A complex and fully complete understanding of all aspects of the fairness of a products manufacture and distribution is beyond human capacity. However like the asymptote in analytical geometry, it is possible to approach that understanding ever and ever closer while still acknowledging that it has not been reached. Fairphone is not the world’s first fair smartphone, but it does hold the approach to that goal as its guiding light.
This social enterprise began in 2010 when several organizations began to collaborate in an awareness raising campaign about the role minerals mining was playing in financing the war in DR Congo. They spent three years researching and recording every aspect of the supply chain that they could. Then, in 2013, they decided to produce a phone that would work toward addressing the inequities present in the current modes of production. As they stated:
“We want to make a phone that puts ethical considerations first, and doesn’t just focus on technological improvements. By creating an alternative in the smartphone market, our ultimate aim is to raise the bar for the entire industry.”
Where this intersects with the world of 3D printing is in the announcement of their partnership with 3D Hubs, a Dutch distributed 3D printing service, to allow people to print smartphone covers at their nearest location. This means there is a significant reduction in the energy consumed in shipping and there is, as with all on demand printing, no need to print excess stock which may eventually go to waste.
You can find a location near you by visiting the 3D Hub site. Let us know if you have submitted a design, or purchased a case via a 3D Hub. Please feel free to also post it in the Fairphone forum thread on 3DPB.com.