Can a smartphone be eco-friendly and desirable?

Fairphone has a long history of producing some of the most eco-friendly smartphones around. In fact, it is currently ranked in the top 1 per cent of sustainable companies in the world according to EcoVadis, a sustainability ratings company.

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PROS:

- Replaceable parts and modular design

- Built with sustainable components

- Affordable price

- Solid and durable body

CONS:

- Camera quality can be dull and inconsistent

- Occasionally sluggish performance

But ethics don't come cheap. This has meant that, in the past, the Fairphone has fallen short of its competitors in terms of sheer performance, like battery life, camera quality, responsiveness and that sort of thing.

And yet with their latest model, the Fairphone 4, the right balance has finally been struck. This is a sustainable smartphone that stands up to its towering Android competitors.

ECO-CREDENTIALS

The Fairphone 4 is built to be repairable. A big problem with smartphones is that we have got into a habit of replacing them every couple of years. Once the battery gives in and the phone starts to slow, we switch to a new one.

While most brands these days completely seal off the back of their smartphones to prevent you from tinkering, Fairphone gives you complete access. With the included screwdriver, you can easily replace any part of the Fairphone.

You can change the battery when it stops holding charge, switch out the processor when things get slow, or swap any part that breaks. That includes the camera, screen, earpiece and speaker.

Fairphone is also the only phone company to be Fairtrade 'Gold Certified' for the parts that it uses, which are sourced at a fair price and with the environment in mind.