Easily repairable smartphones are a great idea, and Fairphone’s growth proves it

As the global tech industry navigates rough waters, between production costs rising at a dizzying pace and a complex resource management, a countertrend signal emerges that deserves attention.

Fairphone, the Dutch company known for its ethical and modular devices, closed the last quarter of 2025 with an 83.7% year-over-year growth.

A figure that suggests a profound transformation in consumer priorities, increasingly inclined to reward longevity rather than the pure race for technical specifications.

Has Fairphone won the throwaway model challenge?

The consumer electronics sector is facing a severe shortage of memory and components, exacerbated by the AI boom that consumes enormous hardware resources. The response from many major manufacturers has been to raise prices or, in less transparent cases, reduce the technical specifications of devices, effectively offering less capable products at higher costs.

In this scenario, Fairphone has consolidated a diametrically opposed philosophy. The company offers smartphones designed to last over time, easily repairable thanks to a modular design and supported by long-term software updates. The promise is simple but effective: it’s not necessary to replace the phone every one or two years.

This vision is convincing an increasing number of users who no longer see the smartphone as a gadget to change frequently, but as a investment to protect. As noted by CFO Oscar Visser, supply chain pressures are forcing the entire market to rethink the old model based on frequent replacement, making repairability not only an ethical choice, but an economic necessity and practical.

Global expansion and the numbers behind the success

The financial results confirm that sustainability can go hand in hand with profitability. The company is on track to reach $500 million in total sales, surpassing the milestone of one million devices sold since its founding.

Although the brand has its roots in the Netherlands, the strongest push comes from an increasingly widespread international adoption.

Europe remains the main engine of this expansion, with France having recorded a remarkable increase of 122.3% compared to the previous year. Following are the Netherlands with a growth of 80.3% and Germany with 43.3%, while the United Kingdom marks a more modest but significant increase of 10.2%.

However, a crucial step for the brand’s credibility was the launch in the US market during 2025. The entry into the USA has not only enlarged the user base, but has given Fairphone global legitimacy, proving that the desire for repairable devices is not exclusively a European prerogative.

An evolving corporate structure

To sustain these growth rates and prepare for future challenges, Fairphone is also adjusting its internal governance, moving away from startup status to embrace the structure of a mature company.

The appointment of high-profile executives, such as Katya Vasylieva as Head of Finance, drawn from Adyen, and Anca Prins-Barbulescu as the new Director of the Strategic Delivery Office, signals the willingness to manage expansion with competence and strategic vision.

Thus the last quarter data refutes the skepticism of those who viewed repairability a niche for enthusiasts. Consumers are sending a clear message to the industry: between an expensive disposable device and a tool reliable, repairable and durable, the choice is increasingly falling on the second option.