Mobile phones…
Over the last decade, mobile phones went from being luxury objects used by a minority to one of the most popular everyday essentials.
Indeed, they run our lives. We use them to:
…among many other things!
The thing is, phones are fragile and can get pretty costly. This is why keeping them safe is a significant concern for mobile phone owners.
And what is the best way to protect a phone from drops and scratches?
…getting a phone case, of course!
But phone cases are not only used for protection but they are also used as fashion accessories.
They are as important as a bag or a piece of jewellery that you will wear to complete your outfit. The problem is… fashion accessories don’t last long and are quickly replaced.
Well, because a crazy amount of plastic-based phone cases are being chucked away every minute. And as you know: plastic waste is not handled very well and usually ends up in landfills.
Luckily there is a solution to this issue: eco-friendly phone cases. So please, pay attention, because in the article I’ll show you how phone cases contaminate our planet and what the other options are to protect your phone while staying fashionable.
First, let’s talk about numbers.
While writing this, there are over 3 billion smartphone users out there.
Out of the 3 billion people, 80% use phone cases to keep their phones safe which means that over 2.4 billion phone cases are being used right now!
The problem is that most of those phone cases are made of plastic which means that:
In other words, when you chuck them away, they are sent to landfill with all the other non-recyclable products and participate in the contamination as much as any other plastic waste.
To make things worse:
More than a billion cases are produced every year!
And let’s face it: their production is not sustainable. It also produces CO2, which contributes directly to global warming.
Now that you know all the damages caused by plastic cases, let’s see what you can do about it.
Related: How to Go Plastic Free?
Wanting to protect your smartphone is understandable… but are you willing to sacrifice the environment to do so?
No! Me neither…
Luckily for you, I’ve found a great solution that I’m going to share with you:
Eco-friendly phone cases.
But why are eco-friendly phone cases so much better than classic ones? What are the differences?
Well, keep reading because this is what you’re going to learn next.
While classic phone cases are pretty much all plastic-based and contain harmful chemicals, eco-friendly cases are made with natural materials free of chemicals.
Eco-friendly cases are usually made of natural, sustainable and easy biodegradable materials such as:
And this is great because all these materials are ecologic, respectful of the environment and renewable!
Eco-friendly phone cases are BPA-free.
For those who don’t know… BPA (or Bisphenol A) is a chemical compound found in plastic. So as you can imagine, we are surrounded by BPA in our life which is kind of scary when we know that…
According to studies, too-long exposure to this chemical can lead to issues such as:
This is why it is crucial to stay away from it and raise awareness about it.
The best eco friendly phone cases are compostable which means that they can break down and be turned into compost.
But there is something I would like to clarify about compostable items:
Compostable items don’t always biodegrade very well in a landfill. Indeed, they need to be disposed of in proper compost facilities to successfully break down.
Otherwise, it can take years before your compostable product starts disintegrating.
One of the main concerns of people buying eco-friendly cases is aesthetics. They want their eco-friendly case as “stylish” as a classic one.
So the good news is that you can find pretty much all the designs, shapes, colours and sizes you want.
To be honest, they are just as fashionable as classic plastic phone cases…
…with the huge advantage of being eco-friendly and good for the environment.
Overall, by choosing eco friendly phone cases over plastic phone cases, you reduce your impact on the planet and contribute to making a difference in this world.
But before buying anything, I want to share with you a few eco-friendly ways to get “rid of” of your plastic phone case:
By doing this you will give the phone case a new life in someone else’s hands…
Remember: no matter which alternative you choose, all are good!
So now it’s time for me to present to you my favourite eco-friendly phone case brands you can find on the market today.
Finding the perfect eco-friendly case isn’t easy. They are many brands out there that fool their customers by pretending to be eco-friendly when they are not.
And trust me, this happens more than you can imagine. So, to avoid you falling into their trap, I’m going to show you my two absolute favourite eco-friendly brands.
The first brand I want to introduce you to is Reveal.
Their phone cases are made of cork leather which makes them ecological and totally vegan-friendly.
And I don’t know about you, but it makes me proud to buy a product that hasn’t contributed to animal exploitation (even if I’m not a vegan).
Not only that, cork is a renewable material that makes the phone cases 100% sustainable.
Cork has natural shock-absorbing properties that keep your phone safe against accidental drops.
But the real asset of this material is that it has water-resistant qualities which protect your phone against water and liquid damage.
Don’t worry if you’re not convinced by this brand I’ve more options for you!
The second brand that we are going to take a look at is Pela. Pela is one of the most popular eco-friendly brands out there. Why?
Well, because their phone cases are made with natural components:
…which makes Pela one of the only brands that sell 100% compostable phone cases.
For those who don’t know, flax straw is the waste from a wheat harvest so it’s a natural material.
But it’s not a hazard if they use this organic material.
They wanted to meet AST D6400 (compostability rating) standards in order to provide fully biodegradable phone cases that can break down naturally and easily in landfills.
But that’s not all:
Pela brand provides high-quality shock resistance phone cases with stylish designs and colours to accessories for your phone while reducing your plastic waste.
If you’re not satisfied with any of these two amazing brands, you can find more options here.
So now you know.
If you want to help the planet and make a difference, it’s time to look at eco-friendly products instead of plastic ones.
Eco-friendly phone cases are just one example of millions. I could have spoken about glass baby bottles the same way.
A lot of people believe that their consumption and habits don’t really impact the environment because…
“We are so many on this planet….What is going to change if I chuck a little plastic bottle into the sea..? The ocean is already full of plastic.”
or …
“Ok, I don’t mind recycling, but what’s the point if none of my neighbours does it? It won’t make any difference.”
What you do, the good and the bad… has consequences.
And if we want things to change, we all need to make an effort.
Viktorija Zenkova
Browse the I’m Plastic Free directory to discover plastic pollution solutions.
How about asking retailers to ask customers about the material used in their old phone case and the durability of the old phone case when they buy a new one?
My first biodegradable iphone case started to fall apart after a year and after two years I had to replace it. The makers claimed it contained wheat straw. It’s the rest of the matrix that seems to be weak.
BTW: Flaw straw isn’t from the wheat harvest. It’s the fibre extracted from the stems of the flax plant.
Martina Kovalevska
June 15, 2023 at 12:49 amI am thrilled there are compostable phone cases available. I am so grateful I can use the product and keep our planet a better place. On top of that, they are adorable.
I'm Plastic Free
June 15, 2023 at 9:05 pmYes, compostable phone cases should be standard in every shop, online and offline by now!
Regards,
I’m Plastic Free team