Technologies

Best Eco-Friendly and Recycled iPhone 13 Cases for 2023

Reduce, reuse, recycle. Check out these environmentally friendly iPhone 13 cases.

This story is part of Tech for a Better World, stories about the diverse teams creating products, apps and services to improve our lives and society.

The iPhone 14 has been out for a while now but that doesn’t mean your old reliable iPhone 13 is obsolete. If you don’t want to upgrade to the latest iPhone and instead keep your iPhone 13 in working order, you’ll want to use a good case to protect it. Those who care about the environment have plenty of recycled and biodegradable options to choose from, too. You don’t have to sacrifice protection or style either, as there’s a wide variety of environmentally friendly options available. We’ve rounded up some of the best eco-friendly iPhone 13 series cases below, though many are available for other iPhone generations as well.

Regular phone cases tend to turn into single-use items and end up in a landfill — especially with how often we upgrade our phones. Investing in a eco-friendly phone case is a great way to stop that cycle. We’ve collected some of the best environmentally conscious iPhone cases, which are all made of recycled plastic or fully biodegradable plant-based materials.

Eco cases can look and feel different from standard thermoplastic polyurethane, or TPU, cases, but most people probably won’t realize you’re using an eco-friendly case unless you tell them. Many offer good drop protection and all the cases on this list are compatible with wireless chargers. A few have MagSafe options.

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Incipio Organicore

Incipio’s green case

$34 at Amazon

$34 at Walmart

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Incipio’s Organicore cases are made with 100% compostable and biodegradable materials and also have eco-friendly packaging. Organicore cases offer 8-foot drop protection and are available in three color options: charcoal (pictured), natural and blue.

It feels similar to a firm plastic case and has a slight bit of grip to it. It also seems pretty protective and has raised edges to help protect your screen in the event you drop your phone face down.

ZWM

ZWM cases

Zero waste case

$30 at ZWM

Yes, ZWM stands for zero waste movement and its slim iPhone cases are made from renewable organic material that are completely biodegradable. The company says it’s also «climate neutral,» planting one new tree for every phone case sold.

ZWM cases come in a variety of color options and are some of the more attractive looking eco cases I’ve tried.

Nimble

Nimble Spotlight case

Made from 72% recycled materials

$25 at Nimble

I’ve previously featured Nimble’s translucent Disc cases that are made out of recycled compact discs. Its Spotlight case for iPhone 13 is the company’s latest eco case. It’s kind of funky looking — yes, it spotlights its recycled nature — and even though it’s pretty slim, it does offer good drop protection, with a 15 -foot rating. Nimble says it’s made from 72% recycled materials, including recycled polycarbonate, TPU, silicone, and old plastic phone cases. It’s available in 3 color options.

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Casetify Ultra Compostable Cases

Customizable compostable case

$45 at Casetify

Casetify launched its Ultra Compostable Cases for the iPhone 12 and now has plenty of eye-catching designs for the iPhone 13. This eco model has 6.6-foot drop protection and is made with the 100% compostable, plant-based material.

Casetify also says the packaging is made of 100% sustainable, recycled and compostable materials including eco-friendly, nontoxic ink made from soybeans. The case has a raised edge design to protect your screen in the event of fall and is available in seven color options. The starting price is high at $52, but the case is customizable with personalization and prints.

Casetify

Re/Casetify

Partially made from discarded phone cases

$58 at Casetify

Re/Casetify is Casetify’s line of eco cases that are made of recycled materials, including old, discarded phone cases, manufacturing scraps and plant derived bio-plastics. They come in a variety of color and print options ranging in price from $58 to $72 for models that include MagSafe.

Amazon

Inbeage Earthever Bio Case

Under $20 option

$9 at Amazon

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This is the only case on the list I haven’t yet tried, but the Amazon user reviews for it are positive and it costs less than $10. Inbeage says its case is built from 100% biodegradable plant-based biopolymers and harvested plants, including wheat straw and bamboo fiber. It fully covers your phone and has raised edges, so that should help with any face-down drops. It’s available in six color options.

Inbeage also sells a Fabric Bio Case for around $16. It also has decent reviews but doesn’t seem as durable as this case.

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LifeProof Wake

Recycled ocean plastic

$28 at Amazon

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Lifeproof’s Wake case is made out of recycled ocean plastic (85% of it anyway). It’s attractively designed but I wouldn’t call it super tough — it isn’t enclosed at the bottom and has 6-foot drop protection. It comes in four colors, including gambit green, which I like. (If you’re going to get a «green» case, it might as well be green.)

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KerfCase Plywood Case

Best wood case

$50 at Kerfcase

KerfCase has been making handmade wooden cases for a while, and its new Plywood case is not only more durable but less expensive than some, starting at $50, with 6-foot drop protection and a limited lifetime repair warranty. I like it better than other cases made of wood that I’ve tried. It’s also worth noting that Apple’s MagSafe charger will stick to the back of it, and KerfCase sells matching charging docks for the Apple MagSafe charger (yes, it’s an accessory for an accessory).

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Technologies

We Played Nintendo Switch 2: Mario, Donkey Kong, Mouse, Camera and a Lot More

Technologies

Nintendo Switch 2: Every Reveal About the Console, New Games, Price, Release Date

The $450 console launches June 5, with Mario Kart World the highlight of its launch day game lineup.

The Nintendo Switch 2 console’s biggest reveal yet arrived Wednesday as part of the company’s latest Nintendo Direct event. This teed up a day of Switch 2 reveals that include its June 5 release date, a $450 price, its specs and its initial game lineup that extends from launch into 2026.

The console will be further buoyed by having Mario Kart World as a launch title, which will go on sale in either a $500 bundle with the Switch 2 or on its own for $80 — making the open-world racing game one of Nintendo’s most expensive yet. Other games announced, such as Donkey Kong Bananza, are being priced around $70, which matches the cost of 2023’s The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. That Zelda game and Breath of the Wild are among the original Switch titles that will get enhanced Nintendo Switch 2 Edition upgrades, a premium upgrade allowing players to get new features, modes and graphical enhancements that take advantage of the newer system’s capabilities.

Here are the top highlights from Nintendo’s console event, all of the games we’ve heard about so far (including new titles, Nintendo Switch 2 Editions and GameCube games coming to Nintendo Switch Online) and all of our coverage so far. You can also check out our Nintendo Switch 2 live blog for even more updates about the Switch 2 as we learn them.

Nintendo Switch 2 console

The Nintendo Switch 2’s specs saw a noticeable technical bump over the Switch. The Nintendo Switch 2 has a 7.9-inch, 1080p resolution LCD that supports a 120Hz refresh rate — matching what we now see on most Android phones. When the Switch 2 is docked, compatible games can run in 4K resolution. The new dock also includes a cooling fan.

The Switch 2 comes with 256GB of internal storage, and the new Switch 2 Game Cards will load games faster. For digital libraries, however, the Switch 2 will only work with microSD Express cards, which are different from the microSD cards that are compatible with the prior Nintendo Switch. Nintendo will have a Software Transfer feature available to help move games and data from the original Switch to the Switch 2.

The new Joy-Con for the controllers will support mouse controls, and a new C button will be part of a new GameChat communication feature that allows both voice and video chat. There’s also a Nintendo Switch 2 Camera, allowing players to see each other.

The Switch 2 also adds a second USB-C port to the top of the system, which Nintendo says can help connect its new camera accessory or charge the console when playing in tabletop mode. Nintendo also revealed a new Switch 2 Pro Controller with the C button and customizable GL and GR buttons on the back.

Following the presentation, Nintendo unveiled the system’s price of $450 in the US. It will also sell the Switch 2 bundled with a digital version of Mario Kart World for $500.

Mario Kart World

Mario Kart World removes its traditional boundaries and lets drivers roam freely across an entire world of race courses. The game will get its own Nintendo Direct later this month, where we’ll see additional details, but we already know it’ll include traditional races and a Free Roam mode, much like in the Forza Horizon series.

Getting the game bundled for an extra $50 on the cost of the Switch 2 might be the move if you are interested in the game, because Nintendo announced on its website that standalone copies of Mario Kart World will cost $80.

Joy-Con 2 C button and GameChat

Nintendo’s rolling out its new C button across several new Switch 2 controllers. The button will be used for the new GameChat communication features without a headset. The button will be used alongside a microphone on the console itself, which Nintendo says can be used whether it’s docked to a TV or in handheld mode.

In its teaser video, Nintendo promises the microphone will be able to cancel out loud background noises. GameChat will also work with a Nintendo Switch 2 Camera, allowing video chat and various camera-based game modes in supported titles. GameChat will be free at launch through March 31, 2026.

Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games upgrade titles

The Nintendo Switch 2 will play three types of games: original Switch games, Switch 2 games and Switch 2 Edition games that will receive substantial enhancements. For many of these Switch 2 Edition games, you’ll need to buy an upgrade pack if you own the original for Switch. Many of them will get more than just enhanced graphics in the upgrade; for example, Super Mario Party Jamboree will get new games that support the new Joy-Cons’ mouse controls, audio recognition and video camera gameplay options through the Switch 2 Camera.

Other Nintendo Switch games that are getting Switch 2 Edition options include The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild, The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Metroid Prime 4 Beyond and Pokemon Legends: Z-A. Enhancements vary: The Zelda games will start working with a companion phone app for maps and sending schematics to friends, while Kirby will get a new story that’s exclusive to the Switch 2 Edition. On the third-party side, Civilization 7 will get mouse controls.

Nintendo did not announce what upgrade packs will cost. However, some Switch games will get free updates that will improve performance or enhance features when playing them on the Switch 2. The Switch games getting these updates include:

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is a new game set in the world of Zelda that tells the story that leads into The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. This appears to be similar to how Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity told the story of a war that led to the events of Breath of the Wild. The teaser shows Zelda discovering that she’s arrived in the past of Hyrule, and the game will expand on how she gets involved in the corresponding Imprisonment War.

Nintendo Switch 2 games

Several other first- and third-party games were spotlighted during the Switch 2 Direct. These include Donkey Bananza, one of the first 3D platforming games featuring DK since 1999’s Donkey Kong 64. Kirby will also return to the racing genre in Kirby Air Riders, which comes more than 20 years after the GameCube racer Kirby’s Air Ride. DragXDrive will use mouse controls to control a futuristic wheelchair basketball game in which players will simulate push and pull motions to control their character.

An onslaught of Switch 2 third-party games were quickly shuffled through during the Direct, which I list below. An unnamed James Bond game is in development at Hitman studio IO Interactive, as is a darker title from Elden Ring creator FromSoftware called The Duskbloods, which will be exclusive to the Switch 2.

The full list of announced Nintendo Switch 2 games includes:

Borderlands 4
Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster
Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition
Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion
Deltarune
Donkey Kong Bananza
Drag x Drive
EA Sports FC
EA Sports Madden NFL
Elden Ring Tarnished Edition
Enter the Gungeon 2
Fast Fusion
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade
Fortnite
Hades 2
Hitman World of Assassination — Signature Edition
Hogwarts Legacy
Hollow Knight: Silksong
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment
Kirby Air Riders
Kirby and the Forgotten Land — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition and Star-Crossed World
Kunitsu-Gai: Path of the Goddess
Mario Kart World
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
NBA 2K
Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour
Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening Complete Edition
Pokemon Legends: Z-A — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
Project 007
Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S
Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
Sid Meier’s Civilization 7 — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
Split Fiction
Star Wars Outlaws
Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions
Street Fighter 6
Super Mario Party Jamboree — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition and Jamboree TV
Survival Kids
The Duskbloods
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 and 4
WWE 2K
Yakuza 0 Definitive Edition

Among these titles, you can see the full list of June 5 Switch 2 launch day games here.

Nintendo GameCube library coming to Switch 2

The Nintendo Switch Online game library will add GameCube games to the Switch 2. On launch day, these games will initially include The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, SoulCalibur 2 and F-Zero GX, with each game getting enhanced graphics. Online multiplayer will also be added to certain titles. Super Mario Sunshine, Super Mario Strikers and Luigi’s Mansion are among the games set to arrive later. At launch, Nintendo will also sell a GameCube controller, which will be wireless and include a C button for GameChat.