Apple May Ditch Leather Cases For iPhone 15

Isn't it weird that the company still uses animal parts to make iPhone cases?

Henrik Weis / Getty

Apple may not make a leather case for the upcoming iPhone 15, and it's about time.

Apple is so hot on environmental and ethical issues like privacy, green power, and protecting users from unsolicited tracking and data theft that it seems odd that the company still sells leather items, especially cases, which are essentially disposables. DuanRui, an Apple rumor-watcher with a good track record, says that Apple will finally stop using leather to make iPhone cases, for this model at least. Whether or not the rumor is true, it's about time for Apple to do this. And the good news is, there are decent alternatives.

"When I'm choosing clothes for a project, and I see non-leather clothing and accessories, I research their sourcing and sustainability," fashion stylist Nuria Gregori told Lifewire in an interview. "I don't want to replace leather with something that's not any better."

Apple's leather cases have always been great. They're often lighter than their Apple-made silicone counterparts, they feel better, they last longer, and they get better with age. The silicone cases, in contrast, lose chunks out of their corners, get greasy if you handle them after applying moisturizer, and yet can remain so grippy that they are hard to get in and out of a pants pocket.

Natalia Kopyltsova / Getty images

Leather is pretty much a by-product of the meat industry, and so, like shoes, leather cases are less guilt-inducing than buying and eating actual meat. But in this instance, that's not really the point.

Apple often publicizes its green credentials, whether it's recycled aluminum in its production process or the fact that its corporate and retail operations run on 100 percent renewable electricity. An environmental conscience isn't just about mitigating the climate emergency. It's about sustainability, not using unnecessary resources, even when it's less convenient or more expensive, and it's about behaving ethically.

It's easy to call out a company that is doing good for not doing good enough. We complain that our local organic, kilometer-zero ice cream shop is still using disposable straws in its artisanal vanilla cola floats while ignoring the amount of plastic packaging used in all the Amazon orders coming to our homes. But just because Apple is on the right track doesn't mean it can get away with, say, animal exploitation.

And leather production is problematic not just ethically but environmentally. From the deforestation caused by growing feed for the animals to the toxic substances used in the tanning process, leather has a huge environmental impact. It's possible to reduce that impact, to use less harmful chemicals, but it's better not to take part at all.

If they come up with a nice alternative that's vegan and just as good or better, that would be great for both the environment and animal welfare.

We've long "enjoyed" fake leather products, from textured PVC car seats that burn your bare skin after being parked in the sun to convincing leatherette or "vegan leather" purses, wallets, and upholstery that soon gets shabby instead of aging and improving like the real thing. Leather alternatives can also be environmentally suspect, thanks to the fact that many are made from petroleum products: they're essentially plastic.

The good news is there are other options. Fruit leather, for example, comes from plants: pineapple leather, mushroom leather, and even grape and cork leather. Of course, these aren't actual leather, but unlike plastic leathers, they biodegrade quickly and use byproducts of vegetable production or sustainable, renewable fruit crops.

While you might make a good case for that leather Eames chair and ottoman, which will outlast you, it's harder to justify using leather for a case that will be thrown away when the phone is replaced. Even if these fruit leathers do not wear as well as real leather, it doesn't matter. They just have to last as long as your phone and look good while doing it.

Andrea Ricordi, Italy / Getty

Fake leathers of all kinds have gotten much better. Fashion brands are even making extremely passable leather clothes, which might be the hardest to do, thanks to how leather hangs and creases. And some products, like artificial sheepskin or the fur collar lining of a denim jacket, can look almost indistinguishable from the real thing while having the advantage of being washable.

"If they come up with a nice alternative that's vegan and just as good or better, that would be great for both the environment and animal welfare," said iPhone user Parzival in a MacRumors forum thread participated in by Lifewire.

And if anyone can develop a sustainable alternative to leather, it's Apple, a company famous for its materials expertise. And yes, Apple leather already exists—although it could contain up to 50 percent plastic.

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