This is why it’s exciting to see innovative case companies use unique materials and processes that allow them to tread lightly on the Earth. Some employ linseed plants, others flax or bamboo, and a few even use recycled plastic derived from CDs, fishing nets, and PET bottles. You also can find some mini works of art among the products.
One reason these companies stand above their peers is that they’re being recognized by the most respected stewards of the land – such as B Corp, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Carbon Neutral, and Cradle to Cradle, among others. Endorsements from these organizations are supremely tough to get, but if you’re able to, they give your brand instant credibility.
These watchdogs track, for example, whether the bamboo used in a phone case came from an endangered animal habitat or whether children were employed to harvest it – circumstances the average consumer might would never know. With the auspices of an FSC badge – or tips from our list – buyers can sleep better knowing they’ve helped make Earth a little greener.
Also: The best green phones: Sustainable and eco-friendly smartphones
CompostableMade entirely from waste linseed plantsCover printed with water-based inks
Based in Sweden, A Good Company checks off all of the boxes that make it the leader on this list. Its cases are beautiful and reasonably priced. Because they are made out of organically grown linseed plants sourced from a local farm, they are completely compostable. Good’s factory, the company said, uses renewable energy, little water, and no chemicals. Printed with water-based inks, A Good Company’s cases are gorgeously rendered mini art pieces. Shipping is free, and import duties are already factored in. Plus, cases arrive in North America in just a few days. The company has endorsements from many of the global temples of sustainability: It is a certified B Corporation, has a Forest Stewardship Council stamp, and is a Circular Economy company (you get 10 euros towards a new case if you mail your old one back). A Good Company even neutralizes its shipping footprint with carbon offsets. Pros
Very transparent about processB Certified Corp, Cradle to Cradle, The Vegan Society, FSCCases are works of art
Cons
Not widely availableLimited models
Made of plant-based bioplasticCompostableTextured grip
If not for its pricing, Pela could have been at the top of this list. It is the pioneer in compostable phone cases, having started its business over a decade ago. Its design offerings are eclectic and cater to a wide array of phones. Pela’s cases are made of Flaxstic: a proprietary combination of flax waste and a plant-based biopolymer that either can be composted in an industrial facility or your backyard. Breaking it down at home will take six to 12 months to biodegrade. It has all the sought-after international standards that would make any company green with envy. Pela’s cases are soft, can survive six-foot falls, and are free of harmful phthalates, BPA, cadmium, and lead, which most plastic cases leach into the ground. They don’t come cheap, but they can be mailed back to the company to be recycled for a 20% discount. Buying one also triggers a 5% donation to ocean conservation causes like Save the Waves Coalition, the Surfrider Foundation, and Oceana. Pros
Can compost in your backyard or in an industrial facilityWide range of colors and styles6-feet drop protection
Cons
ExpensiveCannot be recycled
Made of recycled CDs as well as PET bottlesImpressive 15-foot drop testMade of recycled CDs and PET bottles
Remember all those N’Sync CD cases from yesteryear that you banished to your attic or your basement? Well, toss them to Nimble, a company that will take the sturdy plastic and re-engineer it into an attractive, recyclable clear case for your iPhone. It also mashes together three types of recyclable plastics, which include PET bottles. At a marked-down $25 a pop right now, Nimble’s cases are a steal, fortified by a two-year warranty. Nimble offers e-waste recycling for your phone through Homeboy Electronics Recycling, a data-secure certified B Corp outfit that provides jobs to those facing systemic barriers to employment. With 5% of its sales awarded to environmental programs such as the Carbon Fund, SeaSave.org, and Coral Reef Alliance, Nimble is a hard to beat choice for the climate-conscious consumer. If only the company made cases for Androids phones as well. Pros
Very strong, tough to scratch2-year guaranteeMade of recycled CDs and PET bottlesCertified B Corp
Cons
Doesn’t ship internationallyApple cases onlyLimited designs
Made entirely of abandoned fishing netsComes with an optional, popsicle-like retractable handleCompletely recyclable
It is enough of a feat that Spain-based Popsicase uses 40,000 tons of scrap aluminum to make its cases as well as ghost fishing nets – which were abandoned in the oceans and kill marine life every day. Popsicase’s products go even further – they are simply stunning. Each collection, like the Barcelona cityscape line or the undersea collection, is designed in collaboration with an artist. After the nets are collected, washed, and transformed into recycled plastic pellets, Popsicase uses 50g of this recycled plastic and another 20g of scrap aluminum to bring you a further-recyclable phone cover with an option for a popsicle-like retractable handle that gives you an enhanced grip. Cradle to Cradle certified, it compensates for the CO2 emitted while products are shipped to you. Unfortunately, Popsicase does not make cases for Android phones. Pros
Stunning artworkCradle to cradle certified25% discount if you return your old one
Cons
Not widely availableLimited ways to recycle casesOnly for iPhone
Built to breakdown in landfills and in water Most cases are recyclable6- to 10-foot drop protection, depending on the case
Toto-Toa is the trademarked miracle substance employed by US phone maker Pivet, allowing its cases to vanish into the soil in under two years. It is injected into the non-toxic plastic that forms the case, instantly making it irresistible to microbes – which then gobble up carbon and secrete an acid that eats the material into nothingness. You can toss Pivet case into your local landfill, unlike other compostable cases, or drop it into your recycling bin. Either way, you’re doing the right thing. If you accidentally drop it into a river or the ocean, the microbes will still be able to do their job. In other words, there’s not much you can do to prevent this case from disintegrating. Pivet has been given a seal of approval by product-testing and certification company Intertek. The Black-owned company created a Rosa Parks line, named Nah, for Black History Month. One of its other lines is in a startling blue hue, referencing the color that coral turns when it struggles to survive heatwaves caused by climate change. Pros
Most versatile self-destructing capabilitiesTough to scratchValidated by global certification outfit IntertekTransparent about its process
Cons
Caters to limited devicesNeeds more endorsements from eco agencies
They had to have passed stringent certification by leading environment and social impact organizations. Case makers needed to be highly transparent about materials used and their production process. Cases needed to be reasonably priced. They also had to demonstrate high aesthetics in artwork and design. These criteria had to be further bolstered by partnerships and commitments that promote sustainable living and a healthy planet.
