The World's First Fairtrade Smartphone

We've heard of organic food, ethically traded coffee, conflict-free diamonds and clothes that have been produced under humane and fair conditions. Now a Dutch-based company is trying to expand this industry to include smartphones. Fairphone operates in both Amsterdam and London, and has found partners in various organizations, such as Solutions for Hope.

As a smartphone user, have you ever thought about the ethical and dimensions of the phone production cycle? Unfair and exploitative labour conditions like those at China's notorious Foxconn factories are just one aspect of the problem. Manufacturers such as Foxconn supply many of the world's most successful tech companies, take Apple for example. This is an indication of the industry's highly complex production chain; an argument, which some of the big companies tend to put forward when asked why there are no certified fair products on the market. Fairphone aims to break this complicated and insufficiently transparent production cycle. More importantly, they want to raise consumer awareness.

The world's first fair smartphone will launch in late 2013, and will be sold via the company's website. If you're interested, you can pre-order this landmark gadget here.