A greener future: the best environmentally friendly phones of 2024

Topping countless lists across the eco-friendly internet, the Fairphone 5 is easily one of the most responsibly manufactured environmentally friendly phones on the market. Made out of 70 per cent fairly sourced materials by factory workers paid a living wage, the Fairphone 5 is a great choice for shoppers searching for an ethical smartphone.

Assembled with modular components, the Fairphone 5 is designed to be repaired time and time again. Accidents happen, and smartphones tend to take the brunt of these accidents in our daily lives. Fairphone has made a phone for those of us who don't want to upgrade or visit a pricey phone repair shop when you crack your phone screen. Instead, you can fix it yourself. Each main component of the Fairphone 5 can be purchased online and is designed to be easy to replace without the worry of destroying the Fairphone 5 in the process.

Equipped with 256GB of storage, but upgradeable to a whopping 2TB, along with its other impressive components such as its 8GB of RAM and 50MP dual real camera, it's not surprising that eco-friendly buyers revere this sustainably sourced smartphone. With a huge idle battery life, great processing power, and more - the Fairphone 5 is sure to last you countless years of gaming, browsing and photography, it's a great value game-changer of a smartphone.

At around £100, the Nokia G22 is easily one of the cheaper sustainably sourced smartphones on the market, but it still surprises with its solid performance, and typical Nokia hardiness. Nicely designed with an impressive battery life and eye-catching 6.5-inch HD+ display, Nokia never seems to fail at dazzling us with spectacular value, and the G22 is no exception.

Perhaps the shining feature of the Nokia G22 is its QuickFix design: designed to reduce electronic waste and avoid visits to repair shops, each component of the G22 is available online and can easily be repaired from home, so you're not paying a fortune to fix a fairly cheap phone.

Of course, at a fraction of the price of competing high-end environmentally friendly smartphones on the market, there are some cutbacks here and there, and it largely chalks up to performance. A fairly middling 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage and a weaker processor doesn't leave much room for intensive tasks on the G22, but it's ideal for those who aren't particularly tech-savvy nonetheless.

That being said, the Nokia G22 is a perfect phone for great longevity, with three years of software support and a 100 per cent recycled plastic backing, this brilliant budget phone is perfect for those who keep sustainability at heart.

One of the best sustainably sourced phones on the market, you might be surprised to learn that Apple's iPhone 15 Pro Max is produced with 20 per cent recycled materials and is manufactured without the use of harmful chemicals such as mercury and arsenic - making them safer to recycle in the future.

The longevity of the iPhone 15 Pro Max is better than ever before thanks to its IP68 water resistance and Ceramic Shield, so your iPhone isn't irreparable after taking some damage. One of Apple's most eco-friendly features that gets you the most out of your smartphone is Apple Trade In.

If you're upgrading you can trade your old iPhone to reduce the price of your next one - so you save the difference, and you're not only saving some money, you're also contributing to the phone's life cycle, helping the environment a little at a time.

Where hardware is concerned, needless to say, Apple's iPhone 15 Pro Max is one of the best on the market. Stunning photography, and a powerhouse in terms of performance thanks to its A17 processor, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is probably one of the best iPhones ever made.

Brilliantly designed for those who enjoy the reassurance of a modular smartphone, the Fairphone 4 is a great choice for those looking to save money, whilst also getting the best performance possible on an environmentally friendly phone.

Out of the box, the Fairphone 4 is crammed with great performance: a sensational 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage and a solid Snapdragon 750G with 5G support. The Fairphone 4 has a second-to-none battery life, with roughly 200 hours of idle use, giving you the most energy efficiency at its price.

If you happen to break the Fairphone 4, it happens to all of us, you can purchase most of its essential hardware online, and then it's a simple matter of fixing it at home. And you don't need to be a tech expert to get stuck in - these simple kits are designed to be handled by amateurs, saving you hundreds in phone repairs.

Sustainably made, fairly sourced and ethically produced without undercutting factory workers, the Fairphone 4 is one of the best environmentally friendly smartphones on the market and is unquestionably one of the best phones for battery life.

Buying a renewed phone is one of the best ways of reducing waste when shopping online, and you can get some really excellent phones for a fraction of their original price. Samsung's S21 smartphone is a brilliant budget phone without budget performance at around £200.

Repaired and refurbished to top working condition, buying a renewed phone might come with concerns over potential defects or wear and tear, but this isn't the case. Renewed phones are carefully repaired to deliver fantastic performance, and Samsung's S21 is no different.

Out of the gate, the S21's Snapdragon 888 processor is sublime, and when paired with 8GB of RAM - you've got yourself brilliant performance for any tasks you need. A brilliant 64MP triple camera, along with plenty of storage for a library of memories, the S21 delivers as a renewed phone, and its recycled construction is great for the planet. A top-tier phone under £300, this is certainly a deal you should consider in your search for an upgrade.

Another surprising addition to our environmentally friendly phone roundup, the Samsung Galaxy S23 is manufactured from a large amount of recycled materials, including 20 per cent recycled plastic, 28 per cent recycled aluminium, and 22 per cent recycled glass. Samsung's strict Control of Substances Used in Products standards also means that there are no harmful chemicals used in the process of manufacturing the Samsung Galaxy S23, so eco-friendly recycling is more effective than ever before.

And then, there's the hardware of the Samsung S23, which is tougher and longer lasting than ever before. With IP68 water and dust resistance, a tough screen and a design that's better suited to repairability, the S23 is a phone that gives you the most out of its life cycle.

Samsung's promise of five years of security and operating system updates also lessens the need t upgrade the phone for a much longer time, so budget buyers and environmental enthusiasts can get the most out of the S23.

As for its performance - this practically brand-new phone tackles gaming and heavy software tasks in its stride, which is in large parts thanks to its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor. Take fantastic photos with its 50MP triple camera, equipped with plenty of post-editing tools to create the perfect images.

This mighty smartphone might be pricey, but its great performance and environmentally safe manufacturing make it a great pick for anyone looking to reduce their carbon footprint.

A great phone for longevity, and manufactured using sustainable practices, the Google Pixel 8 phone is excellent for years of great performance thanks to its fantastic eight-year lifecycle. The Pixel 8 is beautifully designed with a glossy backing and iconic metal camera band, it's one of the most aesthetically pleasing phones on the market.

What's more, the Pixel 8 is equipped with Google's Tensor G3 chipset which is brought to new heights with AI. Paired with 8GB of RAM, the performance of the Google Pixel 8 is exceptional and is made more efficient thanks to the Pixel 8's AI, which dramatically improves hardware performance.

The Pixel 8 is constructed of 100 per cent recycled aluminium and is made free of PVC and BFR, so recycling is easier and the production process has a significantly less impact on the environment. Google's practices are great for reducing environmental waste, but it still has a long way to go before it reaches exceptional levels of sustainability - only 18 per cent of the phone overall is made of recycled materials, which is good, but not brilliant.

Perhaps the best feature of the Google Pixel 8 for reducing waste is its eight-year security and software update support. With a dedication to improving the lifecycle of their smartphones, Google's Pixel 8 gets the most out of its hardware, and for the environmentally friendly shopper, it's exactly what you need. Our Google Pixel 8 review details the ins and outs of this massive pledge to keep the Pixel 8 running well into the future.

A fantastic budget phone under £200, the Nokia X30 is perfect for those looking for an affordable, sustainable phone. Well-designed, sturdy and with an impressive battery life - the Nokia X30 has a 100 per cent recycled aluminium frame, alongside a 65 per cent recycled plastic back, which is fairly uncommon amongst budget phones.

The Nokia X30's performance is particularly strong amongst phones in its price range, with 6GB of RAM, 128GB of storage and an impressive Snapdragon 695 processor, making it one of the leading phones under £200 in terms of performance.

Where its photography potential is concerned, the X30 doesn't perform as well as you might expect, with photos appearing slightly dull or grainy, but it's nonetheless incredible for the price.

Perhaps its boldest move in reducing waste and boosting sustainability, the Nokia X30 has an impressive four-year update pledge from Nokia, so you're not missing out on speed-improving updates and security for a considerable amount of time.

Certainly one of the most durable phones on the market, the Nokia XR21 smartphone exceeds in sustainability thanks to its hardy design, components made of recycled materials and fantastic performance overall.

What makes the Nokia XR21 one of the best environmentally friendly smartphones, however, is its durability. Made to last, this spectacular smartphone is capable of operating from -20°C to 55°C, and it can be submerged in 1.8 metres of water for up to an hour without breaking.

This sheer longevity means there's less need for repairs and replacement in the long run, leaving less waste and a longer life cycle for those who need it. In our Nokia XR21 review, we experienced its durability and solid design hands-on, and it's truly impressive.

If you're looking for a phone with a great camera, however, the Nokia XR21 may disappoint. There's some oversharpening present, giving photos an unnatural look, but in brighter environments, the XR21 provides good-looking photos that are perfect for capturing memories.

A fantastic durable phone, the Nokia XR21 is a superb choice for smartphone shoppers, and its long-lasting eco-friendly design is bound to please.

Ideal for those in dire need of an upgrade, but don't fancy forking over hundreds - the iPhone 12 mini is the perfect, environmentally friendly option for you. Perfectly refurbished to ensure excellent performance without any signs of wear and tear, Loop Mobile provides users with a terrific 12-month warranty on purchased devices, so should any faults occur, they've got you covered.

Brilliantly designed to fit comfortably in the hand, in large part thanks to its 5.4-inch design which fits well in hand compared to larger flagship models, the iPhone 12 mini packs a lot of power into its smallish design.

Where performance is concerned, the iPhone mini 12 has an A14 Bionic Chip alongside 256GB of storage, making it an excellent choice for speedy navigation, solid gaming and plenty of room to store a library's worth of photos.

Speaking of photography, while it might not sound particularly impressive looking at its specifications, the iPhone 12 mini's camera is solid and is well-enhanced with Apple's brilliant lenses and post-processing technology.

Ideal for those in dire need of an upgrade, but don't fancy forking over hundreds - the iPhone 12 mini is the perfect, environmentally friendly option for you. Perfectly refurbished to ensure excellent performance without any signs of wear and tear, Loop Mobile provides users with a terrific 12-month warranty on purchased devices, so should any faults occur, they've got you covered.

Brilliantly designed to fit comfortably in the hand, in large part thanks to its 5.4-inch design which fits well in hand compared to larger flagship models, the iPhone 12 mini packs a lot of power into its smallish design.

Where performance is concerned, the iPhone mini 12 has an A14 Bionic Chip alongside 256GB of storage, making it an excellent choice for speedy navigation, solid gaming and plenty of room to store a library's worth of photos.

Speaking of photography, while it might not sound particularly impressive looking at its specifications, the iPhone 12 mini's camera is solid and is well-enhanced with Apple's brilliant lenses and post-processing technology.

Paired with Loop Mobile's excellent refurbishment, its small carbon footprint, and overall excellent performance, the iPhone 12 mini is a sincerely brilliant choice for those looking for a cheap upgrade that'll last you a long time.