Incipio Organicore
Incipio’s green case
$40 at Amazon
ZWM cases
Zero waste case
$30 at ZWM
Nimble Spotlight case
Made from 72% recycled materials
$25 at Nimble
Casetify Ultra Compostable Cases
Customizable compostable case
$52 at Casetify
Re/Casetify
Partially made from discarded phone cases
$58 at Casetify
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Inbeage Earthever Bio Case
Under $20 option
$9 at Amazon
Price alerts on for Inbeage Earthever Bio Case
LifeProof Wake
Recycled ocean plastic
$40 at Amazon
Price alerts on for LifeProof Wake
KerfCase Plywood Case
Best wood case
$50 at Kerfcase
Show More (3 items)
This story is part of Tech for a Better World, stories about the diverse teams creating products, apps and services to improve our lives and society.
Just because the iPhone 14 is out doesn’t mean your old reliable iPhone 13 is suddenly obsolete. If you want to keep it in working order and ensure that you’re not spending a ton of money on an unnecessary upgrade, you’ll want to use a good case to protect it. Those who care about the environment have plenty of recycled and biodegradable options to choose from, too. You don’t have to sacrifice protection or style either, as there’s a wide variety of environmentally friendly options available. We’ve rounded up some of the best eco-friendly iPhone 13 series cases below, though many are available for other iPhone generations as well.
Regular phone cases tend to turn into single-use items and end up in a landfill — especially with how often we upgrade our phones. Investing in a eco-friendly phone case is a great way to stop that cycle. We’ve collected some of the best environmentally conscious iPhone cases, which are all made of recycled plastic or fully biodegradable plant-based materials.
Eco cases can look and feel different from standard thermoplastic polyurethane, or TPU, cases, but most people probably won’t realize you’re using an eco-friendly case unless you tell them. Many offer good drop protection and all the cases on this list are compatible with wireless chargers. A few have MagSafe options.
Read more: Best Cases for iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max
David Carnoy/CNET
Incipio’s Organicore cases are made with 100% compostable and biodegradable materials and also have eco-friendly packaging. Organicore cases offer 8-foot drop protection and are available in three color options: charcoal (pictured), natural and blue.
It feels similar to a firm plastic case and has a slight bit of grip to it. It also seems pretty protective and has raised edges to help protect your screen in the event you drop your phone face down.
$40 at Amazon
ZWM
Yes, ZWM stands for zero waste movement and its slim iPhone cases are made from renewable organic material that are completely biodegradable. The company says it’s also “climate neutral,” planting one new tree for every phone case sold.
ZWM cases come in a variety of color options and are some of the more attractive looking eco cases I’ve tried.
$30 at ZWM
Nimble
I’ve previously featured Nimble’s translucent Disc cases that are made out of recycled compact discs. Its Spotlight case for iPhone 13 is the company’s latest eco case. It’s kind of funky looking — yes, it spotlights its recycled nature — and even though it’s pretty slim, it does offer good drop protection, with a 15 -foot rating. Nimble says it’s made from 72% recycled materials, including recycled polycarbonate, TPU, silicone, and old plastic phone cases. It’s available in 3 color options.
$25 at Nimble
David Carnoy/CNET
Casetify launched its Ultra Compostable Cases for the iPhone 12 and now has plenty of eye-catching designs for the iPhone 13. This eco model has 6.6-foot drop protection and is made with the 100% compostable, plant-based material.
Casetify also says the packaging is made of 100% sustainable, recycled and compostable materials including eco-friendly, nontoxic ink made from soybeans. The case has a raised edge design to protect your screen in the event of fall and is available in seven color options. The starting price is high at $52, but the case is customizable with personalization and prints.
$52 at Casetify
Casetify
Re/Casetify is Casetify’s line of eco cases that are made of recycled materials, including old, discarded phone cases, manufacturing scraps and plant derived bio-plastics. They come in a variety of color and print options ranging in price from $58 to $72 for models that include MagSafe.
$58 at Casetify
Amazon
This is the only case on the list I haven’t yet tried, but the Amazon user reviews for it are positive and it costs less than $10. Inbeage says its case is built from 100% biodegradable plant-based biopolymers and harvested plants, including wheat straw and bamboo fiber. It fully covers your phone and has raised edges, so that should help with any face-down drops. It’s available in six color options.
Inbeage also sells a Fabric Bio Case for around $16. It also has decent reviews but doesn’t seem as durable as this case.
$9 at AmazonGet Price AlertsYou’re receiving price alerts for Inbeage Earthever Bio Case
David Carnoy/CNET
Lifeproof’s Wake case is made out of recycled ocean plastic (85% of it anyway). It’s attractively designed but I wouldn’t call it super tough — it isn’t enclosed at the bottom and has 6-foot drop protection. It comes in four colors, including gambit green, which I like. (If you’re going to get a “green” case, it might as well be green.)
$40 at AmazonGet Price AlertsYou’re receiving price alerts for LifeProof Wake
David Carnoy/CNET
KerfCase has been making handmade wooden cases for a while, and its new Plywood case is not only more durable but less expensive than some, starting at $50, with 6-foot drop protection and a limited lifetime repair warranty. I like it better than other cases made of wood that I’ve tried. It’s also worth noting that Apple’s MagSafe charger will stick to the back of it, and KerfCase sells matching charging docks for the Apple MagSafe charger (yes, it’s an accessory for an accessory).
$50 at Kerfcase
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