Apple introduced FineWoven accessories with the iPhone 15 release. In its goal for a carbon-neutral company by 2030, Cupertino ditched all its leather accessories in favor of a brand-new, one-of-its-kind green accessory. Made of durable microtwill with a soft, suede-like feel, users complained about it getting dirt, scratching, and losing quality quickly.
Even though Apple iPhone cases aren’t pure gold of durability (silicone cases get dirt in a few months, and leather would get darker in the corners), they’re still more premium than this new material.
A hint that the company might have been skeptical of the FineWoven accessories was the lack of new spring colors when it announced the M3 MacBook Air and released new silicone iPhone 15 cases and Apple Watch bands, but none with this material.
Then, over the weekend, leaker Kosutami posted on X that “FineWoven has gone. All the production line was stopped and removed. Apple would move to another material.”
Although Apple doesn’t confirm – and you can buy last year’s FineWoven accessories on Apple’s website, we will likely not see the same material again later this year. But what went wrong? These are three reasons why this new material failed.
FineWoven accessories are bad because Apple couldn’t make green look cool this time
FineWoven is pricey: The first issue with this accessory is the price. Apple decided to charge the same premium price for a material that didn’t feel as good as leather. This made people skeptical about it for a $60 tag.
Poor durability: I have had an iPhone FineWoven case for about seven months now, but I must admit I have used it very little. Still, it has a few scratches and looks a bit washed out in the corners. Nothing compares to some cases highlighted by users, with sauce marks and severe scratches.
Lacks Durable Water Repellent: One of the main reasons FineWoven accessories received so much hate is the lack of a feature used in microtwill, which is Durable Water Repellent. Apple decided not to use this technology due to poly-fluoroalkyl chemicals, which are bad for the environment. With that, the case absorbs every possible liquid it touches.
What’s next for Apple accessories?
While the fate of FineWoven accessories is still unclear – or what new material Apple could use- vegan leather seems like the ideal solution. If Apple doesn’t find a good substitute, it could give up on iPhone cases and let them with third-party manufacturers.
For example, Casetify’s pricey cases are great and very durable. In addition, the company usually offers beautiful collections – or you can customize some cases the way you like.
It’s a shame that FineWoven didn’t go well. Still, at least Apple might recognize sooner rather than later that it’s bad instead of continuing to release it multiple times without fixing its main issues, as it did with the butterfly keyboard from old MacBook Pro models.
And I’m sorry, Joe, it seems FineWoven isn’t for everyone even though you wanted it to be.
