Comparing sustainable mobile phones: The greenest deals of 2026
You want a new phone, but one that doesn’t put an unnecessary strain on the planet. Whether you opt for a handset that’ll last for years, a smartphone made from recycled materials or a refurbished model: these days, sustainability and high-tech go hand in hand. We’ll help you make the most responsible choice from the range available in 2026.
3 products
Fairphone
4 products
Refurbished mobile phones
27 products
European
All sustainable mobile phones 🍃
Why choose a sustainable mobile phone?
Most smartphones are packed with scarce materials such as cobalt, lithium and gold. Extracting these materials often has a severe impact on the environment. By choosing a sustainable brand or a device with a long lifespan, you can immediately reduce your carbon footprint.
In the customer journey towards a greener device, we see that repairability and software support are the most important factors. A phone that you can still have repaired after three years is, on balance, the cheapest and greenest choice.
The top choices for a greener future
There are three ways to make your mobile life more sustainable. Depending on your preferences, we’ve selected the best options for you:
1. Fairly produced: Fairphone
The Fairphone (Gen. 6) is the undisputed king of sustainability. This device has a modular design, which means you can replace the battery or screen yourself using just a simple screwdriver. What’s more, the materials are sourced ethically.
2. Give a phone a second life: Refurbished
Why buy new when a refurbished phone works just as well? You’ll save up to 80% on the CO₂ emissions from production and it’ll make a significant difference to your wallet. iPhones and Samsung Galaxy devices, in particular, are very popular as refurbished deals.
3. Long lifespan: Samsung & Apple
Major brands are committed to software updates. The Samsung Galaxy S25 series, for example, promises updates for 7 years. This means you won’t need to buy a new device as soon, which is also a form of sustainability.
What should you look out for when making your decision?
If you’re torn between different models, check the Eco-ratings or official certifications such as B Corp or TCO Certified. These labels guarantee that a manufacturer is genuinely taking steps towards sustainability and isn’t just engaging in ‘greenwashing’.
Why your old phone is worth its weight in gold (literally)
A smartphone is a technological marvel, but the cost to the environment is high. Every device contains dozens of rare materials that are in short supply and are often extracted under difficult conditions. By choosing a sustainable phone or a refurbished model, you prevent these materials from having to be extracted from mines again.
What’s actually inside your phone?
The table below shows the key components of your smartphone. This immediately highlights why recycling and a long lifespan are so crucial:
| Material | Use in your device | Why recycle? |
| Gold (Au) | Circuit board and connectors | Extremely scarce; excellent conductor |
| Cobalt (Co) | Battery and microchips | Extraction often linked to child labour |
| Copper (Cu) | Wiring | Recycling uses 85 per cent less energy than new mining |
| Gallium (Ga) | Semiconductors | Hardly ever found in nature; indispensable for 5G chips |
| Indium (In) | Semiconductors and touch sensors | Without this material, the screen would not respond to touch |
| Lithium (Li) | Batteries | Extraction requires enormous amounts of water |
| Manganese (Mn) | Reinforcement and batteries | Increases battery safety and lifespan during fast charging |
| Nickel (Ni) | Stainless steel | Extraction is extremely polluting for local soil and ecosystems |
| Tin (Sn) | Solder | Conflict mineral; recycling stops the illegal trade |
| Tantalum (Ta) | Capacitors | Crucial for miniaturisation; reuse helps preserve rainforests |
| Tellurium (Te) | Strengthening of metals | One of the rarest stable elements in the Earth’s crust |
| Tungsten (W) | Vibrating motor | Difficult to replace due to its high density |
The ‘Urban Mine’: Your old mobile phone as a raw material
Did you know that the concentration of gold and silver in a tonne of old mobile phones is many times higher than in a tonne of ore from a gold mine? We call this Urban Mining. By handing in your old handset or choosing a sustainable model that uses recycled materials, you’re helping to keep these precious materials in circulation.
