For a better Bled: find everything you are looking for in ŠKART

Extreme weather conditions and rapid global warming remind us that sustainable lifestyles and reducing consumption are the way forward to preserve the planet for future generations. Bled is part of the Julian Alps Biosphere Area while the Municipality of Bled lies within the Triglav National Park.  As we are aware that the care and preservation of the natural environment is of key importance, we invite you to join us in writing a green story – this time we will visit Škart - the re-use centre where "they make art out of scarcity".

You will find many things in Škart

At the foot of Bled Castle, next to the Infrastructure Bled building, behind a large garage door, the Škart Reuse Centre hides a real treasure. In a space where shelves, cupboards and every tiny corner have been filled with the most interesting objects, a wide variety of items are available to buy at a nominal price - from books, artwork, sports equipment, toys, kitchen equipment, electronic devices, decorative and textile products, you'll also find lighting, jewellery - and even new and never-used products and souvenirs with Bled motifs.

Some items, such as Iskra's telephones, antique irons and vinyl records, could be part of museum collections, while others are part of the current offer of modern shops. There are countless useful products available for purchase, and visitors to the ŠKART say they have also found products and gift ideas, among other things.

Objects that people from Bled brought

The items in ŠKART are entirely donated or discarded by the people from Bled - some were brought to the centre by individuals, others were brought to the collection centre, where they were inspected by staff and handed over for use and sale. Although the Slovene Dictionary defines 'škrat' as poor, low-quality products, the items of the Bled’s Škart are in fact none of the above - the fact is that they have outlived their owners' usefulness, and Škart is working hard to find them a new home.

Shopping at Škart to reduce waste

We can make a big contribution to reducing newly generated waste by changing our shopping habits. When we need something, we can borrow it or find it second-hand – and you might just find it at Škart. When we visited the centre, the centre manager, Roman Resman, showed us a pile of slips of paper where he diligently wrote down the items people are looking for. He then notifies the user when he receives them at the centre. This way of shopping requires a certain amount of organisation and patience on the part of the individual, but it has a remarkable effect in preventing new waste, making use of the resources already available, while at the same time making second-hand purchases brings financial savings and is accessible to the socially disadvantaged.

One man's rubbish another man's gold

Do you have products at home that you don't need? Give them a second life by trying to sell them, recycle them or donate them to a re-use centre like Škart in Bled. According to Roman Resman, Škart sells an extremely high number of products that would otherwise end up in overflowing landfills.

In 2023, 2,083 products weighing a total of 6,727 kilograms were sold at Škart, while in 2022, 2,262 products weighing 6,379 kilograms found a new second home. Books and crockery were the most popular items, followed by decorative items, textiles and electronic and electrical equipment.

Opening hours of Škart

MON, TUE, THU, FRI: 8.00 - 12.00

WED: 13.00 - 17.00

Address

Rečiška cesta 2, 4260 Bled (see on Google maps) 

Nika Pirnar

Öffentlichkeitsarbeit für das Fremdenverkehrsamt Bled