You can now have your clothes, shoes or watches repaired for free at Ripe Market

To mark 2018 being the Year of Zayed, two of the UAE’s best-known brands have joined forces to “give back to the community”. Classified advertising website, Dubizzle, and Minutes, the repair-store chain that’s been operating in the UAE since 1984, have together devised Fix It For Me – an initiative taking place at Ripe Market, with help and support from Dubai Internet City. In a nutshell, UAE resident visitors to Ripe Market in Dubai’s Za’abeel Park (from 9am to 4pm every Friday between October and April) can, until the end of March, avail themselves of free repairs to a wide variety of household items at the Fix It For Me stand. READ MORE: Your definitive list of things to do in Dubai Visitors are entitled to the repair of one item each, per visit, although don’t head down thinking you’ll get that smashed smartphone screen replaced for free. The items covered by the offer do, however, include watch battery replacement, watch inspection and strap adjustment, shirt button tailoring, basic clothes stitching, belt cutting and hole punching, as well as a host of shoe-related services such as heel replacement, polishing, cleaning and colouring. Abdallah Tougan, Dubizzle’s Communications Director, says this is a way for the company to promote “more sustainable behaviours, helping residents reduce their carbon footprint by extending the life of their items.” This is a message backed up by Minutes’ Operations Manager, Mohammad Jihad, who adds: “We want people to know that just because an item is damaged it doesn’t mean it has to be thrown away. Every item that you fix saves you money and the environment – it’s a win-win situation.” _______________ Read more: Visit the Ripe Markets in Abu Dhabi and Dubai Don't stall, hit the UAE's outdoor markets, it's a fruitful experience To replace or repair an appliance, how can one decide? _______________

You can now have your clothes, shoes or watches repaired for free at Ripe Market

The Year of Zayed initiative includes watch battery replacement, belt cutting, as well as a host of shoe-related services such as heel replacement, polishing, cleaning and colouring