Right to Repair a new expression of kintsugi?

Kintsugi, literally translated as joining with gold, is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with a mixture of lacquer and powdered gold. Kintsugi is part of a broader philosophy of valuing the old, the used, and the broken in all aspects of life.

Right to repair legislation is gaining ground around the world. In July 2021, U.S. president Joe Biden signed legislation targeting anti-competitive practices which included measures supporting right to repair laws. While the right to repair is driven in part by the high cost (in both time and money) of restricting repair to manufacturer reps, there is also a strong cultural shift away from mass consumption. People are less willing to add to the ecological disaster mass consumption and disposal created, preferring instead to repair broken items. This is true especially for items, like electronics, that are difficult or impossible to recycle.

With the rejection of throw-away culture, opportunities are growing for small, locally owned repair shops. While these opportunities are currently limited to cell phone repair shops, we expect the opportunity to grow for all types of repair shops. Manufacturers may be able to replace revenue lost due to decreased purchasing by providing the parts and kits used in the repair of their products.

This cultural shift toward repair may revive the concept of craftspeople. When the repair of items becomes habit, it becomes more likely a person will also consider a new product built by the craftsperson who makes repairs. This is especially true for items that are typically associated with an aesthetic, like furniture, housewares, and clothing.

Support for right to repair is a symptom of a trend, not driving the trend itself. Manufacturers need to understand the trend in order to get ahead of the trend, both by designing product for repair and by forming partnerships with repair service providers. In the future, it may be that all products come with a repair kit and instructions for not just making a repair, but for beautifying the repair, thereby increasing the value of the original item by highlighting the item’s age and use