Til' The Wheels Fall Off

Hello! I hope this URL finds you in good spirits 🙂

It's now June and today's events inspired me to write this blog post.

See that photo above? That's my phone….for the next 24 hours or so. 📱

Because for the last ten years, I've used a combination of this refurbished iPhone 8, a refurbished iPhone 6 and a new iPhone 6.

I tend to be an outlier in the tech world, as I want to get my money's worth and use phones, laptops, TVs, tablets and desktops until the wheels fall off 🛞 (even though I know they're built for planned obsolescence- not for a full decade).

Yes, I hope you're picturing that 1998 Honda Civic that one kid from high school had with the wheels almost literally falling off…

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Last year, you'd find me giddy with excitement when I was able to purchase a MacBook Pro 💻 (I chose refurbished and highly recommend! Works like brand new).

A new laptop became non-negotiable as I work remotely and my 2010 MacBook Pro just couldn't keep up anymore AND….. my 2015 iMac was slowing down.

Side note: surprisingly, the laptop still works! …..As long as it's plugged in and you're using only one application at a time.….. 😅

And the desktop runs much better after a hard drive replacement. Though I do have to use a browser for things that run far better as apps like Canva, WhatsApp, Slack, etc).

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Back to the phone- I've been kicking the can down the road of getting a new one for years- even though I know it's a tool that runs my day-to-day and, in this age, just makes things smoother, such as banking, traveling, FaceTime, etc.

Whether it was because we didn't have the money or when we did, spent or saved it for other things, or I just didn't want to deal with the dreaded 5 hours of standing at the cell phone carrier while they transfer everything.

Yes, the fear of losing precious photos is real! 😰

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The real kicker came when I opened our banking app, and an alert popped up that I would no longer be able to use the app after a certain date because the operating system was too old.

This, in addition to my recent trip to Virginia (to work with fellow pattern & sample maker Caroline Kuhlman), the heat spiked so high- we were melting with the machines 🥵 and when it gets that hot….my phone does the same thing my son does when it's too hot for clothes. Fritz's out and falls apart.

I swear I can see the phone thinking. 🤔

BUT about 30 minutes in the fridge does the trick! ❄️

Caroline and I laughed hysterically as she said, "I think if you have to put your phone in the fridge to cool it down……the wheels have fallen off." 😂

I was in denial. And no, I'm not talking about the river in Egypt 🇪🇬

As things have lined up for me to finally purchase a new phone today, I Googled "refurbished iPhone Apple" and the first thing that came up was BackMarket.com and immediately my brain recalled the NYC subway ads I'd seen.

After considering where I'd eventually purchase a phone off and on for months, and after a couple of hours comparing Apple and Back Market today, I ultimately went with a new phone from Apple. And the deciding factor? That I still have one spot left in Apple Care to cover the phone, whereas there would be no coverage for theft, water, dropping or breaking with the other contender.

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Buying from Back Market aligns with my values much more, as they take tossed aside tech, give em' lots of TLC 💚 and market them for hopeful new homes. And buying something new from one of the biggest companies out there… well, that's not where I usually vote with my money.

Again, ultimately, the reason I went with the big dog was because of the insurance coverage. It wasn't apples to apples (no pun intended 😂🍎) — the newest phone with the price range and storage needed on Back Market was an iPhone 16e and the one I purchased via Apple was an iPhone 17e.

My rationale for getting the newest one? If I'm going to try and make another device last for a decade, it would make more sense to get the newest one rather than an "older" one.

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So, I'm curious- do you think it was hypocritical of me to buy something new from one of the biggest corporations instead of buying used from a smaller, up-and-coming company? 🤷‍♀️

Or was my approach and mindset of getting the most use out of a device as possible until it is an absolute necessity to purchase a new one, the most "sustainable" thing to do? ♻️

Do you think about longevity and "sustainability" outside of apparel & textiles?

Other than price, what considerations push you to choose one brand over another?

I'd love to hear- start the conversation below or comment on LinkedIn or Instagram. 💬

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And remember, that Honda Civic is still out there….. 🚗

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