It is estimated that of the roughly 3 billion people in the world that own a smartphone, 2.4 billion of those people cover it with a protective case. Smartphone cases have become a standard for most people not only because the case protects their often hefty investment but because that protective barrier between your $1000 dollars and the world also offers an added element of personality. With the right phone case, an otherwise monochromatic (though slick) piece of electronics becomes a design accent, a fashion statement, or a conversation starting piece. But, the problem with most phone cases, as you probably know, is the plastic.
According to our research, approximately 1 billion plastic phone cases are sold every year. Plastic cases are popular because they are less expensive, durable, and have, historically, offered the most impact protection to what has become an extra appendage (your phone). Furthermore, these cases provide the easiest surface for design variation. Plastic has, for many years, made keeping your phone up with the trends easy and affordable. But, fashion moves in cycles and trends fade. Once a new style hits the market, many people toss their old cases into the trash. And, if even a small percentage of the 1 billion cases are thrown away every year, there are literal tons of tech-related plastic waste sitting in a landfill.
Yes, yes, you know that plastic is terrible, but that Hello Kitty case, tho ...
We are all guilty of being so inundated with information about how bad certain products and practices are for ourselves and our planet, that we start to put on the blinders. Getting through a day of work stress, parenting, Bumble (thoughts and prayers) is hard enough without a tech accessories company coming at you.
But ... sometimes ... we all still need a reminder of why we need to rework our relationship with the hard stuff ...
Plastic Phone Cases: A Shame-Inducing Overview
- In addition to taking hundreds of years to decompose, the plastic in landfills actually disrupts the decomposition of other biodegradable products that also reside in the trash.
- Because none of the plastic-covered items in the landfill are decomposing rapidly enough, trash is piling up and escaping. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch in the middle of the Pacific Ocean is twice the size of Texas. In addition, 8 million tons of waste makes its way into our oceans every year.
- CO2, a major contributor to climate change, is released in enormous quantities during the production of plastic items.
- Microplastics: During the manufacturing process of plastic products, tiny particles break off of the items, and they are literally everywhere. Microplastics have been found in Antarctic ice, the air, and even beer. Researchers hypothesize that the average person ingests a credit card amount of microplastics every year. And, these particles disrupt cellular activity (yours, not your phone’s (but what is your phone’s cell service without yours?))
So, now that we are off of our soapbox, it’s time to start talking about what we can all do to change the course of plastic production and waste.
Eco-Friendly Phone Cases
According to a recent study conducted by Greenprint, nearly 78% of consumers are willing to buy a product that is considered eco-friendly, even if it means paying a little more. So, it makes sense that many tech accessories companies have begun to make more eco-friendly phone covers. The problem is that nearly 74% of consumers don’t actually know whether an item is an eco-friendly or an eco-foe.
A truly eco-friendly product is made out of materials that are biodegradable (decomposable), sustainable (harvested in a way that doesn’t damage or deplete the resource), and natural (came here on its own terms). The most popular materials used to make completely biodegradable phone cases are bamboo, wood, flax straw, and cork. These cases are manufactured through a means that does not permanently destroy a part of our ecosystem, and when properly discarded, they don’t hurt any part of the ecosystem either.
However, there are two main problems that come with an eco-friendly phone case: they are often much pricier than their plastic counterparts and . . . well, they’re often not very cute. If you are into the cork aesthetic, that’s great. But we are assuming that you are skimming a Sonix blog because you want a case that offers maximum shock absorption, durability, and a beautiful design that speaks to your personality. We want a premium phone case too. That’s why we started making them. And, as a company that is committed to helping our planet, we want to do our part to reduce the production of plastic. The problem we have run into, however, is that we haven’t been able to make a unique case that we think is equally cool and tough using only truly eco-friendly materials. So, for now, we have shifted our eco-friendly practices to recycling.
ReSonix
Because we are committed to reducing our impact on the planet without compromising the durability, drop protection, and aesthetic of our cases, we decided to partner up with a few companies dedicated to reducing the plastics that have collected in our landfills and water sources. Our ReSonix program reduces plastic waste with a two-fold environmental approach:
- Making cases out of completely recycled and recyclable materials
- Offering a 30% discount code to anyone who donates their old plastic case.
To see more details about the Resonix program, click here.
Additionally, we are a certified Carbon neutral company. What this means is that any carbon footprint that comes from us, we counteract by implementing systems that reduce or avoid carbon emissions during production, packaging and shipping, and packaging.
Want to be a part of the eco-friendlier movement?
Here Are A Couple Of Our Favorite Eco Friendly Phone Cases
Is there a better way to mark a revolution of human thinking than the surreal? Celebrate finding the beauty and magic in the unexpected with the Illusion Phone Case made for any iPhone 12, iPhone 13, or iPhone 14 model.
With a dreamspace design of cool pastels detailed in glitter and gold stars, the Illusion case brings the subconscious to the forefront of your everyday life.
If sleek and muted with a tiny bit of flair is your style, the Resonix Navy case may just be the perfect addition to your MagSafe outfit.
Made with a shock absorbent inner layer of recycled TPE and a durable outer layer of completely recycled plastic, this case is not only more planet friendly, it’s also stylish . A rich navy hue complements any aesthetic while the added texture of the subtle arches adds a surprise element of cool to your case.
