If you wish your phone case could be as environmentally forward thinking as you were, depending on what phone you have, you might just get that choice.
More and more companies are beginning to understand the importance of being environmentally friendly, and it’s affecting how technology gets made. From reusing metals to creating a “closed loop”, you can expect more of the gear you buy to be ecologically considered, and that’s happening for the accessories, too.
Australia’s EFM has introduced a case style that does just that, releasing cases for the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max that are made from 85 percent plant-based materials, and yet still have its drop resistant material D3O used in the construction. That term might sound like another random bit of unnecessary jargon, but it’s one of the key technologies used in products made to be durable, existing in a softened state before hardening under impact and pressure, helping to keep things safe. It’s why the technology is used in motorcycle protection, and also in phones.
In EFM’s iPhone 11 Eco cases, recycled D3O forms the other 15 percent of the case, with the materials coming together for a hard-backed case that is still soft enough to carry, and isn’t at all like a firm plastic body. There’s a slight texture to it with a look closer to darkened cork, yet with a hint of durability on the inside.
It’s worth pointing out that EFM’s use of D3O is different in the Eco line of cases, and so isn’t as durable as its other less environmentally friendly options.
With less of the D3O in the build, EFM told Pickr that while most of the EFM range is rated for a 6 metre drop, the EFM Eco cases had only been tested for drops as high as 2.4 metres. That’s a drop test for the case, but not really the screen, as these cases were resident for protecting the edge and back of the phone, but not the screen itself. You may want a screen protector if you’re to prevent any unwanted breaks from drops two metres and above.
EFM’s Eco case isn’t the only way the company is branding out into environmentally-conscious thinking, though, because it also has thought about the packaging for the line, adopting a package that is 100 percent recyclable. It’s the sort of thing that just might make folks who think about the environment a little happier, particularly with regards to their phone.
The EFM Eco line of D3O cases is available now, but only for the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max, with prices from $39.95.
