Repairable phones and laptops, refurbished devices, durable appliances and energy labels.
For a phone or a laptop, most of the footprint comes from making it. Keeping a device a few more years, or buying it refurbished, counts for more than a slightly better energy label.
The Blauer Engel (Blue Angel) is the German government’s eco-label, introduced in February 1978. It marks products and services that do less harm to the environment than others of the same kind…
Alternative to fresh-fibre paper and office products with vague “eco” claims
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Commown is a cooperative from Strasbourg that rents out electronics chosen to last: Fairphone smartphones, laptops from Why! and HP, desktop PCs, Repeat headphones and refurbished devices. The…
Alternative to buying new electronics on credit and replacing them at the first breakdown
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Envie is a French network of work-integration companies that collect used household appliances, repair them and sell them again with a two-year warranty valid in all its shops. The first opened in…
Alternative to buying a new washing machine, fridge or cooker
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iFixit is a free online repair manual with tens of thousands of illustrated, step-by-step guides for phones, laptops, consoles, household appliances and more, written by the company and its community…
Alternative to manufacturers’ after-sales services that are expensive or refuse to repair, and replacing a device at the first fault
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A Repair Café is a free meeting where volunteers help people repair their own broken things: toasters, lamps, clothes, bikes, toys, laptops. It is an alternative to throwing away a broken appliance…
Alternative to throwing away broken appliances and buying new ones, often because repair seems too expensive
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Emmaüs Connect is a French association that helps people who struggle with digital tools: using a phone or a computer, online paperwork, job hunting, and access to rights and health care. A member of…
Alternative to being left alone with online paperwork, expensive phone plans and new devices you can’t afford
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Fairphone is a Dutch company from Amsterdam that makes smartphones built to be repaired and kept for years, with a larger share of fairly sourced materials. The battery, screen, cameras, USB-C port…
Alternative to smartphones that are glued shut, get few years of updates and are replaced every two or three years
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Reuse Network, called the Furniture Re-use Network until 2018, is the UK umbrella charity of local charities and social enterprises that collect donated furniture and appliances and pass them on at…
Alternative to cheap new furniture and appliances bought on credit
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Spareka is a French website that helps people repair their own household appliances: free fault diagnosis, more than 900 free tutorials, video help from a professional technician and spare parts for…
Alternative to throwing away a broken appliance or paying for a call-out
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Back Market is a French online marketplace for refurbished electronics: smartphones, laptops, tablets, game consoles and household appliances, restored and sold by professional refurbishers rather…
Alternative to buying a new smartphone, laptop or tablet
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Devices that last and can be repaired
Office, paper and printing
Second-hand, swapping, lending and sharing
Work and cooperative economy
Repair and do it yourself
Neighbourhood, community spaces and local networks
Digital services, software and devices
Telecoms: mobile, internet and email
Furniture and furnishing
