ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — From mending torn clothing to repairing small appliances and tools, the WNC Repair Café is expanding its efforts in 2026 with a full slate of free, volunteer-led repair events across Western North Carolina.
The nonprofit announced its complete schedule for the year in a recent social media post, encouraging residents to bring household items in need of repair rather than throwing them away. A calendar with all scheduled 2026 dates is available online, and organizers say the coming year will be “a big year for community repair.”
The Repair Café offers help with a wide range of items, including small home appliances, tools, heirlooms, furniture, sewing machines and small engines such as chainsaws. Sewing and mending services include hand stitching, machine sewing, zipper repairs, boot and shoe glue repairs and sewing machine tune-ups.
Organizers describe the guiding principle simply: If it comes from your house and fits in your car, volunteers will try to fix it.
All events are free and led entirely by volunteers. Registration is not required, though visitors are encouraged to review the group’s house rules and email ahead with details about items they plan to bring. Some limitations apply for safety reasons; repairs are not offered on items such as CRT televisions, firearms or automobiles.
Larger or more complex repairs are generally handled at events hosted by the Asheville Tool Library, while sewing events focus on light repairs and tune-ups.
The WNC Repair Café thanked a number of community partners and hosts for supporting the program, including the Asheville Tool Library, Haywood Community College, Weaverville Community Center, Fairview Library, Pack Memorial Library, Remnants Thrift and Sew, Caja Solidaria, Dig In! Yancey Community Garden, Asheville Maker Faire, Organic Growers School, Waynesville Senior Center and Buncombe County Public Libraries.
For questions, volunteer opportunities or to join the group’s email list, residents can contact WNCRepairCafe@gmail.com.
