Apple may have done away with its FineWoven-branded iPhone cases and Apple Watch bands as its leather alternative material proved a letdown.
The leaker who goes by the handle “Kosutami” wrote on X that the iPhone maker had already ceased production of FineWoven accessories over durability problems. There may be only one batch left in a season of new colors before Apple kills the material completely, the leaker said in a follow-up post.
The same account reported in 2023 Apple would adopt woven fabric material for accessories ahead of the official announcement. If this is true, Apple should come up with a FineWoven alternative instead of bringing back the leather…
Apple rumored to shut down FineWoven production
FineWoven is renewable fabric with a lower carbon footprint than leather, which makes the material much better for the planet.
That being said, however, users have come to expect a certain level of quality from Apple’s overpriced cases. FineWoven just doesn’t deliver in that regard.
A short history of FineWoven
Apple likes to point out it’s dedicated to leaving the world better than it found it. The introduction of the first FineWoven-branded iPhone cases and Apple Watch bands in September 2023 was supposed to mark the end of the road for leather accessories.
If you own an Apple FineWoven iPhone case and have used it regularly for the last few months:https://t.co/4XQ7cu7nlB
— John Gruber (@gruber) February 24, 2024
FineWoven is Apple’s marketing name for twill made from 68 percent post-consumer recycled content. Apple’s press release promised “a subtle luster and a soft, suedelike feel.” At first, customers praised the new material.
Bu it soon became apparent that FineWoven doesn’t hold up well. After just a few days, social media complaints popped up about very visible dings and deep scratch marks, saying their case looked like it would fall apart any second.
Hoping the FineWoven rumors are true. More so hoping that Apple introduces some sort of really good faux leather (or just brings leather back). I’ve barely used mine and although it’s not super scratched, it does have some marks and whatever material they use on the sides ripped… pic.twitter.com/tZEXE9tPHT
— Dylan (@DylanMcD8) April 22, 2024
Apple even told store employees how to handle FineWoven complaints. “You may get questions from customers about the appearance of the new FineWoven material, how it wears over time, and how to care for it,” reads the memo via 9to5Mac.
“You can let customers know the FineWoven material is made from a luxurious microtwill, with a soft yet durable suede-like texture”
Perhaps the most damning report came from the Wall Street Journal columnist Joanna Stern who wrote in her newsletter that the not-so-FineWoven fabric “is scratched up like an old CD and it’s browning like a rotten banana.”
Here it is. My iPhone 15 Pro Max’s FineWoven case. Peeling edges, scratches and browning like a rotten banana.
An Apple spokesman said that the company’s cases are engineered at the highest standard to protect iPhones.
More on this not-so-fine FineWoven case in my newsletter… pic.twitter.com/cpDc46LpN8
— Joanna Stern (@JoannaStern) February 23, 2024
How to clean FineWoven cases
Apple’s support document explains how to clean FineWoven cases: Dip a lint-free cloth into clean water and wring it out until only slightly damp, then rub the cloth on the case surface gently for 1 minute. Good thing I stayed away from FineWoven.