includes a built-in toolbox and diagnostics app. Framework, a San Francisco startup, offers a modular laptop in preassembled and DIY versions, with QR codes linking to repair instructions. These products demonstrate a shift toward a circular economy.