The eco-friendly phone in question is the Fairphone: produced by an Amsterdam-based organization, it's made with metals sourced from small-scale miners in the Democratic Republic of Congo. That way, the phone's production avoids exploitative mining practices. The phone itself is also designed to be long-lasting, cutting back on waste, and many of its modular parts can be easily replaced by users. For the launch of the Fairphone 2, the second iteration of their eponymous product, the Dutch organization partnered with designer Alan Nguyen and 3D Hubs for a similarly eco-friendly way to produce the smart phone's accessories. Photo 1 of 4 in How 3D Printing Can Change Design and Manufacturing for Everyday People by Zach Edelson

How 3D Printing Can Change Design and Manufacturing for Everyday People

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The eco-friendly phone in question is the Fairphone: produced by an Amsterdam-based organization, it's made with metals sourced from small-scale miners in the Democratic Republic of Congo. That way, the phone's production avoids exploitative mining practices. The phone itself is also designed to be long-lasting, cutting back on waste, and many of its modular parts can be easily replaced by users.

For the launch of the Fairphone 2, the second iteration of their eponymous product, the Dutch organization partnered with designer Alan Nguyen and 3D Hubs for a similarly eco-friendly way to produce the smart phone's accessories.