Wave Case is a brand of biodegradable phone cases, founded by two friends in north east England, concerned about local coastal pollution.
These phone cases are made from wheat straw, a by-product of the farming industry, that would either be landfilled or burned. The result is a plant-based polymer, an alternative to single-use plastic.
The phones are in many beautiful designs and colours, to protect different types of phones (iPhones, Samsung and Google).
Read our posts on sustainable smartphones, ethical mobile phone services and recycling mobile phones.
For cases with MagSafe protection, keep them dry, avoid harsh cleaning chemicals, and keep magnets away from children and pets). They can interfere with pacemakers and defibrillators.
This brand also sells iPhone accessories like Air Pod and Air Tag cases (more on those below). Know that vets don’t recommend AirTag to track pets, due to risk of ingesting metal, plastic and batteries. Read how to prevent and find lost pets.
Some phone cases on sale are made from recycled plastic. This is great to reduce ghost fishing waste etc, but only if you don’t lose it (if it ended up near farms or in rivers or seas, it would still break down into microplastics). Save those phone cases, if you’re just pottering around the garden!
With Wave Case, you can even send back the phone cases at end of life, and they will be industrially composted on your behalf. And you receive 20% discount on your next phone case.
These phone cases are top quality, drop-tested 26 times, and with 2mm lips around the screens and cameras, for ultimate protection.
The unique flecks of wheat straw are not just unique to look at, but unlike plastic or silicone phone cases, have a better grip to stay in your hands or in your back pocket.
Just know that some lighter colours may pick up dye (say from denim jeans). If this concerns you, go for a phone case in a darker colour.
Recycled Screen Protectors
Wave Case also offers recycled glass screen protectors which again are drop-tested (to 1.5 metres) and compatible for all types of phones.
To protect in transit, they are sold in plastic packaging. But you can recycle this at supermarket bag bins, if your kerbside does not collect.
Wheat Straw AirPod Cases
AirPods are wireless Bluetooth earbuds (the company’s most popular accessory) but almost impossible to recycle. The wheat straw AirPods case features a secure keyring attachment.
Wheat Straw Air Tags Cases
The wheat straw AirTag Case again features a secure keyring attachment, to attach to keys or luggage.
Vets don’t recommend AirTag to track pets, due to risk of ingesting metal, plastic and batteries. Read how to prevent and find lost pets.
Bio-Based Charging Cables
Wave Case also make bio-based charging cables with high-speed data transfer. Made to the same quality and strength as TPE (plastic) cables, they are sent in paper sleeves.
Phone Accessory Recycling Boxes
TerraCycle is an organisation that sometimes offers free community recycling boxes (sponsored by industry) or more often makes a one-off charge, to recycle ‘difficult-to-recycle’ items. These are sent off to make into industrial goods like piping.
It offers a community recycling box for phone accessories (phone cases and screen protectors). Your community, office, school or council could pool money to buy one (£100 to £200, depending on size).
This is then placed in a community centre, shop or school for people to drop off unwanted phone accessories. Then sent off, using the prepaid label, for recycling.
It’s a great way to rid your town or village of phone accessory waste forever (like an amnesty). You can do the same for other grouped items, this company can recycle anything! Then next time, you can buy a biodegradable phone case above!
