• After its ethical, responsible and sustainable smartphones, Fairphone launches its first headphones, the Fairbuds XL.
  • Responding to the same philosophy, it is largely designed from recycled materials, but is also modular, with nine parts that can be replaced in case of failure.
  • Sold for 249 euros, it is also a good headphone, but whose performance does not equal that of other models, perhaps less ethical, but at the same price.

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Green tech » ? The expression, all too often overused by many manufacturers adept at greenwashing, wants to find all its legitimacy with the Fairbuds XL headphones. Launched by the Dutch firm Fairphone, the device has strong arguments to distinguish itself in the cohort of high-tech equipment often accused of planned obsolescence. Tested by 20 Minutes, this new generation headset tries to make every effort to seduce and convince: from its design to its lifespan, not to mention a real sound quality, as we have verified.

10 years of fair trade products

Fairphone is not an opportunistic new player in the overly narrow and timid world of sustainable tech. Since 2013, the Dutch firm has repeatedly proven that beyond the speech, its products were actually designed in the direction of a more sustainable production. Spearheading the brand, the Fairphone (an eco-designed and modular smartphone that has gone through four iterations) has proven that a new model is possible. The manufacturer's first headphones, the Fairbuds XL has the same ethics.

Eco-design and sustainability

It is first eco-designed. Thus, the Fairbuds XL contains 100% recycled plastics in all its parts that can accommodate it, 100% recycled aluminum, 100% recycled tin, Fairtrade gold (from productions respectful of the condition of workers), and vegan leather. Its carrying case is also made of 100% recycled polyester and nylon.



Secondly, the Fairbuds XL headset is modular. This assumes that it is partly removable and that some of its parts can be replaced: headphones, shell, headband, flat cable ... A total of nine modules are interchangeable in case of wear, technical or mechanical problems. Simply order them on the manufacturer's website. Like the battery that can be extracted in three seconds and for which a simple replacement will cost only 19.95 euros. No need for after-sales service! These small repairs can be done alone, thanks to some video tutorials, a small screwdriver... and elbow grease. On arrival, inevitably, it is the life of the helmet that may make a leap.

Fairphone, which manufactures in China, finally pledges to pay 55 cents more per helmet produced to improve the working conditions of workers, but also to fully offset its CO2 emissions by investing in carbon reduction projects.

A good mid-range helmet

But by the way, beyond its ethics, what is this headset worth? If many had been able to mock the sometimes a little rough aesthetics of formwork of the manufacturer's smartphones, the Fairbuds XL has a small look of its own, but does not have to blush against some competitors. In black or green, this Bluetooth 5.1 headband is foldable and circum aural (its pads surround the ears).

It incorporates 40 mm speakers, has a fairly effective active noise reduction system and offers a beautiful sound, quite low, which can however be customized through its application. A small joystick allows you to modulate the volume and change songs. And the autonomy of its battery, as we have checked, is about thirty hours. It is also dust and rain resistant (standard: IP54).

Be careful, no USB-C cable is provided to charge it, which corresponds, obviously, to the ethics of Fairphone, which considers that we probably already have one at home.



Sold for 249 euros on the Fairphone website, the Fairbuds XL technically remains a mid-range headphones, quite expensive, but probably at the right price for equipment that also has its manufacturing constraints. Still, in the eyes of the greatest number, its price may have difficulty in totally convincing. 249 euros is for example also the price of the excellent WH-1000XM4 headphones from Sony, with a soul probably less ethical and ecological, a little old (2020) certainly, but with much higher audio quality.

Hence the question: are we willing to pay a little more for our high-tech equipment if it is more responsible and sustainable? Or even at the same price as more efficient equipment?

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