The iPhone 11 may not be the most expensive phone, but it’s still an expensive phone. It’s also incredibly slippery and too large to comfortably and securely hold and use with one hand. I therefore needed a case. But what case should I get? I’ve had so many cases over the years, and I’ve been happy to review them. However, I realized something. While I had only two iPhone 4 cases in the two years I owned it, I had an unfathomable number of cases for my more recent iPhones. I believe I had more than 5 for the iPhone X/XS. And now 5 for the iPhone 11. The design of the large and slippery modern iPhone just begs to be covered. It’s why the iPhone has one of the worst designs in modern smartphones.
When it comes time to get a new iPhone, I always recycle the old one. But the cases? Usually they end up in a drawer somewhere, as I feel too guilty to throw them out. But I’m just delaying the inevitable. These cases are usually made out of plastic that cannot be recycled. It’s made to waste.
So, after trying out a few iPhone 11 cases, I decided it was time to switch to something that won’t even exist a few years from now: compostable cases. These are cases made out of biodegradable, compostable materials. I bought three to try. The Casetify compostable case, the Pela classic case, and the new Pela clear case. All three break down, but they’re made from different materials, with different textures and levels of protection.
We’re starting off with the Casetify compostable case. It’s the first one I tested and one I’ve spent the most time using. Are compostable cases the future?
In This Article:
On Compostable Cases
You know what’s bad for the environment? Broken phones. When you break a phone or a part, the company has to ship you a new one. The old part may be shipped back for potential repair or recycling. They could throw it out as well. Electronics recycling isn’t perfect either, and can release fumes and waste as well. So the worst thing your case can do for the environment isn’t taking up space in a landfill, it’s forcing you to replace parts of your smartphone. That’s why any phone case you get has to be protective as well as compostable. Every smartphone case, compostable or not, needs to protect your phone first and foremost.
Sustainability 5 / 5
The material on Casetify’s compostable case is made from a number of things. Casetify calls the technology “Ecotify.” This is a 100% compostable material that breaks down in 180 days in an industrial composting facility, following the ASTM D6400 standard. It is free of toxins, and releases only carbon dioxide, water, and “biomass” as it decomposes. This is likely in reference to the leftover materials from the composition of the case itself. Casetify lists those ingredients as bamboo, corn starch, and “pellet material.” They don’t go too in depth on what “pellet material” is.
You likely could compost this in your own compost pile, but Casetify does recommend industrial composting. You can often find these in a variety of places. My plan was to either find somewhere that collects recyclables and compostable materials and dispose of it there, or just carry it in my bag until I find one of those restaurants that separates their trash, recyclables, and compostable waste, and toss it in there. It’s that easy.
Casetify is also working with the Earth Day Network’s Canopy Project. The project is planning on planting 7.8 billion trees this year. For every compostable case Casetify sells, they’ll plant one tree.
Protection 2.5 / 5
It takes a hit, but don’t expect it to bounce back.
The Casetify compostable case is not as protective as their other cases. It’s made for 4ft. drops. That means that, from hip height, it’ll likely be fine. Any further than that, and it could pass enough of the impact through to your iPhone to break it. I dropped my phone (accidentally) from about four feet numerous times, on hard surfaces too. Each time the case protected my iPhone 11, there’s no damage.
The material is rigid, almost like a hard silicon case. It’s solid, firm feeling, but flexible enough that it’s not difficult to get on or off your device. The inside has ribbing on the sides, to help remove some of the damage from a fall by providing air pockets. It’s a thin case though. I could see it protecting from small drops, but a large drop would be a bit too much for it. Get this if you’re more likely to drop your iPhone from hip height than head height.
Durability 1 / 5
This fell on my coffee table from perhaps a 2ft drop. It’s permanently dented.
I’m mentioning durability shortly after protection because each drop takes a bit out of this case. You’ll find dents, scratches, scuffs, and, depending on how far the device fell, even holes. You can scratch the case with your fingernail. I found that, over time, my fingers would rub on it enough to create a worn in spot on the back of the case. My cases frequently get some scuffs. When I put my phone in my back pocket, the top corner often comes in contact with the griptape of a skateboard I may be carrying. I expect a few scuffs from that. But this has gotten marks just from my hands. The power button is flaking and falling apart.
Many people wait 2 years to replace their smartphones. I don’t think this case would last that entire time. A few drops or just rubbing in your pocket or bag will be enough to break this case down considerably. You may not have to wait for it to end up in a compost heap to break down!
Looks 2.5 / 5
This is a rather bland case. The speckled texture is kind of neat, but not enough to really improve its appearance. It has the tendency to pick up the color of your jeans quickly. It can be rubbed off or washed off, but you’d have to do that frequently. Because it’s so easy to scuff or scratch, it will show wear quickly and obviously. You can add text to the case, but I couldn’t think of any text I’d want to add. The closest I came to adding anything was a series of ‘l’s to give the side of the phone a bit more texture for grip.
Casetify makes a lot of truly unique cases. However, these are quite bland. It would be one thing if it looked better than the iPhone underneath, but it just doesn’t.
Weight 5 / 5
The Casetify compostable case is lightweight. It’s a rigid sort of TPU-feeling material, with a soft, matte texture. Slap it on your phone and you’ll barely notice it’s there. It doesn’t add much weight or bulk.
Ease of Use 5 / 5
Note how much the button wore down over regular usage.
Sometimes, when I have a case that’s too hard to use, I use a knife to put small slits above and below the buttons on the case. This allows the button to move freely, bringing back the clicky feel of the iPhone buttons. The Casetify compostable case comes with these cutouts from the factory. They’re sizable, and don’t look fantastic, but they definitely make clicking the buttons easy. The mute switch is recessed, but not too much, and it’s still easy to operate, even without long fingernails. Definitely an easy to use case.
Grip 3 / 5
The grip of this case feels highly variable. When I first got it, I loved the texture. But it seems to absorb oils from your hands quickly. This changes the texture to make it feel a little more slick. I found it sometimes feels almost slippery, especially in dry or colder settings. The case isn’t textured or ribbed anywhere for improving grip. I find that phones this size require something like the phone loop to hold, so it’s not fair to judge a case without it. However, I’ve definitely been dropping my iPhone a little more often with this case than some of my other cases.
That’s especially bad because the Casetify compostable case shows every mark and isn’t highly protective.
Value 2.5 / 5
This is coming apart from everyday use over about two months.
This case is (currently) $40. $40 for something that is going to degrade in your hand and pocket, as well as in the ground. I’ll admit, I love the fact that it’s good for the environment (or, at least, not bad). This won’t increase waste, and even comes in recyclable packaging. I think that, for the environment, it’s worth it to spend some extra money. It’ll show companies that this is an important factor, and help bring down the costs of these cases in the future.
On the other hand, the plastic packaging you likely find in just about any other packaging is doing about the same damage as a normal plastic case in the trash. It’s all bad, and you should cut down your waste in any chance you get, but you’re making compromises with this case. It’s not as durable or protective as their other cases, but still costs $40. That’s a lot for a simple case.
If this case wasn’t compostable, I’d call it a rip-off at that price. The fact that it is zero waste is the only factor in determining that this shouldn’t be a 1/5. If that’s not very important to you, then this isn’t going to be a good value.
Overall 3.5 / 5
Sure, it didn’t score well in the areas that usually matter. And, yes, it’s expensive. But you know what? It breaks down in a compost heap. You can bury this, put it in an industrial compost receptacle (I’ve seen them popping up at fast food restaurants), or put it in your own compost heap. In time, it’ll be gone. Dust in the wind. Leave no trace. This is what we need. From our packaging to our cellphone protection, our products shouldn’t be one use only. If they are, they need to disappear when that single use is up. This case can do that. That’s a valuable trait.
It’s not the most protective case. It’ll get beat up in a year or two of use. It doesn’t look all that special. The grip is better than your phone without it, but not by a significant enough amount. Is it a good case? It’s good enough, and most importantly, it won’t be here for long.
I hope we see far more cases like this. The technology for creating them can improve and, with time, match those made from less sustainable materials. The Casetify compostable case is far from perfect, but it’s a true step in the right direction, which is more than I can say about some other compostable cases and, frankly, any other case.
If you’re looking for a protective compostable case, the Casetify compostable case might be the right one for you. Just remember you’re buying in on a first generation product, and there are some bugs to work out.
The Casetify compostable case is $40, and available on their website.