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Pela Case Review

Cell phones are the one thing most people do not leave the house without. I have also not met anyone who did not have a case on their phone, making a cell phone case the most popular cell phone accessory. In this review I am going to share an Eco-friendly option for all my environmentally conscious friends. I was so excited to find Pela, a 100% compostable cell phone accessory brand.

Pela also has a line of fashionable sunglasses sure to fit most face shapes. They sent me three perfect cases to test out. I am a Colorado girl and I love the mountains. So Pela sent me the coolest mountain cases, as well as their Lavender Ridge case, that currently matches my lavender hair! I am a mom of four and put these cases to the “momlife” test.

Pela Case Review

Does anyone make an Eco-friendly cell phone case?

When I think about cell phone cases I think of 2 main things. First, will it protect my phone from drops? Then second, does it look good? I have never thought about compostability or the carbon footprint of the cell phone case industry. The international data corporation says 95 million phones are dropped and damaged each year. This is why the cell phone case market does so well. Everyone wants to protect their device. More than 10 billion dollars a year are spent on cell phone cases, this adds up to a lot of cases and a lot of waste. Pela is the first ever cell phone case company to make a 100% compostable case. The Pela site says 1.5 billion cases are put into our landfills every year. With the Pela 360 program we can make a huge difference. They want you to send all your old plastic cases to them so they can upcycle the plastic and keep it out of our oceans. Pela’s mission is to create a waste free future.

Who is Pela?

Pela wants to create a waste free future. This is the motto of Pela as a company. They are leaders in the manufacturing industry. Pela is here to change and challenge other manufacturers to become more environmentally conscious and aware of their impact on our earth.

Pela’s founder, Jermey Lang, has a saying. We do not inherit the earth from our parents, we borrow it from our kids. He was inspired in 2008 to start Pela after visiting Hawaii and finding plastic on the beach. Since then he created Pela, where he brings his personal beliefs into the workplace.

Community – Commit to a culture that builds a vibrant community.

Creativity – Foster creativity to inspire innovation.

Consciousness – Live with awareness and consciousness of the impact of our choices.

Courage – Embrace courage by taking action despite uncertainty.

Pela’s headquarters are located in Kelowna. Kelowna is a beautiful city right in the middle of the Okanagan Lake. The employees at Pela love being in such a great nature loving city. The office overlooks the lake and is only an hour from many outdoor activities.

What is compostability?

  • Compostability is a characteristic of a product, packaging, or associated component that allows it to biodegrade under specific conditions. How long an item composts depends on a few outside variables such as bacteria, temperature, and moisture.

  • Bacteria – Sugar, leaves, grass clippings, and manure contain nitrogen and promote bacteria growth in your compost.

  • Temperature – A higher temperature will speed up the growth and development of the bacteria needed to compost, but if you can go too high and create a steaming pile of smelly slow compost. Your neighbors will not appreciate it and you will find your compost pile never getting any smaller.

  • Moisture – A compost pile should be at about 50% moisture content.

Delivery and Packaging

Delivery was quick. My order was placed, processed, and delivered in 6 days. However, Pela does not promise this quick shipping on their website*.

All 3 cases came in a brown biodegradable envelope. The Powder Blue Rockies and Black Boreal were just in the envelope without their own packaging. The Lavender Ridge case came in a brown biodegradable box. I think they do this because the Lavender ridge is a nonflexible case compared to the flaxstic cases. I was worried upon arrival that the cases were going to be damaged in some way, but because of the softer nature of the flaxstic cases, they seemed to be in good condition.

Design

  • Powder Blue Rockies – Looks wise this is my favorite of all the cases. I live in the Rocky Mountain front range and absolutely love our sunsets and taking day trips to be a little closer to heaven. This case is the perfect shade of blue and matches the blue of my iPhone. The mountain print is actually engraved into the case giving it a cool texture. From some angles you might think this is just a pale blue case, but up close it looks so cool. This case feels like your typical soft silicone case, but better because it’s not actually silicon.

  • Black Boreal – The teal green mountains and trees show so vibrantly on this black case. The mountains and trees are printed on this case keeping the case totally smooth. This case looks great and does not get the scuff marks on the corners like the other lighter colored cases Pela sent me. Again, Pela wins with the mountain prints for this mama. This case also feels like your typical soft silicone case.

  • Clear Case with Lavender Ridge – This case is totally clear on the backside. It showcases the iPhone apple and the beautiful blue color I picked. The edge of this case is a light lavender color and currently matches my hair color. I think the subtleness of this case is nice and can be dressed up or down. It cute and clean. However it does pick up scuff marks on the edges.

Fit

  • Powder Blue Rockies – This case feels like a typical soft silicone case, minus the silicone. The fit is pretty good. The hole for the silent button on the side lines up well. My only issue is at the bottom, I do not feel like the case comes around the bottom of the case evenly and creates a good lip so the screen won’t touch a surface when put down. On the engraved side of this case, there is a raised lip around the area where the lenses are so the lenses are not exposed to surfaces when put down. This case is so easy to put on and remove, that it makes me feel like its loose and will come off, but it has not.

  • Black Boreal – This case is also similar to a soft silicone case. I think the fit of this case is better than the Powder Blue Rockies case, however it still doesn’t quite line up at the bottom of the phone. The silent button lines up great, but the holes at the bottom are a little crooked. This case is super easy to take on and off.

  • Clear Case with Lavender Ridge – This is my favorite fitting case of the three. Because of the hard clear back, this case is more rigid and goes on snug. All of the spaces and holes are in the right place and straight. The lavender colored ridge around the whole phone is deep enough to protect the phone screen and lenses from touching a flat surface when put down. This is definitely the best fitting of all the cases.

Grip

Both the Powder Blue Rockies and Black Boreal have about the same grip.The Powder Blue case might have a better grip because of the engraved design, but not enough to truly notice. The Lavender Ridge case is actually an odd grip for my hand. The ridge is really grippy, but the clear part is really slippery. So depending on how I am holding the case it feels good, but then it slips in my hand and I freak out on the inside.

Durability

I have had these cases for over a month now and I am very impressed with how well a compostable case has held up. I have been rotating through these cases and my only issue is they do scuff and pick up color on the edges. There is some peeling on the edges from wear and tear, but I do not think the phone is going to melt in my hand, pocket, or purse. They will make for the life of my phone. With how often cell phone providers offer upgrades most people only keep their phones for about two years anyhow.

Pela Case Review: Final Thoughts

I am pleased with all my Pela cases. The Powder Blue case is my favorite looking and matches the color of my phone. It also is named for the Rockies which are near and dear to me. The Black Boreal is flashy and outdoorsy looking, which fits into my lifestyle too. The Lavender Ridge case is the cleanest looking of them all and fits the best. Overall, they are great looking and great for the environment. I have never thought about the impact of cell phone accessories on the world, but after learning about the amazing benefits of Pela and the technology they are bringing to the manufacturing industry, I am so excited to make a switch. I do think the cases are expensive for not fitting the phone perfectly. I wish they were less expensive, but this is new technology and a lot went into creating Flaxtstic. Eventually more manufacturers and people will make a switch and maybe the Flaxstic will become cheaper to produce and buy.

The short answer is Flaxstic. But what is Flaxstic? Flaxstic – Bioplastic made from the flax plant.

When Pela first started they were able to get cases out much faster, but with today’s demand and shipping issues getting your case can take 21+ days depending on location and customs.

From the Pela Site:

USA:

Free Shipping: 8-14 business days (after 1-3 day processing time)

*Free shipping final deliveries will be made with USPS – please consider while filling out your address if you can only recieve to a PO Box with USPS!

Faster Shipping: 5-10 business days (after 1-3 day processing time)

Fastest Shipping: 2-4 business days (after 1-3 day processing time) (NOTE: FedEx does not deliver to PO Boxes)

CANADA:

Free Shipping: 14-21 business days (after 1-3 day processing time)

*Both are subject to customs clearance which can take longer.

INTERNATIONAL:

Free Shipping: 14-21 business days (after 1-3 day processing time)

*Both are subject to customs clearance which can take longer in some countries

 

No, Pela does not have a Canadian website.

Ship it back to Pela or put it in your personal compost. Composting a Pela case can take anywhere from six months to two years, this all depends on the quality of your compost and the environment of which you live in.