I have a $25 (normally $50) pair of headphones that have a replaceable cable and aluminum housings, which have been through multiple laundry cycles and a lot of abuse that look and sound just as good as the day I got them. I'd honestly be more concerned about losing or stepping on a TWS earbud given the plastic construction and lack of attachments.

Pleather and foam earpads (which I'm assuming is what you mean by ear covers) aren't really e-waste in the same way that batteries and circuit boards are, the pleather can be recycled as well as the foam, and higher end pads are animal skin anyway.

Yes the product with the magical qualities of being cheap, serviceable, great quality, and durable. Super common in consumer electronics. I can understand why you don't mention brand name because you'd definitely want to keep such an item under wraps before it gets sold out then see price hikes as tens of millions of people who desire exactly such a thing flock to it.

Even IF such a magical product exists, I would still buy the AirPods because not having cables is exactly the reason I wanted them.

They are the Tin Audio T2, they were sold out when they launched and are pretty universally lauded in audiophile circles, especially after they fixed initial issues with the connectors.

Why would I lie about a product I own on some internet forum? Furthermore why do feel so attacked by the fact you can find good cheap tech if you do any amount of research? I'm glad you're happy with your AirPods, but $250 is a lot of money for a lot of people who would rather just take better care of their headphones.

I'm not even sure why you think these products are comparable. The Tin Audio headphones can't even make phone calls and don't even have an inline remote. They are basically dumb drivers. If that's what you are looking for then rad, you have the right thing, but that's not what Airpods are.

The big reason people like the AirPods is because they don't have cables which is a huge convenience. They also let you make phone calls, dictate text messages, and control your phone (and anything controllable by your phone via voice interaction) by voice. If none of this appeals to you and you don't mind the cables, fabulous, but don't pretend the two products are comparable.

Also the base AirPods are $139, not $250.

Well generally in the AirPod range of price, you'll run into quality headphones with those features.