Meet reboxed, the London start-up on a mission to transform tech recycling

Pop Brixton-based technology start-up reboxed is on a mission to rehome 100 million electronic devices by 2030. Phil Kemish, co-founder of reboxed, explains how we can use tech to avoid the vicious cycle of buy-upgrade-bin, which generates 50 million tonnes of e-waste every year.

Consumer electronics is one of the world’s most polluting industries. That’s because it’s a linear system: buy-upgrade-bin, buy-upgrade-bin. It’s a vicious cycle that generates 50 million tonnes of e-waste every year.

Millions of mobiles end up going to waste every year, either abandoned in drawers or lying in landfills. Every single one of those devices has taken precious earthly materials to create, at great cost to the environment and local communities. Just one iPhone X will create 79kg of CO2 in its lifetime, roughly the same as burning 9 gallons of petrol. And 80% of those emissions happen before it’s even left the factory.

At reboxed, our solution is the circular business model – rehome, rebox, repeat – which aims to keep existing devices in use for as long as possible. We want to change the way people think about tech to achieve our mission: to rehome 100 million devices by 2030.  

This isn’t just designed to give our members better value, but make a positive impact on the environment and society.

However, most of us avoid buying or selling used tech because it seems to involve too much time, effort and risk. How can we be sure of the condition we’re expecting when we buy or that we’re getting a fair price when we sell?

Just one iPhone X will create 79kg of CO2 in its lifetime, roughly the same as burning 9 gallons of petrol

Co-founder Matt Thorne and I (pictured right) saw this lack of confidence in tech resales and decided to tackle it.

reboxed takes the hassle and uncertainty out of buying refurbished mobiles and selling your old handsets thanks to TechCheck®, a unique 70 point diagnostic test that uses scientifically derived data to accurately assess the condition of a phone.

For buyers, TechCheck® means reassurance that every refurbished phone sold by reboxed has been graded on the basis of data created by the 70 point evaluation. No vague category ratings here, just up to 40% off the cost of buying new.

And reboxed doesn’t just reward people. For every device bought or sold, reboxed plants 5 trees to help offset the carbon emissions generated during its use. reboxed is also B Corp pending and is signed up to 1% for the Planet, a commitment to give 1% of gross sales each year to approved environmental non-profit organisations.

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To recycle your old phone with reboxed, visit sell.reboxed.co or download the TechCheck app. You can also upgrade to a refurbished device via reboxed.co.

Cheapskate subscribers can enjoy £15 off their next upgrade using the code CHEAPSKATE15 at the checkout (minimum purchase £180).

This content is a paid partnership between reboxed and Cheapskate London.