Samsung Reels Into The Ocean For Folding Z Phones Made With Fishing Nets

Samsung’s new line of foldable phones proves to be quite the catch—they’re made of recycled fishing nets.

Components from the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Z Fold 4 will be repurposed from fishing nets, following several models from its Galaxy S22 series that were also made from fishing nets. This brings the total number of Samsung phones made from sustainable materials to 11. 

According to Nature, there are as many as 4.6 million “ghost nets” floating in the ocean, contributing to the dire ocean pollution crisis. 

The side key brackets on both the Z Flip 4 and the Z Fold 4 will be made from converted fishing nets, as will the Z Fold 4’s connector cap. However, most of the fishing nets will be used inside the phone itself. With the Z Flip 4, for example, the speaker module brackets on both ends of the phones, the display connector caps, the receiver deco, and the antenna brackets. 

On the other hand, the Z Fold 4’s inner side key, connector brackets, and the case for the top speaker are all made from abandoned fishing materials. 

According to CNET, materials research and development manager Pravneer Singh Rathore has cited that turning the netting into viable components was particularly difficult as phones nowadays have to endure severe weather conditions in places all over the world, especially for the folding phones that are slightly more fragile in nature as compared to non-folding phones. 

Samsung’s sustainable efforts don’t just stop at producing phones from ghost nets. In fact, 90% of its products are also made from eco-friendly materials. The tech brand has also significantly reduced the packaging for its Z series by over 50%, helping it cut down on its carbon footprint. All of its packagings are also made completely from recycled paper. 

However, despite the advancements in using reclaimed fishing nets, Rathore notes that the industry is still far from creating phones made purely from recycled materials. 

[via CNET and Android Central, cover image via Samsung]