“The first German smartphone” – that was the title of the Galileo report about us, which has reached millions of people since 2019. And although many years have passed since then, we are still regularly asked about it today. The report triggered something – a need that has recently become even greater: technology conceived and developed in Europe. As SHIFT, we want to help shape it – and not simply consume what is created in the USA or Asia. Products you can trust. And companies that think differently.
#BuyEurope – more than just a hashtag
In times of great unpredictability, in which national self-interest is once again being placed above common solutions, compromises have become rarer, and political actors – especially in the US – prefer to bang their fists on the table rather than engage in dialogue, the need for stability, reliability, and regional responsibility is growing. It is precisely in this context that #BuyEurope is gaining importance for many consumers. The question is not only: Where does my smartphone come from? But also: Who developed it? Who benefits from it? And how sustainable is the whole thing actually intended to be? SHIFT is a German company – founded in rural northern Hesse, with a clear focus on fairness, repairability, and sustainability. But: Our devices are manufactured in China. A contradiction? 
Why we produce in China
SHIFT’s history has been closely linked to China from the very beginning. Carsten Waldeck, one of our founders, has been traveling there regularly for over 20 years. During this time, he has not only built valuable partnerships but also made friends. Without these relationships, the realization of our idea – a sustainable smartphone – would not have been possible. Almost all of the essential components of a smartphone today come from Asia. Instead of transporting these components halfway around the world, it quickly became clear to us: We want to go where the parts come from – and implement our vision of responsible manufacturing directly on site. Our first devices were initially manufactured in an external facility in Shenzhen. But we quickly realized that, as a small company, we had little influence on local conditions. So we went a step further. In 2018, we set up our own factory in Hangzhou together with the NGO TAOS. The SHIFT factory produces exclusively for us and enables us to directly implement our vision of fair, sustainable manufacturing. 
Many things are fundamentally different at the SHIFT factory: Instead of sterile halls and round-the-clock shift work, there is natural light, plants, and comfortable chairs. Thanks to the modular design of our equipment, there is no gluing – the modules are simply plugged and screwed together. This makes work more pleasant. No one has to wear protective clothing, there are no noisy extraction systems, just a calm, open atmosphere. The working conditions also differ significantly from the industry average: a flexible 40-hour workweek, fair pay (at least 2.5 times the local minimum wage), and no overtime. We demonstrate that fair production in China is possible – if you’re willing to take responsibility and explore new avenues. 
Our entire product development takes place in Germany. Design, conception, software, support, and, last but not least, our unique modular design – all of this is created here in Falkenberg, northern Hesse. We create real added value there – and you can feel it: for every manufacturing job in China, around three to four times as many jobs are created in Germany. We consciously invest in a rural region – our headquarters in Falkenberg, northern Hesse, is not only our development site, but also a place where we create meaningful jobs in the long term. This is where the design, software, service concepts, and the idea behind every SHIFTphone are created. Our devices are not only modular and easy to repair – they also set standards in sustainability. And what’s special: Despite this modularity, our devices impress with a reduced, well-thought-out design that – contrary to some beliefs – is by no means clunky. And despite claims to the contrary, we’ve shown with the SHIFTphone 8: A modular device can also be waterproof.
Technology from Europe requires courage
SHIFT stands for change: Not just another device that ends up in the trash after a few years – or worse – is a total economic loss at the first sign of a defect, but a true statement. We want technology that makes sense – for people and for our planet. And we want to show that it’s possible to combine European values with global cooperation.
