If you have an iPhone, chances are you’re concerned with fine craftsmanship and design. But what about being green? A new phone case out of Portland could help you achieve both at once.
Meet the Skate Case.
Each Skate Case is made from recycled skateboard material and rubbed with citrus oil to bring out the unique coloring of the wood. This means that if you buy a Skate Case, no one in the world will ever have the same case as you. Pretty cool, right?
See, when skateboard manufacturers build skateboards, there are plenty of leftover materials and scraps that go to waste. According to Grove, the Portland-based Skate Case manufacturer, there is enough skateboard waste material from PS Stix each week in Portland to fill up an entire school bus.
Instead of letting that waste live in a landfill, Grove rescues it and works with MapleXO, a company that sells jewelry made of old skateboards, to create iPhone cases.
In essence, they take thin wood strips and laminate them into a single block. From there, the team mills the case from that single block, and then hand-files the fine details like the docks and buttons. Finally, Grove sands down the case and rubs it with citrus oil to bring out the unique coloring.
The Skate Case is a two-piece case that slides on, with holes for the 3.5mm headphone jack and charging port, as well as a wooden button for the lock button up top.
Clearly, aesthetic quality isn’t really an issue with the Skate Case, but what about durability? According to the founders, the Skate Case is made with a solid surface core that sits underneath the laminated maple, which helps to protect your phone.
The Skate Case has a lot going for it, but with all that rad, the price tag is a bit hard to swallow. You can pick up the Skate Case online for $149, and shipping will take 2-5 days.
If only they put a bird on it.
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