The best noise cancelling earbuds come in all shapes and sizes, but how many of them come with a free tree? UK audio firm Majority's new Bluetooth earbuds do, sort of: the firm will plant a new tree for every pair of buds you buy.
With a price tag of just £49.95 and a marketing focus on sustainability rather than sonic fidelity I don't think these buds are going to be giving Apple's AirPods Pro 2 or Sony's WF-1000XM4 any sleepless nights. But with Bluetooth 5.2, low latency (55-70ms), IPX7 waterproofing and up to 30 hours of audio between charges they pack in a decent amount of tech for the price, and at 3.6g they should be comfortable for long commutes too.
They're also considerably cheaper than the competition: our current pick of budget noise cancelling earbuds, the Huawei Freebuds 4i, are nearly twice the price.
Why Majority wants to plant a tree
Majority has been around for a while now; the firm was founded in 2013 in Cambridge and makes a range of audio products including soundbars and radios. And it wants to be the first carbon-neutral audio brand, although there's a bit of competition for that particular title.
Majority's previous launches included TruBio wireless earbuds, which are made from biodegradable plastic that won't melt in your ears but that won't hang around for centuries when you've replaced them. This time around the Tru 2 promise to use less energy than rival buds – hence the long play time – and every pair bought means a new tree in the Majority Forest. To date, the firm has paid to plant 435,735 trees and says that's the equivalent of removing 485.55 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
The Tru 2 noise cancelling earbuds are available now from Amazon and direct from Majority.
Upgrade to smarter living
Get the latest news, reviews, deals and buying guides on gorgeous tech, home and active products straight to your inbox.
Writer, musician and broadcaster Carrie Marshall has been covering technology since 1998 and is particularly interested in how tech can help us live our best lives. Her CV is a who’s who of magazines, newspapers, websites and radio programmes ranging from T3, Techradar and MacFormat to the BBC, Sunday Post and People’s Friend. Carrie has written more than a dozen books, ghost-wrote two more and co-wrote seven more books and a Radio 2 documentary series; her memoir, Carrie Kills A Man, was shortlisted for the British Book Awards. When she’s not scribbling, Carrie is the singer in Glaswegian rock band Unquiet Mind (unquietmindmusic).
-
One kettlebell, four exercises and 20 minutes to build strength all over
A kettlebell is all you need for a great full-body workout
By Bryony Firth-Bernard Published
-
You could win an Xbox Series X in gold, but Microsoft will make you work for it
The exclusive Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Xbox could be yours
By Rik Henderson Published
-
Apple’s slowing down its schedule for everything other than iPhones, says insider
The iPhone will remain an annual upgrade, but a new report says Apple plans to slow down its release schedule from 2025
By Carrie Marshall Published
-
Apple’s next big launch tipped for 1 November – and that should include iPad mini
M4 Macs and the long-awaited iPad mini update are pencilled in for a November launch
By Carrie Marshall Published
-
iPhone SE 4 could be a cheaper iPhone 15, insiders claim
The same sensor as the iPhone 15 and the same processor as the iPhone 16? This is getting interesting
By Carrie Marshall Published
-
Apple Intelligence will add plenty to your iPhone, but also take something important away
What the right hand giveth...
By Rik Henderson Published
-
iPhone 17 tipped for upgrade Android owners have enjoyed for years
This is one rumour we can definitely get on board with
By Britta O'Boyle Published
-
Your iPhone 16 or 16 Pro battery should last longer, here's why
There's an increase in battery size in all iPhone 16 models
By Britta O'Boyle Published
-
One of next summer's most exciting sci-fi blockbusters has been shot on an iPhone
Danny Boyle is sticking to the basics
By Max Freeman-Mills Published
-
Apple finally opens up to third-party app stores, but only if you win the postcode lottery
iPads are getting a more open ecosystem in Europe
By Max Freeman-Mills Published