Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Kyle Wiens is the co-founder of iFixit, the international repair community known for open-source repair manuals and product teardown. Kyle is also one of my circular economy heroes!
Since it started back in 2003, iFixit has empowered hundreds of millions of people to repair their broken stuff. Kyle led the international coalition that legalized Right to Repair, has testified before the US Congress and the International Trade Commission, and he is helping to develop global environmental standards.
Kyle brings us up to speed on how iFixit has evolved over the last two decades, in its reach, offer and engagement.
We talk about why we’ve ended up with so many products that are not designed to last and are hard – or impossible to repair, and why things are changing for the better.
Kyle explains the importance of the Right to Repair legislation that’s being rolled out, how brands that don’t get on board risk losing out, and explains why we need much more information about product durability and repairability.
We discuss some of the ways that brands can improve the design and durability of their products, and how iFixit can help them with that, and he offers a simple suggestion to help us all make better buying choices.
Podcast host Catherine Weetman helps businesses use circular, regenerative and fair solutions to do better, with less.
Stay in touch for free insights and updates…
Read on for more on our guest and links to the people, organisations and other resources we mention.
Links we mention in the episode:
Links for our guest:
- iFixit website https://www.ifixit.com/
- Right to Repair info https://www.ifixit.com/Right-to-Repair
- Kyle Wiens on X/Twitter https://x.com/kwiens
- Kyle Wiens on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ifixit
Books, people and organisations we mentioned
- Fairphone fairphone.com
- Dualit dualit.com
- Patagonia patagonia.com
- Circular Economy Podcast #133 Re-Action – repurposing: a new life for unwanted stuff https://www.rethinkglobal.info/133-re-action-repurposinga-new-life-for-unwanted-stuff/
Guest bio
Kyle Wiens is the co-founder of iFixit, the repair community internationally known for open-source repair manuals and product teardown. iFixit has empowered hundreds of millions of people to repair their broken stuff.
Kyle led the international coalition that legalized Right to Repair, has testified before Congress and the International Trade Commission, and he is involved in developing global environmental standards.
Please let us know what you think of the podcast – and we’d love it if you could leave us a review on iTunes, or wherever you find your podcasts. Or send us an email…
Podcast music
Thanks to Belinda O’Hooley and Heidi Tidow, otherwise known as the brilliant, inventive and generous folk duo, O’Hooley & Tidow for allowing me to use the instrumentals from the live version of Summat’s Brewin’ as music for the podcast. You can find the whole track (inspired by the Copper Family song “Oh Good Ale”) on their album, also called Summat’s Brewin’. Or, follow them on Twitter.
