Finally, a mobile device you can feel good about—not because it’s shiny and new, but because it’s ethically made and built to last
Bas van Abel wanted a phone that worked well enough, but avoided the conflict mineral issues and harsh working practices built into mainstream devices. So two years ago, he created the Fairphone, a phone that would be adequate in its functionality but exemplary in its supply chain.
https://vimeo.com/130781385
Since we last spoke to him, he seems to have succeeded. The Dutch company has sold 60,000 units and established a string of direct and traceable relationships with mineral suppliers around the world. Now it’s launching a wholly new version, one that considers not only the phone’s pre-life but its longevity and afterlife as well.
As you can imagine, building a phone from scratch isn’t easy, especially when you have ethical expectations. “We had a lot of people expecting us to kind of create world peace at the same time as making a phone,” Van Abel says. “I felt a little bipolar. Sometimes I felt like dying. At other times, I felt on top of the world.”
The new version is different in that Fairphone designed every aspect itself. The previous version was mostly licensed, with Fairphone concentrating on the supply chain relationships. Designing from start meant the company could look more deeply at how that design affects the supply chain. “With Fairphone One we had to reverse engineer the supply chain and we got stuck at a certain point. Now we can use certain materials and we can choose the partners we want to work with,” Van Abel says. On top of the fair-trade relationships it had for tin, tantalum, and copper, the company now has new ones for tungsten and gold.
At the same time, it has thought about how to make the phone last longer, so there’s less need for a constant stream of new materials. The new version is made to be durable (with a hard, integrated case) and repairable. The back comes off easily, revealing a transparent layer of components, each of which can easily be taken out and swapped for others. And the screen is a separate piece, so you can source a new one without buying a whole new model.
The Latest on: Fairly Mined Minerals
[google_news title=”” keyword=”Fairly Mined Minerals” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
via Google News
The Latest on: Fairly Mined Minerals
- A new intergovernmental group will try to stem abuses tied to critical mineral miningon April 29, 2024 at 5:16 pm
The newly established Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals includes representatives from close to 100 countries as well as nonprofit organizations and industry groups. It’s tasked with ...
- Which Vitamins Are Good For Arthritis?on April 29, 2024 at 2:18 pm
Maintaining adequate vitamin D levels is critical for bone health, as it helps bones absorb calcium. The vitamin also regulates the immune system and may help reduce inflammation in the joints. In ...
- Uncovering The Hidden Value In American Lithiumon April 29, 2024 at 12:02 pm
American Lithium's shares appear undervalued given its three projects' economic assessments. Read more about AMLI stock here.
- Solis Minerals Provides Exploration Update for Peru, Borborema, Brazilon April 29, 2024 at 11:02 am
HIGHLIGHTSDrill permitting underway at Ilo Este with initial drill programme design underway, Chancho al Palo drill permitting commencing in MaySignificant geophysical targets identified at Chancho al ...
- Harnessing Sub-Saharan Africa’s Critical Mineral Wealthon April 29, 2024 at 6:47 am
The region has an opportunity to develop critical minerals markets and processing industries to maximize the coming boom.
- Africa: Transforming Artisanal Mining Can Be Beneficial for People and the Planeton April 28, 2024 at 11:29 pm
Artisanal and Small-scale Miners (ASM) are the "orphans" of the mining world. The global mining industry, including some governments, perceives artisanal mining as a "residual sector." Yet over 40 ...
- Critical Energy Transition Minerals at the United Nationson April 28, 2024 at 7:29 pm
Both China and the USA are panel members and have a valuable opportunity to constructively engage and prevent negative resource nationalism.
- 12 Ways To Use Coconut Wateron April 28, 2024 at 10:16 am
requiring far less sugar to achieve a similar level of sweetness — along with the additional benefits of the vitamins and minerals that are found in coconut water.
- Several Insiders Invested In Compass Minerals International Flagging Positive Newson April 28, 2024 at 6:54 am
Usually, when one insider buys stock, it might not be a monumental event. But when multiple insiders are buying ...
- Lithium Miners News For The Month Of April 2024on April 26, 2024 at 10:56 am
Welcome to the April 2024 edition of the lithium miner news. The past month saw lithium prices flat and a very busy month of good news for the lithium producers. We also saw the start of the Beijing ...
via Bing News
