6 Sustainable Brands Making Sleek Eco-friendly Phone Cases
Our cellphones are subjected to endless drops, knocks, scratches, and bumps – and that’s why we invariably purchase a phone case. If we didn’t, our phones’ short lifespan would be even shorter.
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6 Eco-friendly Phone Case Brands for Stylish Durability
The next time you need a case, consider this list of sustainable phone case brands. These brands focus on eco-friendly materials, stylish phone case design, AND durability to help protect your phone.
Pela’s Compostable Phone Cases
Price: Starts at $33.
Pela phone cases are biodegradable and compostable. They are made from natural and waste materials including the straw leftover from flax plants, one it’s been harvested.
This is usually burned, but Pela uses this material for their phone cases instead.
Made in Canada and Hong Kong, the cases are free from BPA, lead, cadmium, and phthalates. Designs range from clear case to funky patters, as well as themed options including animals, plants, and space.
When you buy a Pela phone case, you can send in your old Pela case (or even an old conventional plastic one) to Pela to be recycled or repurposed.
Nimble’s Phone Cases Made from Recycled Materials
Price: Starts at $25.
From chargers and screen protectors to cases and cables, Nimble is a one-stop shop for cellphone accessories.
The recycled materials they use include aluminum, polycarbonate (from old CDs and DVDs), glass, paper, and silicone; and they make use of hemp, a durable and lightweight material that is highly renewable.
Old cases can be sent in to be recycled and repurposed. One of their uses is for Nimble’s Scrap Grip feature, which uses recycled silicone and bits of old plastic phone cases to create a non-slip texture that provides extra security.
If you have CDs and DVDs lying around, you can send those in too. They’ll be used for Nimble’s REPLAY material, which turns post-consumer waste into raw materials for new products like your phone case.
Positive Digital’s Minimal Waste Cases
Price: Starts at $40.
Started by a graduate student hoping to inspire mindful, green living through sustainable products, Positive Digital offers a variety of home and personal goods. These include shower curtains, picnic blankets, and phone cases.
Positive Digital phone cases are made from PLA plant polymer and bamboo fibers, and are biodegradable and compostable.
Products are printed on demand to minimize waste and, to avoid wasteful returns, exchanges are only allowed on phone cases with errors or defects.
Quince’s Colorful Biodegradable Phone Cases
Price: Starts at $25.
Quince specializes in high-quality goods perfect for outfitting yourself and your home, as well as offering great gift ideas. Their sustainable phone cases are available in black, olive, red, and blush pink.
Made from biodegradable and compostable wheat straw and polybutylene adipate co-terephthalate (PBAT), the case features a raised camera ring for lens protection and a fortified bezel for screen safety.
EcoBlvd Plant Based Phone Cases
Price: Starts at $34.
It’s all about phone cases at EcoBlvd and there is a wide range to choose from: whether you’re an iPhone or Android user or whether you want monotone colors or bright and bold designs, they’re sure to have a case that will catch your eye.
EcoBlvd makes use of plant-based plastics and recycled materials, such as their corn-based plastic known as InnoMaize™. A mix of cornstarch, corn sugar, and plant fibers, this material is used for their Sequoia and Laguna phone cases.
The Mojave cases are made using CornBo™, a bamboo-based plastic that combines cornstarch and corn sugar with bamboo shoots, leaves, and stalks.
To protect your phone’s edges, cases are designed with raised bezel edges and camera rings, as well as non-slip grips; and they’re drop tested (six feet for the Sequoia and Leguna cases, and fifteen for the Mojave cases).
Old cases can be composted or sent in to be repurposed through their Roundabout Recycling Program, which also accepts cables and chargers. These can even be from other brands.
agood company’s ethically made plant based phone cases
Price: Starts at $30.
agood company is trying to do good by offering products that focus on plant-based materials over plastic. They also seek to incorporate recycled materials and to localize their supply chain.
agood company’s phone cases are made in Sweden from locally-sourced flax and hemp. They have curved edges and integrated buttons to help protect the phone, which has a two-meter drop protection.
To discourage the damaging practice of returns, agood company does not offer free returns. While their phone cases are compostable, you can also send in old cases in exchange for a new one.
Their old cases are ground down and the materials used in future products.
Materials for a Sustainable Phone Case
To avoid this constant need to replace you case, look for strong, sturdy, and well-designed cases made from high-quality materials that are not only built to last but made to protect your phone properly. This prevents mass produced cases from clogging up landfills.
In an effort to create more eco-friendly and sustainable phone cases, conscious brands are creating cases from wood, bamboo, cork, and bioplastic which often (but not always) means they are biodegradable.
Recycled synthetics are also used, like plastic made from discarded water bottles, fishing nets, CDs, skateboards, and even old phone cases.
Meet the Author
Claudia Hauter is a South African writer, copy editor, and content creator with degrees in Drama and Anthropology. She works in television managing web content. When she isn’t reading or writing, she’s walking her dog, finding small businesses and markets to support, or attracting butterflies and bees with her vegetable garden. Learn from Claudia on Twitter or Instagram.
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