La Fédération des Récupérathèques

A Recuperatheque is a cooperative space dedicated to the exchange of reused materials within a community, operating with its own currency or exchange system and which aims to promote a sustainable economic model based on shared governance, solidarity and social ties.

La Récupéracrypte

ENSBA - Lyon

Creation : June 2015

Particularities : The Crypt operates on a collective basis, using grain (local currency). Permanent openings are organized to open up the space, allowing you to earn grains to “buy” equipment. Everyone is free to sign up for the schedule.

Web : Instagram

Contact : recuperatheque@etudiants.ensba-lyon.fr

Members : 100

Currency : Le Grain

Location: on the first floor, not far from the volume poles

Space: 40 m² with 3 meters under ceiling

Materials: very varied

Hours and days of operation: Monday to Friday from 12h to 14h

La Pioche

HEAR - Strasbourg

Creation : October 2016
Particularities : La Pioche will soon offer a common tool for all its members! A basic tool will be freely accessible at any time in front of the premises, while a more specific tool (sander, grinder, ...) will be available for rent.
Website : Instagram, https://www.facebook.com/lapioche.strasbourg/
Contact : lapioche.strasbourg@hear.fr
Members : 271
Currency : Pepite
Location: "orange corridor", -1
Space: 20 m² (215 sq. ft.)
Materials: wood, cleats, glass, plexi, fabric, paper, various objects
Opening hours and days: depending on member availability: Monday 10am-1pm / Tuesday 2pm-5pm / Wednesday 10am-1pm, 2pm-5pm / Thursday 12pm-2pm / Friday 12pm-2pm

La Boîte à Gants

ERG - Bruxelles

Creation : September 2018
Particularities: The BàG is connected! Everything works with its website, the Glock accounts of the members are present and soon a catalog with all the materials in stock. Supported by ARES, the BàG was able to invest in a cargo bike to collect around the school.
Website : http://boiteagants.solutions/
https://www.instagram.com/boiteagants/
Contact : contact@boiteagants.solutions
Members : 450
Currency : The Glock
Location : Ixelles, plateau Art, 2nd floor
Space : 20m²
Materials : raw building materials
Hours and days of operation : Monday to Thursday from 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm

La Malle

ENSCI - Paris

Creation : 2017
Particularities : The particular context of the school (the materials are free and the students - few in number - know each other very well), allows La Malle to operate without local currency. Based on the trust and participation of each student, it tends more and more towards self-management.
Website : https://www.instagram.com/la_malle_ensci/
Contact : lamalle@ensci.com
Members : The whole school (about 200 beneficiaries)
Currency : no payment system
Location : on the first floor, not far from the workshops
Space : 10 m² with 3.50 m under ceiling
Materials : Wood, metal, plastics, foams, textiles, hardware, tarpaulins, paper, vinyl, digital components...
Hours and days of operation : 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, just like the school.

In Limbo

Toestand - Brussels

Creation : March 2018
Particularities : In Limbo is an off-campus recovery center aiming to facilitate the donation and reuse of materials within the socio-cultural sector in Brussels. This is done through the website and warehouse. In Limbo helps reduce the flow of materials into the recycling sector and allows organizations with fewer resources to obtain reusable materials. In Limbo thus hopes to encourage mutual aid between different sectors.
Web: Instagram, Facebook
Catalog: In Limbo
Contact: info@inlimbo.brussels
Number of partners: 450
Location: Rue Brichaut 13, 1030 Schaerbeek
Space: online shop and 150 m² warehouse
Materials: office furniture, sanitary equipment, appliances, carpet, wooden panels, etc.
Opening hours: every Wednesday from 09:00 to 17:00

Le Laboratoire de Merlin - zone sud

EESAB - Rennes

Creation : 2019
Particularities : Merlin's laboratory is a magical place where all materials can be transformed. It was born out of a desire to reduce the number of dumpsters in the school, to allow students access to materials without ruining themselves and our planet too. The laboratory is a dynamic space in the health of the school which allows to meet during the permanence and to exchange druidic advices to pimper the materials. Plus Merlin is super cool.
Website : https://www.instagram.com/merlin_zonesud/
Contact : merlinlarecup@gmail.com
Members : 65
Currency : Le Galet
Location : on the south parking lot of the school
Space : +- 30 m2
Materials : mainly wood, plexis, foam, etc.
Opening hours and days : Monday to Thursday from 13h to 14h

La CAB

ESA Saint-Luc - Brussels

Creation : May 2019
Particularities : The CAB is a project born from the initiative of a master student who made it her final year project. A team of students then continued the project with the help of the student and now the CAB is well installed in the school.
Website : https://www.facebook.com/CABrecuperatheque/ https://www.instagram.com/esa_cab/
Contact : caverne.alibaba@hotmail.com
Members : 205
Currency : LUX
Location : the room is located in the basement of the school, at -2, at the end of the corridor.
Space : 30.2 m² (30.2 sq. ft.)
Materials : paper, cardboard, model materials, fine arts and wood
Opening hours and days : Tuesday and Wednesday from 12 to 2 pm and Thursday from 12 to 1 pm

Gilbard.es

Circularium - Bruxelles

Creation : 2019 of june
Particularités : Gilbard est une Récupérathèque hors école portée par un collectif d'artistes aux pratiques multiples. Ses fondateurs sont principalement issus de la Boîte à Gants de l'ERG. Ouvert aux habitant.es du quartier de Cureghem, Gilbard est un lieu de création avec des ateliers, d'échange de matériaux avec sa Récupérathèque et de cohésion sociale avec des activités qui y sont régulièrement menées.
Web : Site, Instagram
Catalogue : Gilbard
Contact : info@gilbard.be
Nombre d’utilisateur.rice.s : 385 Gilbard.es
Monnaie : les G
Localisation : Rue de Liverpoolstraat 77 – 1070 Anderlecht
Espace : +- 200 m²
Matériaux : Bois - Peinture - Métal - Textiles - etc.
Heures et jours d’ouverture : tous les vendredis de 13h30 à 18h

Recycl'art

ESA Saint-Luc - Lièges

Creation : september 2019
Particularities : Recycl'art is a recuperation library that tries to take into account all the sections of the school in order to make its decisions (name, logo, available products, etc). They have at heart to be a project that benefits all sections of ESA, as well as the Faculty of Architecture of ULG present on the same site.
Website : https://www.instagram.com/recuperatheque_saint_luc_liege/ https://www.facebook.com/RecyclArt-103257401164933/
Contact : recuperatheque@saint-luc.be
Members : 52
Currency: le Recoin
Location : on the site of ESA Saint-Luc Liège next to the B9
Space : +- 16m2 but it is in a phase of expansion
Materials : all : wood, steel, plastic, unusual items, fabrics, paint, model materials, cardboard, etc.
Opening hours and days : every day of the week from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.

La Fourmillière

ULB - Brussels

Creation : March 2020
Particularities : Impelled by Kiran Katara, professor of projects and means of expression, la fourmilière is the first Récupéthèque in a school of architecture.
Website : https://www.facebook.com/FRMULB/ https://www.instagram.com/lafourmiliereulb/
Contact : lafourmiliere.ulb@gmail.com
Members : 85
Currency : The Myrmés
Location : Campus of ULB Solbosch - building U - 2nd floor, next to the archietcure workshops, in the former secretariat
Materials : Mainly materials for architectural models; cardboard, paper, Plexigalss, small trees, etc.
Hours and days of operation : every day from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. except Wednesdays

The Rucher

UCLouvain-LOCI - Brussels

Creation: February 2021
Particularities: The Rucher was created during the Covid context. Located in a prestigious space with direct access to the street, the Rucher aims to create interactions with the neighborhood and open the university to the community. The furniture of the Récupérathèque was built 100% using reused materials found in the UCL LOCI basements. The Rucher’s furniture is detached from the walls to create an exploratory path and to highlight the room and its numerous moldings.
Web: Instagram, Facebook
Catalog: rucher
Contact: lerucher.loci@gmail.com
Number of users: 200
Currency: the LOCI
Location: At the reception (room AV-01) of UCLouvain LOCI Saint-Gilles, rue Henri Wafelaerts 47/51
Space: about 50 m²
Materials: online supplies, cardboard, paper, tracing paper, folders, balsa wood, foam board, T-sections, etc.
Opening hours: Every weekday from 12:45 to 14:00 except on weekends

The Brolerie

ARBA-ESA - Brussels

Creation: March 2021
Particularities: The Brolerie was set up within ARBA-ESA in a space that had been unused for several years. Initially, this space contained a large quantity of materials and tools. Launched in October 2020, the Brolerie is an important crutch for solidarity in this pandemic context that distances us from one another.
Web: Instagram, Facebook
Catalog: arba
Contact: brolerie.arba@gmail.com
Number of users: 258 Brolheureux·ses
Currency: the Foirien
Location: Within Arba-EsA, at the foot of the staircase leading to the various workshops
Space: 40 m², several large cabinets contain the various materials.
Materials: Complete and precise haberdashery, Fine arts supplies, Unusual, curious, and varied items.
Opening hours: Every day between 12:00 and 14:00

SuperFaktur

ENSAV La Cambre - Brussels

Creation: March 2021
Particularities: SuperFaktur was created during the Covid era, with many twists and turns! SuperFaktur is located in the former garage of the IGN (National Geographic Institute), and as such is made up of three garage doors, a pit for working under cars, a workshop, and a stock of spare parts, etc.
Web: Instagram, Facebook
Catalog: superfaktur
Contact: superfaktur@lacambre.be
Number of users: 204 Superfakteur·ices
Currency: the Super
Location: Ensav La Cambre – IGN Garage – Abbey of La Cambre – Ixelles, BE
Space: approx. 70 m²
Materials: Wood (scraps and large formats) – Glass (various sizes and thicknesses) – Textiles (scraps and samples) – Sand – Plaster
Opening hours: 2 to 3 lunchtimes per week, still to be defined. Usually Tuesday and Thursday from 12:00 to 14:00

La Casote

ESAD - Reims

Created: September 2021
Details: The main feature of La Casote is that the walls were entirely built by students during various workshops. Everything is made of straw and earth (cob). La Casote is also organized as a non-profit association under the French 1901 law.
Web: Instagram, LinkedIn
Catalog: La Casote
Contact: lacasote.recuperatheque@gmail.com
Number of users: 200
Location: 3 boulevard Franchet d’Espèrey, primary space in the courtyard
Space: 60 m²
Materials: rolls of fabric, paper, tarpaulins, vinyl, carpet, papers, anodized stainless steel, metal, particle board, foam, wood, concrete, screws, etc.
Opening hours: variable

B-zar

Design Academy - Eindhoven

Creation : October 2021
Particularities : First Recuperatheque (materials bank) in english and in the Netherlands, Bzar has been named in relation to Zbar the cafe of the school. Situated behind the workshops on the first floor it’s easy to go working directly with the materials. Initiated by Anna, a student in 2021, the Bzar is a place to exchange materials with a special option: renting podiums that we usually used only three times a year for presentation.
Website : Instagram
Catalog : B-zar
Contact : materialbank@designacademy.nl
Members : 265
Currency: Zarbs
Location : Emmasingel 14, 5611 AZ Eindhoven, Pays-Bas, behind the workshops in the MU space (1st floor)
Space : 50 m²
Materials : clay, paint, paper, wood, metal, textile, plastic, renting podium...
Opening hours and days : everyday 1h30-2h30 pm

La Boîte à Sardines

EBABX - Bordeaux

Creation: October 2021
Particularities: Our space is uniquely located outside our main building in two converted shipping containers. The Sardine Can maintains a close relationship with the school administration, and is fortunate to count a professor among its direct members, which helps ensure smooth communication.
Web: Instagram
Catalog: Sardine Can
Contact: bozartsardine@gmail.com
Number of users: 80
Currency: Les Sardoux
Location: Garden in front of the school
Space: 32 m²
Materials: a bit of everything, but mostly gems (sadly, no gold)
Opening hours: on request, one manager per workshop

La Souplothèque

Cycl.one - Bruxelles

Creation : January 2022
Particularités : La Souplo.thèque est portée par le collectif textile Cycl.one. Spécialisée dans les matériaux souples cette Récupérathèque hors école est ouverte aux habitant.es de Forest et plus si affinités.
Web : Instagram, Facebook
Catalogue : Souplothèque
Contact : collectif.cycl.one@gmail.com
Nombre d’utilisateur.rice.s : 122
Monnaie : Les Vents
Localisation : Maxima, Rue du Monténégro 144, 1190 Forest, Belgique
Espace : 40 m²
Matériaux : matériaux souples
Heures et jours d’ouverture : Ouvert le JEUDI de 13h à 19h

Le Déambulateur

ESÄ - Dunkerque

Creation: February 2022
Particularities: The Déambulateur is run by 10 students and is financially supported by the student association Bernadette.
Web: Instagram
Catalog: Déambulateur
Contact: ledeambulateur@esa-n.info
Number of users: 90
Currency: BPM
Location: the publicly accessible stock is located in a container in the school courtyard, with additional storage in the ESÄ Dunkirk basement
Space: 20 m²
Materials: Wood, metal, paper, fine arts supplies, furniture, miscellaneous objects, fabrics
Opening hours: Every day at lunchtime

Passage des curieux

Haute École Franscico Ferrer - Bruxelles

Creation: March 2022
Particularities: Located above the Passage du Travail inside the Palais du Midi. We have a lot of textile materials.
Web: Instagram
Catalog: Passage des Curieux
Contact: passagedescurieuses@gmail.com
Number of users: 15
Currency: Les Clics
Location: 2nd floor → Passage du Travail door
Space: 30 m²
Materials: Fabrics, haberdashery, pattern paper, books on art/fashion trends, drawing materials, etc.
Opening hours: Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 12:10 to 13:00

La Source

INSEAMM - Marseille

Creation: March 2022
Particularities: Located on the Luminy campus, we are quite far from the city center (50 minutes by bus). La Source therefore has a dual function: promoting circularity and reuse of materials, and serving as an on-site source of materials for students and workshops. It has become a widely used space in the school, whether for retrieving materials or as a place for repurposing old student works into usable resources.
Web: Instagram
Contact: lasource.recup@beauxartsdemarseille.fr
Number of users: 500
Currency: Free! Currency system: X = taking materials, O = contributing to La Source (help or material deposit)
Location: Under the metal workshop (Workshop E6)
Space: 17 m²
Materials: Wood, metal, various plastics, papers, textiles, etc.
Opening hours: Wednesday to Friday from 1 PM to 5 PM

La Glaneuse

Beaux-Arts - Paris

Creation : October 2022
Particularités : Nous ne possédons pas de monnaie, on fonctionne en troc, et au plus possible de manière autogérée.
Web : Instagram
Catalogue : Passage des Curieux
Contact : laglaneuse.r@gmail.com
Nombre d’utilisateur.rice.s : 70
Localisation : dans les caves
Espace : 40 m²
Matériaux : tasseaux, planches bois/metal/plexi, châssis, tissus, mercerie, peinture, quincaillerie, objets insolites divers et variés
Heures et jours d’ouverture : Mardi, jeudi et vendredi de 12h10 à 13h00

COPOC

École des beaux-arts de Nantes Saint-Nazaire - Nantes

Creation: February 2023
Particularities: We are located near two other récupérathèques, a design school, and an architecture school. The space is small BUT well stocked.
Web: Instagram
Contact: copoc@beauxartsnantes.fr
Number of users: 205
Currency: La Noisette
Location: Ground floor, next to the freight elevator, central hallway
Space: 10 m²
Materials: Wallpaper, wood, wire mesh, fabrics, paint, plaster, etc.
Opening hours: Monday to Thursday from 12 PM to 2 PM

Les Coulisses

Saint-Luc - Tournai

Creation : March 2023
Particularités : Localisé dans les anciennes coulisses de décors du théâtre de l'école, on y entre par une petite tourelle. Les Coulisses sont cogérées par l'école secondaire et suppérieure présentes sur le même site.
Web : Instagram
Contact : lescoulisses.saintluctournai@gmail.com
Nombre d’utilisateur.rice.s : 55
Monnaie : Les Boons
Localisation : en face de l'ancien chateau d'eau
Espace : 30 m²
Matériaux : Tissus, bois, métal, peinture, quincaillerie, ect.
Heures et jours d’ouverture : du lundi au jeudi de 12h à 13h

La Bonocaz

UCLouvain - Louvain-La-Neuve

Creation: November 2023
Particularities: La Bonocaz is more than just a récupérathèque! Managed by three different student project groups, an association, and the Catholic University of Louvain, this initiative combines three poles:
1. Récupérathèque: When the university moves, furniture is not thrown away but circulated for everyone to use.
2. Bikes: Abandoned bikes in the university parking lots are repaired, refurbished, and rented out to anyone interested.
3. Electronics: Small second-hand electronics, repaired by a partner association, are sold at very low prices!
Thanks to its multi-collaborative nature, La Bonocaz becomes "more than a récupérathèque." A must-see initiative if you pass through Belgium, Louvain-la-Neuve.
Web: Website, Instagram, Facebook
Contact: labonocaz.lln@gmail.com
Number of users: 100
Currency: OKZ
Location: Basement of LSM, near the "Sablon" parking and Jean-Vilar theater, Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium)
Space: 450 m²
Materials: Cabinets, desks, chairs, shelves, armchairs, dishes, ... + household appliances + bikes for rent
Opening hours:
- Mondays: 12:45 PM - 2:00 PM (all 3 poles)
- Wednesdays: 12:45 PM - 2:00 PM (electronics pole) + 12:45 PM - 4:30 PM (furniture pole)
- Fridays: 12:45 PM - 2:00 PM (bike pole)

Material Exchange

Parsons School of Design - New York

Creation: December 2023
Particularities: The Material Exchange has officially been active for one year! Students stay updated on hours, new materials, and announcements through our Instagram. Each semester, we host a major studio clean-out, where students contribute materials from various sources. The Exchange operates from a dedicated room, with materials organized in containers and on shelves. The space is primarily managed by three students, with additional support from 6-7 volunteers who earn Pars for their hours. The system runs on a weight-based model, and student accounts are tracked via an Excel sheet.
Web: Website, Instagram
Contact: material.exchange@newschool.edu
Number of members: 250
Alternative currency: Pars
Location: 25 East 12th Street, 2nd Floor, Room 201
Space: 3.25 x 4.25 x 2.7H meters // 10’8” x 13’11” x 9’H”
Materials: Wood Planks, blocks and dowels, Metal sheets and rods, Fabrics of different sizes and materials, clay, paper, hardware, cardboard, chipboard, tools like pliers, rulers, scissors, Olfa knives, glass, paints, brushes, foam, lighting equipment, wire.
Opening: Monday- Friday: 10am-12pm and 4pm-6pm

Les Orties

ENSAD - Limoges

Creation: February 2024
Particularities: The civic service member is on duty from Tuesday to Friday. The previous currency system was replaced by a simpler method. Most materials can be given to students. However, if they wish to borrow rarer or larger quantities of materials, they will have to barter.
Web: Instagram
Contact: les.orties@ensad-limoges.fr
Number of users: 55
Currency: Picots
Location: basement corridor (level -1)
Space: 21 m²
Materials: fabric, glass, metal, wood, foam, paper, cardboard, school supplies, everyday objects.
Opening hours: Between 12 PM and 2 PM on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays

La Castorathèque

esam - Caen

Creation: February 2024
Particularities: Our space is open to everyone at all times to borrow or take materials. There is no currency — it's a free exchange system. The Castorathèque is a way to foster sharing and connection. We organize student-led workshops, knowledge and technique exchanges, pay-what-you-can meals every Thursday, and fun festive events.
Web: Website: in progress, Instagram
Contact: castorateque@gmail.com
Number of users: 1
Location: in the atrium
Space: 50 m²
Materials: all kinds of odds and ends
Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 9 AM – 10 PM

Le Recoin

ENSAD - Nancy

Creation: March 2024
Particularities: Small space connected to the Artem campus: all students and professors from the 3 schools can join. We are organized as a nonprofit association (French law 1901).
Web: Instagram
Contact: le.recoin@mail.ensa-nancy.fr
Number of users: 75
Currency: Stancoin
Location: 1 place Cartier Bresson, 54000 Nancy
Space: 10 m² in a little corner on the ground floor next to the test rooms
Materials: wooden boards, battens, fabric, paper, polystyrene, paddle 🙂 + hardware
Opening hours: Monday to Thursday, from 12 PM to 2 PM

S.C.A.M.P.I.

KU Leuven - Gent

Creation: September 2024
Particularities: Physical place connected to the faculty workshop. Self-checkout with our own system.
Web: Instagram
Contact: scampi.arch@kuleuven.be
Number of members: 175
Alternative currency : SCAMPI
Location: Workshop at Leiekaai
Space: 70 m²
Materials: MDF, wood, cardboard,...
Opening hours: self check-out system

Le Chantier

L'École de design - Nantes

Creation: September 2024
Particularities: Located within a private school (not open to the public), we have strong potential for partnerships with industrial sources of very interesting and abundant scrap materials. Due to this material abundance, we have temporarily paused the use of an alternative currency, but we continue to register members for better tracking.
Web: Instagram
Contact: recuperatheque-lechantier@lecolededesign.com
Number of users: 68
Location: fabrication hall
Space: 20 m²
Materials: fabric, wood, metal, wire mesh, foam, etc.
Opening hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 PM to 2 PM + flash openings when available

Recuperatheek

UGent - Gent

Creation: September 2024
Particularities:
Web: Instagram
Contact:
Number of users:
Currency:
Location:
Space:
Materials:
Opening hours:

MaMa !

unibz - Bolzano

Creation: November 2024
Particularities: We have three spaces: an Atelier that works as an office and workshop space, a little shelf in a university corridor for the easy exchange of smaller things and materials and then in the workshop area we have a bigger room to store all and also bigger materials. Our Récupérathèque organizes workshops and events to raise awareness about creative reuse and upcycling. It connects with external entities (associations such as kikero (student association of UniBz), collectives such as Via Dante, the workshops of our university and the FabLab of Bolzano) to expand recovery opportunities and to exchange knowledge.
Web: Site, Instagram
Contact: materialmattersbz@gmail.com
Number of members: x
Alternative currency: x
Location: 4th floor - atelier 4.03 - mama cave -2 floor, corridor C0
Space: around 15 square meter
Materials: wood, metal, textile, plastics, paper, cardboard, ...
Opening hours: available by appointment

La Boite à Trucs

ésadtpm - Toulon

Creation: November 2024
Particularities: The récupérathèque is located in the "volume / amateur practices" workshop on the first floor, close to the technical workshops — making it very useful for students.
Web: Instagram
Contact: laboiteatrucs.toulon@gmail.com
Number of users: 28
Currency: L'ôde
Location: "Volume / amateur practices" workshop on the first floor
Space: 18 m²
Materials: mostly wood, paint, textiles, etc.
Opening hours: Wednesday from 1 pm to 2 pm