Apple on Tuesday announced it would no longer use leather in its new cases for iPhones, bands for Apples Watches, or other accessories due to the material’s outsized carbon footprint. Instead, Apple said it will transition to relying on “FineWoven,” a micro-twill textile the company claims is made up of 68% post-consumer recycled material. Ditching leather was just one of several measures Apple said it had taken towards its environmental goal of creating carbon-neutral, sustainable tech products.
Buy Now or Wait? How to Avoid Tech Buyer's Remorse
Share
Subtitles
Buy Now or Wait? How to Avoid Tech Buyer's Remorse
Apple describes FineWoven as having a soft, “suede-like” texture that will come in a variety of colors. For the Watch, FineWoven will be available with the Magnetic Link and Modern Buckle bands. FineWoven for iPhone 15, meanwhile, will support using Apple’s MagSafe ecosystem of magnetic chargers and other third-party products.
Advertisement
Read more: Everything Announced at Apple’s ‘Wonderlust’ Event
At least from the images shown so far, it doesn’t look like Apple is sacrificing too much in the style department with its switch to FineWoven. The company said it had worked with band makers like Nike and Hermes to create more sustainable third-party bands as well. In Nike’s case, its new Sport band will include 32% more recycled fluoroelastomer, the rubber-like material used for the band.
Advertisement
Replacing leather with FineWoven may not be the biggest single part of the equation towards creating a “carbon neutral” product, but it’s one element everyday consumers are likely to notice. Behind the scenes, the company is working with manufacturers to work toward powering facilities with 100% clean energy.
Many of the changes announced Tuesday at Apple's "Wonderlust" event involved the company's quest to move all its products to becoming carbon neutral by the year 2030. One of those changes means Apple accessories, including watchbands and iPhone cases, will no longer use leather.
"Leather is a popular material for accessories, but it has a significant carbon footprint," Lisa Jackson, Apple vice president of environment, policy and social initiatives, said during the event. "To reduce our impact, we will no longer use leather in any new Apple product, including watchbands, and that starts today."
Watch this: Everything Apple Announced at Its iPhone 15 Event
11:36
Lisa Jackson speaks about Apple's goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2030.
With leather gone from the watchband and other options, Apple is exploring more environmentally friendly materials. The company is calling one of those materials "FineWoven" and says it's made of 68% postconsumer recycled content, giving it a significantly lower carbon footprint than leather, while offering a subtle luster and suedelike feel.
Apple will also use its FineWoven material for iPhone MagSafe cases and wallets, as well as the Magnetic Link and Modern Buckle Apple Watch bands.
The Apple Watch Series 9 also includes numerous technical changes, including faster performance, on-device Siri processing and a new means of interacting with the watch through a gesture called Double Tap.
And the Apple Watch Ultra, Apple's high-end outdoors watch, will be available Sept. 22 and also includes Double Tap.
+18 More
See all photos
Contact us to discuss your requirements of wholesale airpod leather cases, Custom iPhone 15 Pro Case, Custom iPhone 15 Pro Case. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.