Cases

To avoid the need for repairs or new devices, it’s important to have a durable case. The bummer is many of the cases being sold nowadays are made of plastic. If and when you do decide to get a different device, you’ll probably need a different case to account for the generation changes. This means you have to buy another object that affects the environment negatively. With 1 billion phone cases being sold each year, a lot of unnecessary waste is forming. The life of a phone case is not too great. If it breaks down at all in the landfill, it turns into micro-plastics and ends up polluting waterways. Choosing a case that is biodegradable will result in one less piece of plastic in the landfill. These cases are made from natural materials, come in great colors, and are being made by companies that are making a positive impact on the environment. The simplest changes are truly leading the way for the big changes when it comes to waste.

DIY

For cases, you can DIY multiple ways! One way, which is definitely more time consuming, is making your own case. Channel your inner Tom Daley and crochet or knit your own case. The video to the right may be from awhile ago, but you’ll get the idea. A yarn phone case is soft and environmentally friendly when non-synthetic yarn is used! Weaving creativity into your daily life has a calming effect, so get stitching! By the end of it you’ll feel relaxed and will have a wonderful yarn case.

Another way to DIY a phone case is to give an old one new life! If you are tired of the old design you can cover it up with something else. Get some paint, stickers, washi tape, and whatever else you want to use, and redesign your case. You do an abstract design or find ideas for something more elaborate on pinterest. The options are of course endless and you’ll have a one of a kind phone case to show off. No need to spend a lot of money on a new case or create more waste!

Second-hand

There are multiple ways to give cases a second life. For starters, when you get a new device and a new case, do something good with your old case. First, if you are going to get rid of a phone case because it is in bad condition, look into Terracycle. They take your old phone case and melt it into pellets, flakes, or powder. The raw materials are then used for containers, benches, etc. If your phone case is still usable though, there is no reason for it to lie around your house or end up in a landfill. Donate it or give it to a friend! This way, you aren’t wasting it and another person doesn’t have to contribute to waste by buying a new one. You can then go buy second-hand case instead of new one. On websites like redbubble and ebay, you can find all types of second-hand phones cases for affordable prices. In reality, a phone case should be the least of your worries. Finding a simple, second-hand phone case will save you time, money, and the environmental impact.

Buy New

A biodegradable case is the way to go. Keep in mind the time you use your case will never amount to the lifetime it will spend in a landfill. Plastic lasts forever! When you go to buy a new case choose one that is biodegradable. This way you know that when you go to get rid of it, it will break down soon after. Buying from environmentally conscious companies is important not only because of the reduced waste but also the reduced water usage and carbon emissions. Companies like these are not just making a difference in the post-consumer stage, they are doing it in every step of the process.

My Picks

Pela

Pela is one of the most popular, compostable case companies out there right now, and for good reason. Known for being the first compostable case on the market, Pela is beating major brands in many aspects. For instance, they produce. 80% less waste production. Pela is transparent about their production, materials, and mission to conserve the environment.

Certified B corp, carbon neutral, 1% for the planet
free of phthalates, BPA, cadmium and lead
Pela 360 program where old pela cases are upcycled

Casetify

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A very popular phone case brand that makes compostable options as well as recyclable ones. While many of their cases are made from TPU, a polyurethane plastic, Casetify has multiple sustainable initiatives in place including a goal to become carbon neutral and zero waste. Check out their product developments here.

non-toxic
RECASETIFiY program for recycling cases

Wild

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A UK brand that has a great array of cases, especially their vibrant ones like this blue one to the right. They are fully compostable so when you no longer want the case, you can toss it into your compost and in 90 days it will be decomposed.

made from Bamboo fibre, PLA, PBAT

Wilma

Wilma was started in Sweden in 2018 with the mission to high quality cases that were also good to the environment. Wilma cases are made from corn-based bioplastic.

certified biodegradable by EU standards
donate $1 of every sales to ocean conservation efforts

The Eco Owl

The Eco Owl makes cases out of natural wheat straw and bamboo fiber. Their colorful cases are apart of The Eco Owl’s mission to reduce the use of animal leather, harmful materials, and single use plastic in an industry that produces a huge amount of waste each year.