Eco-Friendly iPhone Case
25 Oct 2021
Do you want to protect your iPhone, and save the planet too? You can do both with an eco-friendly iPhone case.
We know how much your iPhone means to you, and why you want to protect it from bumps and scratches that will detract from its beauty. But if you also want to protect the environment, and preserve nature’s beauty, there is a solution: an eco-friendly iPhone case.
As a leading supplier of beautiful phone cases, we have investigated all the facts about eco-friendly iPhone cases, and have compiled this handy guide for you.
In our complete guide to eco-friendly iPhone cases below, you will discover why they are important, what materials they are made of, and what you need to look out for when buying one.
Our Complete Guide To Eco-Friendly iPhone Cases
What Are Eco-friendly iPhone Cases?
An eco-friendly iPhone case is a protective case for your iPhone that is made from sustainable, natural, and biodegradable materials, such as wood, cork, and bamboo.
Bioplastic phone cases are made from natural resources that are 100% compostable. The base is made from leftover straw, cornstarch, or other compostable resources. But, bioplastic phone cases only last for approximately two years.
Cases that are not made of biodegradable natural materials can still be eco-friendly, though. A good example of this is the iPhone case made by Burga. All our products are made of high-grade materials that are recyclable and can be remade into other useful items.
An eco-friendly iPhone case is ideal for anyone who cares about preserving the beauty of nature for future generations. For every eco-friendly product you buy, there is one less product polluting the environment.
Why Are Eco-Friendly iPhone Cases Important?
To understand why eco-friendly iPhone cases are good for the environment, let's take a look at how iPhone cases are made.
iPhone cases have traditionally been made of various plastics, and sometimes silicone. Plastic cases are durable and easy to clean while protecting your phone from dents and scratches. Toughened cases combine a TPU inner casing with a plastic outer shell.
Certain types of plastic are recyclable, and recycling has become a major force in the fight against pollution and global warming. At Burga, our cases can be recycled at a specialized plant.
Phone accessory companies have been doing their bit to reduce the amount of non-biodegradable materials in our environment, by adding more eco-friendly options to their product ranges.
Facts About Materials Used To Make Eco-Friendly iPhone Cases
Listed below are the five most common materials used in eco-friendly iPhone cases that you will find on the market. Always check the facts before purchasing an iPhone case to find out how the material or product is manufactured, and what its environmental impact will be.
Reclaimed Wood
Wood is, of course, the ultimate eco-friendly material, found in nature in the form of trees. Sometimes, old wooden products such as broken wooden skateboards are re-used to make new wooden items, which is then referred to as reclaimed wood.
Bamboo
Bamboo is one of the most renewable resources on the planet due to its ability to grow very rapidly, in different climates throughout the world. It has natural antibacterial properties, which don’t require the need for chemicals or pesticides.
Cork
A naturally harvested material, only the bark from the cork tree is used, which means the tree can keep on living and provide the environment with oxygen.
Cork is biodegradable and easily recyclable. During the manufacturing process, cork waste that is produced can be recycled to make other cork products.
Rubber
There are two kinds of rubber, natural and synthetic. Natural rubber is non-toxic and more eco-friendly, as it is made from a liquid called latex, found inside certain plants. Synthetic rubber is made from petroleum products that are put through a chemical process.
Bioplastic
Another material used in the manufacture of eco-friendly iPhone cases is bioplastic. Bioplastics are materials made from sugar cane fibers, straw flax, potato starch, or cornstarch. They are an eco-friendly alternative to petroleum-based plastics.
Because bioplastic products are generated from natural sources, they are fully biodegradable.
Eco-Friendly Genuine Leather
Genuine leather is the skin of animals and is biodegradable. But, it can take 25-50 years to decompose, due to the tanning materials used. Natural leather will decompose much faster
Eco-friendly leather is leather produced in an environmentally friendly production process, which reduces the number of chemicals used while reducing waste.
Are Eco-Friendly iPhone Cases Durable?
The average mobile phone gets replaced within two years due to modern technological advancements.
Taking this into consideration, it is acceptable if an eco-friendly iPhone case lasts for two years, and this is the approximate length of time that most eco-friendly brands last. The bonus is that biodegradable cases, if they are thrown away after two years, will decompose over time.
Biodegradable materials such as wood, bamboo, or cork are as tough, but not as long-lasting, as plastic. Plastic is durable and long-lasting. But, because it is not a natural substance, it isn’t biodegradable. Because of this, plastic iPhone cases should not be thrown away, but rather repurposed, reused, or recycled.
Although plastic lasts a long time, when used for things such as phone cases, it can show signs of wear and tear after repeated use. Avoid this problem by purchasing an iPhone case from a reputable brand like Burga.
We at Burga are proud of our high-quality iPhone cases. They are stylish fashion accessories, yet tough and durable enough to protect your iPhone from accidental drops, bumps, and scratches. And we are even more proud that they are made from recyclable materials.
Our iPhone cases are available in a sleek, lightweight hardshell design, and also a dual-layer tough case that incorporates a shock-absorbing layer. They last for years without cracking or fading and are manufactured using the highest quality materials that are also fully recyclable.
Will Eco-Friendly Cases Give My iPhone Adequate Protection?
Plastic phone cases completely cover your device to protect it from accidental drops and bumps, but do hard cases scratch your phone?
iPhone cases made of wood, cork, and bamboo, offer good protection for your iPhone. Cork is naturally waterproof and is one of the best biodegradable materials. Wood and bamboo are naturally tough materials and will protect your phone against scratches. That being said, PC and TPU are the most long-lasting and economical in the long run.
Bioplastic made from wood waste is durable and also biodegradable. The process to make this form of bioplastic requires only lumber mill waste and green solvents. Bioplastic cases look and feel just like regular plastic, and offer excellent protection for your device.
What To Look For When Buying An Eco-Friendly iPhone Case
Phone cases that are manufactured using non-recyclable or non-biodegradable plastics can harm the environment. When buying an iPhone case, find out what materials have been used to make the product. Look out for biodegradable, compostable natural materials.
Wooden and cork phone cases are biodegradable. Bamboo products are also biodegradable and compostable, but not all are recyclable.
Recyclable materials are just as important as biodegradable ones, because recycling items gives them new ways to be useful to the community, and prevents the problem of over-full landfills. Recycling is essential as part of a sustainable lifestyle, therefore Burga uses recyclable materials for all our products.
Unless a material is recyclable, and therefore able to be made into a useful new product, it will inevitably end up in a landfill. It is your responsibility to ensure that the product you are buying has been made with materials that will not cause harm. If not, recycle it.
People all over the world produce an enormous amount of trash, and even though most of these items can be recycled or composted, the majority is dumped in landfills. Approximately 13% is recycled globally, but this is not enough. Recycling is essential as part of a sustainable lifestyle.
If you decide to buy a regular plastic phone case, there are options available that are made from already recycled plastic, and therefore are eco-friendly because the manufacturer has reduced, reused, and recycled what would have been waste in a landfill.
Luckily, Burga’s phone cases are made from 100% recyclable materials.
Burga iPhone Cases Are Made Of Recyclable Materials
All our phone cases, including our iPhone cases, are made of polycarbonate plastic (PC). Our toughest iPhone cases include an inner layer of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU).
Polycarbonate plastic is considered virtually unbreakable. It is used in bulletproof glass because it is 10 times stronger than regular plastic and glass. This is why it is such a useful material for the manufacturing of phone cases.
Thermoplastic polyurethane is a unique material combining the strength of plastic with the flexibility of rubber. Unlike silicone, which causes heat to be stored in the case which damages your phone, TPU conducts heat out of the phone case.
Polycarbonate plastic can be recycled again and again, and its value does not reduce even after being recycled repeatedly. The process of making thermoplastic polyurethane is eco-friendly, and TPU products are also fully recyclable.
TPU is also biodegradable and can break down in 3-5 years.
We are certain that our beautiful iPhone cases will serve your needs for a long time, thanks to their quality and durability. But, in time you may buy a new phone, or want a new look for your existing iPhone.
When that time comes, don't throw your old iPhone case away. Re-use it for an art project, donate it to a charity shop, or sell it. Alternatively, recycle it at a recycling center equipped to recycle polycarbonate plastics.
Conclusion
It is the responsibility of all people living on this planet, to protect the environment and preserve the beauty of nature for future generations. You can do your part by leading a sustainable lifestyle, purchasing items made of biodegradable materials, and reducing waste by recycling.
More and more companies are producing biodegradable products, and there are several attractive eco-friendly iPhone cases on the market that are made out of these natural materials.
The entire Burga range of protective iPhone cases is made out of recyclable materials, so make the responsible choice, and invest in one of our iPhone cases today. You'll be investing in the future of our planet, too.
Eco-Friendly iPhone Cases FAQs
What is the difference between the terms eco-friendly and recyclable?
An eco-friendly product is not harmful to the environment, such as an item that is made from natural and biodegradable materials.
A recyclable product, once used, can be put through a process that renders it fit to use again. The recycling process can produce a new product that is similar, or even completely different from the original product.
What are biodegradable materials?
Biodegradable materials once disposed of, are decomposed by bacteria or other living organisms. This prevents these materials from polluting the environment.
Biodegradable plastics are produced with renewable raw materials, micro-organisms, petrochemicals, or combinations of these.
How can I know if plastic is recyclable?
Products made of plastic are sometimes stamped underneath with a number between 1 and 7 inside a triangle made of arrows. These numbers describe the types of recyclable plastic used to make those products.
Such plastics need to be dropped off at recycling centers, and not thrown into the trash, or they will end up in landfills and may cause harm to the environment. Most major cities have recycling centers.
What does it mean if something is sustainably produced?
Sustainability means conserving the ecological balance by reducing waste and recycling old products, thereby avoiding the depletion of natural resources.
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