Frequently asked questions
Short answers to the questions we hear most often. For the full picture, start with the complete guide.
What is a TRIFAB?
A TRIFAB is a local chain combining three links: a recycling centre that collects and spots what can still serve, a reuse centre that sorts and puts objects back into circulation, and a fablab that repairs and transforms. The aim is to examine what arrives at the recycling centre as a resource before it becomes waste.
Who created the TRIFAB concept?
TRIFAB was formulated in France by D. Dambreville in the manifesto “TRIFAB — Déchetterie · Ressourcerie · Fablab” (version 1.0, October 2026), published under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence.
What does the name TRIFAB mean?
TRI is the French word for sorting and echoes the three links of the chain; FAB stands for fabrication and for the fabric of a territory that produces from what it already owns.
Does a TRIFAB replace recycling?
No. It works upstream, when reuse, repair or local transformation is relevant. Everything else keeps following the existing recycling and treatment streams.
Is a TRIFAB the same thing as a repair café or a makerspace?
No. A repair café is a regular event where volunteers help people repair their own objects; a makerspace or fablab is a workshop. A TRIFAB connects a fablab to the recycling centre and to a reuse centre, so that it has a steady supply of materials and a clear role in the local waste service. Repair cafés can of course take place in a TRIFAB.
Who pays for a TRIFAB?
The model rests on three pillars: activity revenue (reuse shop, materials, workshops, memberships, services), a multi-year service agreement with the local authority that pays for the tonnes diverted from disposal, and project funding to start and invest — not to operate.
Who runs it?
The recommended set-up keeps the public waste service and the recycling centre under the control of the local authority, while a social economy structure — preferably an existing one — runs the reuse centre and the fablab, under a multi-year agreement based on published results.
Is it safe to reuse objects from a recycling centre?
Not everything can be reused. A TRIFAB defines accepted materials, uses a quarantine zone, excludes dangerous or uncontrolled materials, applies specific rules to electrical equipment and batteries, checks objects before putting them back into circulation and trains supervisors and users.
How long does it take to launch a pilot?
The manifesto asks local authorities to study the feasibility of at least one pilot site within twelve months: about three months of experimentation and study, then a pilot phase up to month twelve, followed by a review and a decision based on measured results.
Can TRIFAB be applied outside France?
Yes. Any territory that collects bulky waste at identified points can add a reuse link and a making link. Legal forms, funding and safety rules vary between countries; the logic of the chain does not.
Can I translate or reuse the manifesto?
Yes. The manifesto is published under CC BY 4.0: you may copy, adapt and share it, including commercially, as long as you credit D. Dambreville and indicate any changes.
How can I help?
Write to your own elected representatives, propose a motion to your municipal council, and mobilise local reuse, repair, training and making actors. Templates are available on the Get involved page.