While not the first item people would think of when it comes to reducing their environmental footprint, the magazine notes that one billion handsets—and presumably, nearly as many cases—are bought each year.
Pela makes its cases from a composite of flax straw and a bioplastic elastomer. The cases will break down in a standard composting environment. Barcelona’s Popsicase makes its cases from recycled fishing net fibers and recycled aluminum, while Skate4Create of Lithuania produces cases from dismantled decks. MMore’s cases are made from pressed organic materials, such as flowers and coffee beans, while Indiana’s Carved makes hand-crafted cases from wood.