WD-40 Repair Challenge 2025
Repair or replace? This seemingly simple decision can have a huge impact, not only on our home expenses, but also the environment. Repairing items whenever we can allows us to increase the longevity of pieces, reducing the need for new resources while helping to lower the environmental impact of what we use.
With this idea in mind, WD-40 Company is launching its Repair Challenge from May 16th to July 31st 2025. The Repair Challenge is a global initiative that aims to highlight the importance of repairing and reusing items, keeping them in circulation for longer and away from landfill. It encourages participants to give new life to belongings and support a more sustainable future while honing and developing valuable skills.
“Repairing items instead of replacing them is a simple yet impactful way to save money and reduce waste,” says Louisa Alexander, Marketing Manager at WD-40 Company, Australia. “In a world of constant consumption and disposal, there is a rising need to pay attention to the choices we make and adopting a ‘reuse and repair’ mentality is a move toward a more sustainable future.”
According to the most recent Circularity Gap Report, the global population has consumed nearly as many materials in the past six years as it did throughout the entire 20th century - over 500 billion tonnes in total, which is staggering. Alongside this consumption, annual global waste is growing exponentially with more than two billion tonnes of municipal solid waste generated every year, a figure forecast to increase to almost four billion in 2050 according to the latest report by the World Bank.
“In the past the motivation to repair was mostly economic. Today more people are choosing to extend the life of their belongings for innovative and sustainable reasons,” Ms Alexander says.
WD-40 Company is asking participants to share restoration or DIY journeys of bringing new life to old items and sharing photos or videos of repair projects for a chance to win a $5,000 Visa Gift Card and further prizes up for grabs.
For those who aren’t confident in their repair skills, Australia’s Repair Cafes offer a community space where you will find the tools, materials and expert guidance that you need to repair anything, from furniture to electrical appliances. Any repairs undertaken at a Repair Café can count as a competition entry.
“Now in its third year, the Repair Challenge is not only about repairing old goods, it is contributing to a more eco-conscious mindset, as well as providing opportunities to develop valuable skills and preserve craftmanship,” says Ms Alexander.
Whether or not you enter the Repair challenge, find a way to repair instead of replace that fits your lifestyle.
Here are a few ideas:
Learn Repair Skills: Invest time in learning basic repair skills or enhance your existing knowledge. Seek out online tutorials, join workshops, or connect with experienced repair enthusiasts in your community.
Share Knowledge: Be a source of inspiration and guidance by sharing your repair experiences and knowledge with others. Engage in online communities, forums, or social media platforms to spread the repair culture.
Support Local Repair Businesses: Whenever possible, opt for repair services from local craftsmen and professionals.
Prioritise Repair: When faced with a broken or malfunctioning tool, item, or equipment, resist the urge to immediately purchase a replacement. Instead, pause and consider the possibility of repair. Explore local options or take on the challenge yourself.
Spread the Word: Share the message of the Repair Challenge with your friends, family, and colleagues. Encourage them to join the solutions-focused movement and possibly submit their own entries to the challenge as well!
Whether you're a DIY enthusiast, handy person or a keen recycler, the WD-40 Repair Challenge invites you to join the movement towards a more responsible way of reducing waste by extending the life of your salvageable products.
For more information on how to enter the WD-40 Repair Challenge, visit Repair Challenge
www.wd40.com.au
