From landfill to longevity – Philips joins the right-to-repair movement with 3D printable parts you can download and print at home.
Here’s something you don’t expect to see very often: a brand proactively supporting repair over replacement. Philips has just launched a new program called Philips Fixables as a refreshing move in a world where planned obsolescence is often the preference.
The idea? Let people 3D print their own official replacement parts – starting with a 3mm comb for the OneBlade electric shaver. (I have that one! Alas I have no 3D printer…)
It’s a small beginning, but Philips says more parts are on the way.
The files are free to download from the company’s official Printables.com profile, but if you search for Philips, you’ll also find loads of cool printable accessories designed by community members.
The program is launching primarily in the Czech Republic, backed by Prusa Research and creative agency LePub, but the files appear to be available globally – so ‘launching’ probably just means the marketing campaign.
Philips says you’ll need to use the correct print settings for the part to hold up – skimp on the infill and you might be in for a wobbly time. (Is it obvious that I’ve never used a 3D printer..?)
Philips’ foray into 3D printed replacement parts is just the latest of this type, with brands like Logitech, Fairphone, and Framework already paving the way in the right to repair space.
Logitech recently teamed up with iFixit to launch an official repair hub, offering parts and guides for products like mice, keyboards and webcams – making it far easier for users to fix devices themselves without voiding warranties or tearing their hair out.
Fairphone has long championed modular, repairable smartphones, with spare parts and repair guides readily available – and they’ve even built phones you can disassemble with just a standard screwdriver. Framework is doing something similar in the laptop world, offering fully repairable and upgradable machines designed to last well beyond the usual tech cycle.
It’s early days for this movement, but momentum is building.
Consumers are increasingly fed up with products designed to fail or be unrepairable, and these brands are proving that supporting repairs doesn’t have to mean sacrificing profit. Indeed, the argument in its favour is that it builds loyalty and earns more buyers through a reputation for doing the right thing.
If more big names follow suit – and with some more regulatory pressure in the mix – we could be looking at a future where fixing your gear isn’t a niche hobby, but just the norm.
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