SCOTT DETROW, HOST:
Ah, the sound of a zipper. So satisfying.
(SOUNDBITE OF ZIPPER ZIPPING)
DETROW: But when they don't work, (imitating growl)...
(SOUNDBITE OF ZIPPER BREAKING)
DETROW: ...So frustrating. For an item that we do not spend much time thinking about, fixing a broken zipper can be complicated and expensive, sometimes costing more than the item itself. But in the Hudson Valley region of New York, neighbors come together to help neighbors fix a lot of things, including zippers, at repair cafes.
MICHELLE ELISE: People bring things to the cafe that are broken. People with various repair expertise or skills volunteer. So it's totally volunteer and free.
DETROW: That's Michelle Elise. In repair cafe circles, she is known as the "Zipper Queen" or the "Zipper Wizard." We spoke to her for our series on volunteerism called Here to Help. Elise works as a tailor or costumer on films and TV show sets. But when she's not working, she volunteers at local repair cafes.
ELISE: Bags, jackets, sometimes shoes, boots, like with the little zipper on the inside, you know, of the boot. And, you know, I diagnose it and see if I have the right part and, you know, attempt to fix it. It's usually pretty quick, and they're always amazed and delighted and, you know, amused to have their item back.
DETROW: Elise helps people with pretty much any sewing repair, but she has a knack for fixing zippers without replacing them.
ELISE: The conventional wisdom is they need to be replaced, right? It's a pain. It's - you know, it's labor-intensive and it's expensive. And somewhere along the line, I just - I read something somewhere that 95% of the time when the zipper stops working, it's because the little slider that goes up and down wears out from the inside, and it fails to mesh the teeth back together. Or, you know - or the pull comes off or something to do with that little slider. And if you can replace just that little piece, then you can salvage the entire item.
DETROW: Elise says often the items she restores have value and meaning to their owners beyond the practical use. Some repairs stay with her.
ELISE: My favorite repair was definitely a tent. The zipper, you know, had worn out on a tent, and this was this woman's vacation home, basically, going camping. And, you know, to not have to spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars on a new tent, you know, it brings people - sometimes there's just great relief, you know, that people feel in, like, not having to buy a new down parka or, you know, high-ticket item like that.
DETROW: Elise says she gets as much back as she gives by volunteering at repair cafes.
ELISE: The environmental component is really big for me - you know, keeping items out of the landfill and - you know, and reducing consumption. But the interpersonal connections are amazing. The surprise and gratitude and amazement is wonderful.
DETROW: For more stories about volunteerism, you can check out npr.org/heretohelp.
(SOUNDBITE OF TALKING HEADS' "RIGHT START (UNFINISHED OUTTAKE)") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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