If you have a smartphone you probably keep a case on it, right? If so, the odds are good that your case is made of plastic. While that plastic case may prevent costly repairs for a year or two, what happens when the case itself breaks? Or when you get a new phone and don’t need that case anymore?
When I got my new phone last year, I spent quite a bit of time searching for alternatives to traditional plastic smartphone cases and stumbled upon Pela. After having it for several months, I am now comfortable sharing my thoughts and recommendations about Pela compostable phone cases.
***2023 update: I’m still using the same case!***
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What is a Pela compostable phone case?
Pela cases are regular ol’ cell phone cases but with a twist – they’re made of Flaxstic™ instead of plastic.
Made from flax shive and bio-based polymers, these Pela cases are 100 percent compostable at the end of their lives. They’re even at-home compostable which is pretty neato. The company is quite transparent that going the home compost route will take a hot minute (hot compost joke intended), but it’s nice to know that’s an option.
Here’s a screenshot from their website about the length of time to compost a Pela case at home:
Personally, since we have our industrial compost club membership with Hillside I would plan to compost it that way. It’s nice to know the at-home option is possible, though.
If you don’t compost at all, you can send your case back to Pela and they’ll do it for you.
Ooooorrrr…. we do have a compost resource guide. There’s no time like the present to get started on composting **wink wink**
My experience with Pela customer service
For my first order, I chose the Clear iPhone 13 Pro Max Case with Lavender Ridge.
I really liked it! However, I realized quickly that this particular Pela case wasn’t a great choice for me. The ridge was much larger than I expected. I almost immediately started to tear the ridge away from the clear backing as I pulled my phone out of my pocket a zillion times per day.
[Note: I can’t find what the heck I did with the broken one but I’ll pop a picture on here whenever I track it down!]
I messaged their customer support honestly expecting to simply leave feedback that this model isn’t great for heavy phone users. They replied the same day letting me know that they were happy to send me a new one, and suggested one of their regular cases.
I selected the Green iPhone 13 Pro Max Case and they sent it out right away.
USPS lost the replacement package and Pela was kind enough to even send me another one!
Overall, the company is incredibly easy to work with and very receptive to feedback on their compostable phone cases.
Things I like about my Pela compostable phone case
I mentioned that I didn’t particularly love the clear one, simply due to that ridge being a bit too delicate for me. My replacement case, however, is the best phone case I’ve ever had.
It’s durable, soft to the touch, and as goofy as this sounds I really like that it doesn’t smell weird.
The plastic ones always seem to have a weird odor that I do not like. Also, I have super sensitive skin and have had issues with plastic cases making my hands itchy. I haven’t experienced any of that with my Pela case.
I keep my cell phones for a really long time, so I hope I won’t need to compost this bad boy any time soon. That being said, I like knowing that I won’t be adding any plastic waste to landfill when my phone comes to the end of its life.
Things I don’t like about my Pela Case
I don’t honestly have a lot of complaints about my Pela case. It’s worn incredibly well – no discoloration, stretching, or noticeable dings or scratches.
Something to note that others may not like: These cases are not by default MagSafe compatible. You have to buy a separate MagSafe Module. I chose not to buy it because I don’t really care about having to take the case off to put it on the magnetic charger. (It does sort of work with the case on anyways, depending on how strong your particular charging device’s magnet is.)
The company is not US based, which I know is another thing that irks some folks. Personally, I consider our Canadian neighbors to the north close enough that it doesn’t bother me.
So are Pela cases worth the money?
In my opinion, I think Pela’s compostable cases are worth it. Most of the models are between $40-$60, which is not all that much different than protective plastic cases.
So much of our zero waste lifestyle involves strategically reducing costs in some areas to make up for additional expenses in others. By intentionally reducing waste in areas that save us money, we are better able to afford the uptick in cost on certain specialty items like this.
If that’s not where you’re at in your zero waste game – that’s cool beans! We all make different decisions and sustainable action steps based on what our energy and budgets allow.
But if you’re in the market for a new phone case and are in a financial space where you can prioritize reducing plastic waste in this area, I totally recommend a Pela compostable phone case.