Apple Says 'Goodbye Leather' in New iPhone Ad Following Controversial Switch to 'FineWoven' Material

[MacRumors]

Apple today shared a new iPhone ad called "Goodbye Leather" on its YouTube channel in the U.K., months after the company controversially switched from leather to a much-criticized "FineWoven" fabric material for accessories.

Apple discontinuing leather accessories for environmental benefits was a noble aspiration, but FineWoven accessories have been very poorly received. Just days after the first FineWoven cases were released for the iPhone, some customers and media outlets complained about the fabric exterior being prone to scratches and stains. A photo of a FineWoven case with a misaligned USB-C port cutout also surfaced.

The Wall Street Journal's Joanna Stern said her FineWoven case was "browning like a rotten banana" after five months of usage.

Image Credit: Joanna Stern/The Wall Street Journal​

"The edges are peeling, the fabric is scratched up like an old CD and it's browning like a rotten banana," she wrote, in her Tech Things newsletter. "I've been waiting for the CDC to show up at my house to declare it a biomedical concern."

Apple has yet to comment on FineWoven criticism, and it remains to be seen if the company discontinues the line or improves the material in any way.

Thanks, Dylan McDonald!

Article Link: Apple Says 'Goodbye Leather' in New iPhone Ad Following Controversial Switch to 'FineWoven' Material

 

[Blackstick]

Goodbye leather is fine, when the replacement is superior. FineWoven is not.

No chance Apple ships iPhone 16 cases in "FineWoven". It'll quietly disappear. Or be a silicone-only year.

 

[MaxBurn]

I love my Ryan London.

Leather is everything I want, right amount of grip (doesn't slip out of your hand or turn pockets inside out), wears well, decent protection.

 

[Minato1990]

Disgusting.
PETA can go to hell, and Apple is wrong.
Finewoven is crap. Yet Apple will charge the same or might charge us more for sub par quality.

 

[ignatius345]

Goodbye leather is fine, when the replacement is superior. FineWoven is not.

Agree. I was initially kind of excited about this announcement because I assumed they'd cracked some kind of new material that would age well like leather, but without the environmental impact. I've got a faux leather desk pad and love it, so this could be good, right? Wrong.

I love my Ryan London.

Leather is everything I want, right amount of grip (doesn't slip out of your hand or turn pockets inside out), wears well, decent protection.

I got one of these as well. Love it! I happened to be in London and bought it in the shop where I believe they actually make them.

 

[vertsix]

The Finewoven case is the worst accessory Apple has ever made.

 

[BarrettF77]

Apple says hello to cheaply made fabric cases that fall apart and look ugly as soon as anything runs against them. Tried a couple and the quality was so awful. This is like the butterfly keyboard all over again. It’s so wonderful. Then they go back after years of shame.

But later then they will say when leather comes back that this is an ethical and environmentally sound way of making leather cases! Their advertising is just awful and has been for years. The house that Timmeh let slide.

 

[RandomTox]

If you naively believe that Apple is doing it out of love for nature and environment I pity you. Higher profit margins with substitutes.

 

[agenda893]

Goodbye Apple Cases.

 

[Unggoy Murderer]

Not sure how these are being viewed as more environmentally friendly.

An iPhone X leather folio case for £99 in 2017 lasted the whole ownership period to end of 2023 when my mum upgraded to an iPhone 14. Easily the highest quality case I've owned for a smartphone.

These Finewoven cases haven't been out for a year and they already look ten years old. So a new case in a few months' time?

All the CO2 in manufacturing and shipping duplicated multiple times to replace. How very environmentally conscious.

 

[LedRush]

That’s funny, because I just said goodbye to Apple iPhone cases.

 

[dino12]

I bet that Tim Cooks car has leather interior.

 

[fenderbass146]

So stupid, guess ill be going third party for good cases.

 

[nikhsub1]

Silicone is the way to go anyway. The issue is they generally don't last even a year, so you need 2 cases to last one phone cycle in my experience. The leather and this fine woven case were always too slippery for me, never could use them.

 

[richpjr]

I bet that Tim Cooks car has leather interior.

I bet his private jet has leather seats as well.

 

[Yammabot]

Leather is not the be all end all, there are many alternatives. Billions of dollars wasted on projects never to see the light of day but not an ounce of work on sustainable solutions to everyday needs.

 

[jdawgnoonan]

This is the main reason my iPhone no longer uses an Apple made case, Apple’s leather cases were a quality product. ”Goodbye Leather,“ says Apple, well, my reply is “Goodbye Apple cases” because you don’t have any decent cases now. Also, there is no such thing as a sustainable mass produced product regardless of what some marketing department tells you.

 

[kemal]

Sure. And everyone at Apple is vegan.

 

[orangeadrenaline]

Silicone is the way to go anyway. The issue is they generally don't last even a year, so you need 2 cases to last one phone cycle in my experience. The leather and this fine woven case were always too slippery for me, never could use them.

iPhone cycle is 5 years.

 

[jonnyb098]

The only reason they got rid of leather is the price went way up. The “environmental“ garbage is just typical corporate virtue signaling. It’s ALWAYS about money ….now companies just have a convenient excuse to use.

 

[drinkingtea]

I can't stand touching any FineWoven products. Something about the texture is really unpleasant.

 

[orangeadrenaline]

How good is it for the environment if you have to buy a new fine woven case every 6 months?

 

[Bustycat]

iPhone users say 'Goodbye FineWoven'

 

[Mr. Incandenza]

Use some soap and a rag and that gross case would be clean again.

The finewoven case has been the most durable and nice feeling Apple case I've used yet.

 

[icanhazmac]

Otterbox Defender FTW!