Apple first launched FineWoven in 2023 as a replacement for its beloved leather accessories. Unfortunately, the iPhone maker only offers silicone cases now, but I hope it gives vegan leather a shot.
FineWoven Wore Out Too Easily
The material type is one of themost important aspects to look at when choosing a new phone case. I feel FineWoven was sunset for a number of reasons, but chief among them was the type of material used to create the cases.
Early reviews of the cases showed a tendency to age poorly andZolloTech’s YouTube videoeven established how fast the case could get marked up by items you’d often have in your pockets. This meant that they were less durable.
While these scratches and imperfections only contribute to the look and added character of a leather case. They left FineWoven accessories with a less-than-pleasing look. Additionally, leather cases offered a one-material outer layer and had a pleasing soft feel. Apple’s leather cases were some of my favorites because they were light, sufficiently colorful, and came with solid metal buttons that had a great tactile feel.
In comparison, FineWoven cases always felt clunky and couldn’t handle the wear and tear of daily life well enough. They also lacked the premium appeal and colors of previous official accessories. We even noted this in our earlycomparisons of FineWoven to silicone cases.
Vegan Leather Might Be A Suitable Answer
With all that said, it’s unlikely Apple will ever go back to using animal leather. The company has targets in place to achieve carbon-neutral status by 2030 and discontinued its leather products with that goal in mind.
With leather accessories and the intended replacement out of the picture, I think Apple should turn to finding and developing vegan leather materials for accessories as a good in-between.
I’ve recently spent time with theKindsuit case for the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra—it’s a simple, understated case that impresses as much as the phone does.
Apart from the plush feel genuine leather provides and the patina that makes these cases so lovable, this case nails many aspects that I really loved about the original iPhone leather cases. It has premium-looking metal accents and is exceptionally light. It is, honestly, very reminiscent of Apple’s leather cases.
Now, everything isn’t rosy on the side of vegan leather, as some products use large amounts of plastics, which diminishes the sustainability aspect. However, more sustainable alternatives, such as aloe vera-based vegan leather cases likethesefrom Woodcessories, are available.
Apple should focus on developing options similar to the one mentioned above because it would be a great candidate for official accessories and avoid the hassle of wading through all the third-party options that often fall short in one way or another.
