Guilt-free tech

LAPTOP

1. Lenovo Z series

Whenever I think of Lenovo, specific things come to mind — all of them revolving around business-focused reliability. That’s not a bad thing, but other than the truly captivating X1 Fold, Lenovo’s laptops have not exactly been sexy. Now, its new ThinkPad Z series — the Z13 and Z16 — is set to change all of that. Gone are the boxy design and black-and-red colourway that’s been a staple of Lenovo. They’ve been replaced with sleek lines and a modern design using recycled aluminium or black vegan leather. The packaging is made of 100% recyclable bamboo and sugar-cane, while the AC power adapter uses 90% post-consumer content. And Lenovo hasn’t sacrificed power, with the entire lineup powered by AMD’s lat-est Ryzen Pro processors. Both devices have a touch-enabled OLED display, a 120mm haptic ForcePad, and a reverse notch for the Communications Bar. If this is the future of Lenovo, then sign me up — but please, add more ports. Available later this year.

From $1 549, lenovo.com/za

MUSIC

2. Stir It Up Turntable

If you prefer vinyl to streaming, you’re going to want to take a gander at House of Marley. One of the most Earth-friendly audio brands on the planet, House of Marley has extended the eco-conscious design and techno-logical prowess found in its headphone and speaker range to its eternally popular turntable. The turntable is avail-able in a wireless version (which adds Bluetooth support, onboard volume control, and the ability to be paired with the brand’s dual-pairing speakers) or a standard non-wireless version, and is entirely green at heart.Made of bamboo, recycled silicone, recyclable aluminium alloy, and the brand’s signature REWIND fabric — consisting of 30% reclaimed organic cotton, 30% reclaimed hemp, and 40% recycled poly-ethylene terephthalate (a type of poly-ester used in plastic bottles and takeaway containers) — it is a glorious symphony of sustainable, stream-lined retro design and modern technology.

R4 367, loot.co.za

CHARGING

3. Le Cord

Originating in Stockholm in 2013 as a special project by research and design studio Local Electronics, Le Cord has been dubbed the “Inventor of Conscious Tech”. While that title may be debatable, there’s no denying that the brand is making some great-looking charging tech that also happens to be incredibly sustainable.Every year, 640 000 tonnes of fishing gear, including nets, are dumped in our oceans. If left uncollected, these nets can entangle and kill ocean life. For its latest Apple-certified charging cables, Le Cord recycles fishing nets and turns them into stylish, 2m-long braided cables to charge your lightning-port-enabled iPad or iPhone.And if you’re looking to take your eco-conscious charging a bit further, you can also get a foldable quick charger made of recycled plastic waste.

From €26.90, lecord.com

• From the February edition of Wanted, 2022.