I review dozens of pairs of earbuds and headphones every year, and have been doing so for ages. If there's one problem I've noticed with this kind of gadget, it's that most aren't built to last.

Even if you know , most in-ear players break easily. Wires snap, charging cases stop charging, and ear tips break. I've seen it happen with buds from big-name brands and smaller, unknown ones.

You don't have to swear off wireless earbuds for good, though. I've found a brand that makes audio products designed to last, but there's a good chance you didn't know it made headphones.

Have you met Fairphone? Its ethos is important

The brand launched in the US recently

The Dutch tech brand Fairphone has operated in Europe for years now, but it only made its first big splash in the US earlier in 2026, with the release of its smartphone: the .

Fairphone's whole ethos is eco-friendly tech. That means components are sourced sustainably, largely from fairly paid or recycled sources, and built in factories powered by renewable energy.

More importantly, the devices are built to last too. The 6 Plus' intended seven-year lifespan beats loads of rivals, and its sturdy build and software support ensure that's a promised time span you may actually reach.

Another Fairphone trait helps its gadgets last for years: repairability. All of its gadgets are designed so that, if a component breaks, you can easily buy a replacement part online and install it yourself.

You don't need to take your Fairphone gadget to a repair shop. Using a screwdriver, you can remove batteries, camera modules, or a screen, and swap them out yourself.

I've tested a few Fairphone mobiles, and it's as easy as it sounds. I find them easy to open and poke around in. It's simple enough that even a technophobe could easily replace a part. If you can follow instructions, you can swap out a battery.

I need something that lasts on my head

And it needs to play music too

Repairability is a growing concern in the mobile world, especially as the EU's increasingly stringent repairability rules force companies worldwide to rethink their strategies, and some brands like Rakuten Kobo and Framework were already on top of it.

In the portable audio domain, though, it's another story, and it doesn't help that the EU has exempted earbud makers from its repairability rules. It's incredibly hard to fix broken products, and it doesn't help that they're rarely built to last.

This brings us back to Fairphone. Along with making mobiles, the brand dabbles in audio products. Before its first phone reached the US, it sold this tech on its online store. You're forgiven for not knowing; it wasn't a big brand.

Fairphone has two audio gadgets: the FairBuds 2, a brand-new pair of in-ear buds, and the FairBuds XL, over-ear headphones launched in 2025. Both are the second-gen versions of the product, after models in 2024 and 2023, respectively.

The gadgets both retain Fairphone's promise of being eco-friendly and repairable. We wrote an in-depth report on how repairable the original Fairphone Fairbuds were, tearing the thing apart to find out.

As well as the phones, I've tested both current-gen Fairbuds, and I can confirm that they're just as repairable as the smartphones. When iFixit began giving wireless headphones a repairability rating earlier this year, the Fairbuds XL were the only 10/10 model.

But the reports skip something: Fairbuds aren't just repairable; they feel more durable than almost every alternative model I've tested.

Take the Fairbuds: the case is made from a plastic so hard, I initially thought it was metal. They don't come coated in PFAS or "forever chemicals" like almost every rival. And the buds are IP54 protected, which is basically all you need for earbuds like them.

The same is true of the Fairbuds XL. The cups are made from fabric, not leather, which means they last longer, and they're removable so you can easily clean them. The headphones are IP54 rated, and I took them on a rainy holiday with no issues.

Headphones are for life, not just for Christmas

In our fast-tech world, if your earbuds break, it's easier to buy a new pair than to replace them. But that costs money, is bad for the planet, and lets companies off the hook for faulty products. I'd rather buy a pair of headphones that'll last me.

This should be the case for every product, but sadly it's not. I can't think of another headphone or earbud maker beyond Fairphone that's making wireless audio products that last, and it's a massive shame.

I'd love to see more of this kind of gadget, but long-lasting tech doesn't incentivize you to buy replacement models, so it's not great for a company's bottom line. It's why many wonder whether repairable phones will ever go mainstream.