Apple Could Still Pull the Plug on Its Much-Maligned FineWoven Cases

[Razorpit]

While I much prefer real leather, I think Apple should have opted to use vegan leather in their products over fine woven.

I have to imagine there were many internal folks who said the case isn’t durable and looks awful after a few weeks of real-world testing

Vegan leather? You mean there are carnivore cows? 🤯 And I thought spearfishing was primal. 😄

 

[platinumaqua]

And my beautiful leather case on my iPhone SE still looks great after 4 years. Just a little bit of patina. So who's more eco-friendly?

I'm still wondering, wouldn't it be eco-friendly if cases could be reused between multiple generations of the same device? It certainly wouldn't be necessary to resize the camera bump every year. I mean, it's actually best not to buy a new phone every year because each successive generation adds less and less value.

All this eco-marketing pisses me off. Very hypocritical...

It used to be the same design (along with dimensions) are used for two years for the unsuffixed version and the S version, but now something always change so the cases won't work with the next generation

 

[BigDO]

Just go back to “leather” using some ESG compliant material resembling the look and feel.

 

[npmacuser5]

Apple solving the high turn over case usage. Why buy and throwaway a leather case every one to two years. For those that keep their iPhones for extended periods of time, buy a leather case. Just not from Apple. Apple changes the phydical designs often for many reasons. Thus, cases need changing more often. i would suspect Apple will stay with these cases and make improvements.

 

[platinumaqua]

Not sure if you are trying to be funny or not, and I have never used so I can't speak to how it holds up to the real thing but https://www.carlfriedrik.com/magazine/what-is-vegan-leather-made-out-of

it's just vinyl with a fancier name

 

[maxfromdenmark]

Greenwashed crap. If something holds a friction time comparable to simiral category and ends on a landfield that cannot be called eco in any way.

 

[Timpetus]

The last time I bought an Apple case it was leather. The next time I buy a case from them will only happen if they bring back leather. Otherwise, they'll make $0 from me on cases.

 

[ProbablyDylan]

I thought finewoven cases were fine, if not a little difficult to remove (not always a bad thing). I just wasn't crazy about the colors - no way cardboard brown was popular!

 

[kiranmk2]

Can someone explain to me why leather is not eco-friendly? I consider myself a very cautious person when it comes to these topics. So I genuinely wonder. A large number of animals are slaughtered for meat every day. Using the skin from those animals should be considered an eco-friendly option instead of using plastic accessories. We'd be using a byproduct of the meat industry that otherwise, I assume, would go to waste. (I know silicone is not plastic, but I am asking in a more general sense)

The core idea is that leather comes from cows, and cows are bad for the environment. If they reduce the use of leather (and other use of cows is reduced) then the environment will be better. There are also harsh chemicals used to produce leather, but I'm not sure how much that affects things.

This isn't a simple equation because leather is not the primary reason for cows to be raised, their meat is still the primary reason. So simply saying "we're not using leather anymore" doesn't really equate to less cows being raised, and thus doesn't help the environment.

The problem many have is that using leather in this case isn't the real problem for the environment. Getting a new phone every year or two is going to be much worse for the environment, and there isn't a clear indication of what happens to your phone once its recycled by Apple either. The hope would be that it would be refurbished either for parts or for resale as a whole product, but there isn't a clear way for consumers to know exactly what happens to their old product.

Apple went on a big environmental push with these products, which many saw as a way to sell more products...which is always going to be way worse than simply reusing the one you already have. I would hope that they continue to work on and improve battery replacement for their products as that seems to be the core reason people upgrade these days.

Not using a genuine leather which is a waste product from the meat industry in favor of completely artificial and synthetic product is DUMB idea from environmental standpoint. Nobody sacrifices a cow for its skin alone.

I have even a better idea. Build the iPhone with durable polycarbonate enclosure which can easily changed and we won't need cases at all.

@Radin.Y - it's a good question as a lot of people see leather simply as a byproduct. However, it's not like the slaughterhouses are giving the cow hides to leather makers for free - it's a commercial product. This is my thoughts on the "green-ness" of this.

As has been stated cows are generally bad for the environment: they take up a lot of land, they consume a lot of food, especially in the US where corn seems to be the typical feed and growing that corn takes a lot of land. They also take a lot of water (both to consume directly and to grow all their feed) and produce a lot of methane which causes an order of magnitude more warming that the same volume of CO2.

Assume a farmer can sell a cow for £100. Perhaps £75 of that is for the meat, £10 is for the hide and £15 is for the rest (organs, blood, bones etc). If the market for leather stopped suddenly farmer has a shortfall of £10/10%. It is likely that they would keep asking for the same £100 per cow. This would then cause the price of the meat to increase which would likely be passed on to consumers (i.e. beef products cost more). This would likely lead to more people either buying less beef or switching to alternative meats. This would reduce the demand for beef and likely lead to fewer cows being reared which then cuts down the amount of land, water and methane consumed/produced which is better for the environment.

Similarly, as has been pointed out, the conversion of the hide to leather is a pretty horrific process including the use of cyanides, chromium compounds (which produce very carcinogenic byproducts), acids, arsenic, formaldehyde and a lot of water.

 

[d-klumpp]

I already have, my 15 pro is the first iPhone to not have an Apple case.

All this angst over cases! I wouldn't consider myself less clumsy than average, but I never understood the need for a case. I've even purchased a couple in "cool" designs, but in the end they've gathered dust. Cases just undermine the svelte iPhone, making it bigger in the pocket. And my occasional drops don't seem to result in any damage.

 

[Radin.Y]

The core idea is that leather comes from cows, and cows are bad for the environment. If they reduce the use of leather (and other use of cows is reduced) then the environment will be better. There are also harsh chemicals used to produce leather, but I'm not sure how much that affects things.

This isn't a simple equation because leather is not the primary reason for cows to be raised, their meat is still the primary reason. So simply saying "we're not using leather anymore" doesn't really equate to less cows being raised, and thus doesn't help the environment.

The problem many have is that using leather in this case isn't the real problem for the environment. Getting a new phone every year or two is going to be much worse for the environment, and there isn't a clear indication of what happens to your phone once its recycled by Apple either. The hope would be that it would be refurbished either for parts or for resale as a whole product, but there isn't a clear way for consumers to know exactly what happens to their old product.

Apple went on a big environmental push with these products, which many saw as a way to sell more products...which is always going to be way worse than simply reusing the one you already have. I would hope that they continue to work on and improve battery replacement for their products as that seems to be the core reason people upgrade these days.

I didn't know about the chemicals used for leather. Thanks! I know that methane is horrrrrible for the climate, and cows
release a ton of that. And I see what you're saying, but in my head, the demand for leather is by miles less than the demand for meat. So if everyone stopped using leather overnight, not much impact would be felt by the industry.
I feel bad for the skin to go to waste.

 

[spazzcat]

All this angst over cases! I wouldn't consider myself less clumsy than average, but I never understood the need for a case. I've even purchased a couple in "cool" designs, but in the end they've gathered dust. Cases just undermine the svelte iPhone, making it bigger in the pocket. And my occasional drops don't seem to result in any damage.

I perfer to use a case and I always trade my phone in. I always get max value.

 

[Radin.Y]

@Radin.Y - it's a good question as a lot of people see leather simply as a byproduct. However, it's not like the slaughterhouses are giving the cow hides to leather makers for free - it's a commercial product. This is my thoughts on the "green-ness" of this.

As has been stated cows are generally bad for the environment: they take up a lot of land, they consume a lot of food, especially in the US where corn seems to be the typical feed and growing that corn takes a lot of land. They also take a lot of water (both to consume directly and to grow all their feed) and produce a lot of methane which causes an order of magnitude more warming that the same volume of CO2.

Assume a farmer can sell a cow for £100. Perhaps £75 of that is for the meat, £10 is for the hide and £15 is for the rest (organs, blood, bones etc). If the market for leather stopped suddenly farmer has a shortfall of £10/10%. It is likely that they would keep asking for the same £100 per cow. This would then cause the price of the meat to increase which would likely be passed on to consumers (i.e. beef products cost more). This would likely lead to more people either buying less beef or switching to alternative meats. This would reduce the demand for beef and likely lead to fewer cows being reared which then cuts down the amount of land, water and methane consumed/produced which is better for the environment.

Similarly, as has been pointed out, the conversion of the hide to leather is a pretty horrific process including the use of cyanides, chromium compounds (which produce very carcinogenic byproducts), acids, arsenic, formaldehyde and a lot of water.

I did consider your argument. But because the demand for leather is far far less than the demand for meat, how much can they really rely on hide as a revenue?
The chemicals used in leather is news to me. I should read up on that! Thanks for sharing

 

[spazzcat]

it's just vinyl with a fancier name

Not completely true.

Vinyl is an abbreviation of PVC or Polyvinyl Chloride and is a thermoplastic fabric. It is a durable and stable fabric and tends to be slightly thicker than other faux leathers.

PU faux leather. PU is an abbreviation of Polyurethane. PU leather is an artificial leather and is also made of thermoplastic polymer. It can be purchased in various thicknesses, is flexible and can be made to imitate leather exceedingly well.

Vegan Leather can be either of the above, however you may want to check when you purchase it, that the supplier can guarantee it as vegan leather. Some PUs and PVCs can contain small amounts of real leather.

What Is The Difference Between Vinyl, Faux Leather And Vegan Leather?

What Vinyl Should I Use For Bag Making? What’s the difference between vinyl, faux leather and vegan leather and how do I use them for bag making? First, let’s look at the differences These terms tend to be used generally and interchangeably, but these fabrics are not all created equal. Here’s a...

kiwibagineers.co.nz

 

[Sowelu]

I wish apple would make high-quality, minimalist, tasteful metal bumper cases (with a silicon inner-layer) that matches the metal color/hue of each iPhone.

 

[farmboy]

Finewoven is plastic. 'Vegan leather' is plastic. There is no improvement going from one to another. Plastic degrades, and is just as disposable and non-recyclable when glued to other plastics, regardless of how 'vegan' it is. Calling plastic 'vegan leather' is the attempt to re-brand disposable, non-recyclable, degradable plastic I've encountered.

Just use leather. The animals are getting killed for their meat anyway, might as use all of their parts. It's much more environmentally friendly. Apple absolutely has the resources to dictate what tanning chemicals and procedures occur, and how any potential waste is managed.

Fine Woven is about 70% recycled plastic, and recycled polymers are used in the raw materials used in a variety of vegan leather materials. Some are completely plant-based.

As for "plastic degrades" some plastics do, a great deal more last for centuries.

Further, all plastic can be recycled, it just gets a lower grade, which limits product opportunities, which subsequently generate lower prices for the products--think plastic pallets and bricks/blocks. All of which limits recycler sales to manufacturers. Many items could be made from recycled plastics instead of virgin, but the market isn't always there. it's economics, not science.

Modern processing plants already use all parts of the animal, very little waste. It ain't pretty, but it's thorough.

 

[Daul]

Silicone MagSafe wallet would be an instant buy. Preferably with a built in AirTag functionality. Telling me where I last unattached it isn’t enough.

 

[Daul]

And my beautiful leather case on my iPhone SE still looks great after 4 years. Just a little bit of patina. So who's more eco-friendly?

I'm still wondering, wouldn't it be eco-friendly if cases could be reused between multiple generations of the same device? It certainly wouldn't be necessary to resize the camera bump every year. I mean, it's actually best not to buy a new phone every year because each successive generation adds less and less value.

All this eco-marketing pisses me off. Very hypocritical...

I’ve never had a case last more than a year and I’ve been keeping my phones for 4 years.

 

[mansplains]

Introducing…
CoarseWoven!

 

[LV426]

Is microtwill actually environmentally friendly? Leather is a natural product that biodegrades over time. Microplastics, however, have this nasty habit of hanging around for centuries. They can be found in all soft tissues of the human body.

 

[ignatius345]

I'm fine with a leather alternative, provided it wears well and feels good in the hand. Finewoven clearly was not it.

 

[ignatius345]

Vegan leather is a feel-good travesty. I much prefer full grain leather to some 100% man-made concoction straight out of the IG Farben recipe book. It would have to be proper leather, though, not this paper-thin leather veneer over a plastic shell that Apple used to sell as "leather".

And no, not a single cow has ever died for its skin. I eat beef, and I'm all for nose to tail utilisation of the animal.

I've got a fake leather desk pad and I love it. Not necessarily for any environmental reasons, but just because it's durable and I don't have to worry about setting my coffee on it. Been using it for several years now, no signs of wear. Looks just like leather to the eye, and has a good texture.

I wouldn't buy non-breathable fake leather shoes, probably, but for an application like this, it's great.

 

[ellpee]

I’m sorry to keep keep harping on this bit the editors there need to use some common sense. Mark Gurman could not even get the date of the iPhone event correct despite telling us his sources were “people familiar with the situation.” To use the word “notably” next to his name is laughable on its face. I do believe Gurman at one time had a source at Apple that led to his hiring at Bloomberg but that was a long time ago. As far as the cases go, let me get this straight: they might be taken off the market or they might not be taken off the market?

 

[Bregalad]

All this angst over cases! I wouldn't consider myself less clumsy than average, but I never understood the need for a case. I've even purchased a couple in "cool" designs, but in the end they've gathered dust. Cases just undermine the svelte iPhone, making it bigger in the pocket. And my occasional drops don't seem to result in any damage.

Maybe I just have sweaty hands, but back in the day (iPhone 4, 5, 6, 8) I found iPhones to be a little too slippery to deal with constantly. The 6 series, with its rounded metal sides and thin profile, is difficult to grab from a desk. I used to work in a software company so I was picking up and putting down phones for 8+ hours/day. Company phones slipped from my fingers dozens of times per week. Most often I'd only managed to get one side up so it was a drop of less than an inch for the one side that was off the desk. On rare occasions I'd drop one while holding it. Luckily that office had carpets and cork floors so no damage occurred.

I've only dropped my personal iPhone once in 10 years. I put that down to using a TPU case that offers superior friction without being sticky like silicone.

My phones may not get dropped, but they do fall from open jacket pockets from time to time and I've yet to suffer any damage.

I've handed down all my old phones to kids in the family, each one looking almost as good as new.

For all of the above reasons I can't imagine using a naked iPhone.

 

[fenderbass146]

Not sure if you are trying to be funny or not, and I have never used so I can't speak to how it holds up to the real thing but https://www.carlfriedrik.com/magazine/what-is-vegan-leather-made-out-of

vegan leather is plastic...it's not leather. It's like calling impossible burger meat...no matter how hard you wish cast, it's not meat and vegan leather is not leather. It's an fossil fuel byproduct