I’ve been using Apple’s FineWoven iPhone 15 Pro case for a week — and I get the backlash

iPhone 15 Pro in a FineWoven case
(Image credit: Future)

The dust has settled on Apple’s Wonderlust event, and the first reactions on the company’s new products are starting to roll in. One product in particular has taken something of a critical mauling over the past couple weeks, and it's not any of the iPhone 15 models released at the event.

Instead, the FineWoven case, introduced as an environmental alternative to leather, is a $59 iPhone 15 Pro accessory Apple bills as “durable micro-twill” that has a “soft, suede-like feel”. 

Reviewers haven’t seen it that way. Federico Viticci, editor-in-chief at Macstories.net, called it “the worst accessory Apple’s ever produced.” After placing his iPhone down on a restaurant table, he found it had picked up an unsightly stain that led him to post on Mastodon that “I’ve had $10 cases from Amazon feel more premium than this”. Ouch.

Charging $59 for an accessory brings with it a certain expectation that needs to be met.

If you’ve somehow missed the reasoning behind Apple’s shift away from leather, it’s to do with the company’s sustainability goals. Apple says its FineWoven material is made from 68% post-consumer recycled content and claims via its Environmental Progress Report that it follows “standards established by the international community” to “confirm that a material has been recycled or comes from a renewable source — one that can continually produce without depleting the earth’s resources.”

And, to be clear, Apple should be applauded for its environmental practices. I am of the firm belief tech companies can and should do more to promote and act on sustainability. Apple’s shipment of its first totally carbon neutral product in the aluminum Apple Watch Series 9 with new sport loop strap is a huge achievement made all the more impressive by the fact the carbon neutrality holds through the lifetime use of the product by the customer.

But here’s the rub; charging $59 for an accessory brings with it a certain expectation that needs to be met. Bill Gates calls the inflated pricing needed for responsibly-sourced products and services a Green Premium, which I am prepared to accept. But I think Apple would have been wiser to drop the price to around the $39 mark to gain a little ground with customers making the switch. 

It seems to me the FineWoven case won't hold up as as well as a leather alternative. But given a leather iPhone case could set you back anywhere between $59 to $129, a lower price for the FineWove alternative would have helped smooth over some of the defects in what is, technically, a first-gen product.

Thoughts after using the FineWoven case

iPhone 15 Pro in a FineWoven case

(Image credit: Future)

I’ve been using a Taupe FineWoven case on an iPhone 15 Pro for a week or so, provided to me by Apple. And already, there are scratches, marks and scuffs on the case from just the general day-to-day use of pulling it in and out of my pocket and laying it on a desk. 

It comes down to personal preference but I generally think possessions look a little better with a few scars to show a life well lived. But picking up marks, stains and indentations in just a week is a bit of a stretch. I don’t know how the FineWoven case will hold up to several years’ worth of daily usage but I’m not hugely optimistic. What happens if it takes a tumble from a pocket and the case lands hard on rough, jagged gravel?

But look, it’s really not all bad. While there are drawbacks, I’ve also noticed some good things after using the FineWoven case for a week. The fit to the iPhone 15 Pro is, as you would expect, perfectly contoured and the anodized metal side buttons give you great tactile feedback as you hit the Action button. I also happen to like the color options Apple has produced — even if others aren’t enamoured with them. In addition, there doesn’t appear to be any ill-effects from getting the case wet, at least not in my experience.

Bottom line is while the FineWoven case is a step in the right direction from an ecological standpoint, its premium pricing and long-term durability are questions without answers. There’s a reason the FineWoven case isn’t on our list of best iPhone 15 Pro cases

As ever, there’s a healthy amount of subjective preference involved, so let me know your thoughts on Apple’s FineWoven in the comments.

More from Tom's Guide

TOPICS
Jeff Parsons
UK Editor In Chief

Jeff is UK Editor-in-Chief for Tom’s Guide looking after the day-to-day output of the site’s British contingent. Rising early and heading straight for the coffee machine, Jeff loves nothing more than dialling into the zeitgeist of the day’s tech news.

A tech journalist for over a decade, he’s travelled the world testing any gadget he can get his hands on. Jeff has a keen interest in fitness and wearables as well as the latest tablets and laptops. A lapsed gamer, he fondly remembers the days when problems were solved by taking out the cartridge and blowing away the dust.

Read more
Closeup of iPhone 16e main camera.
I was really excited about the iPhone 16e, but not anymore — here's why I won't be upgrading
iPhone 16e review.
Apple iPhone 16e review: The right trade-offs?
iPhone SE 4 renders
iPhone SE 4 rumors paint an exciting picture — and that has me worried
Best AirPods Max cases: AirPods Max cases lede image showing AirPods Max headphones surrounded by cases on test
The best AirPods Max cases and covers 2025
iPhone 16 Pro Max and iPhone 16 Pro showing rear cameras in hand
iPhone 17 Pro could come with a brand new design — and I think that's a terrible idea
iphone 16e pros and cons with green thumbs up and red thumbs down
5 reasons to buy the iPhone 16e — and 3 reasons to skip
Latest in iPhones
iPhone 17 Air concept image
iPhone 17 Air just tipped for exclusive upgrade regular iPhone 17 won't get
iPhone 16 Pro Max
iPhone 18 may miss out on this performance upgrade — what we know
iPhone 17 Air render
iPhone 17 Air — 5 biggest revelations from new in-depth report
Zens Quattro Wireless Charging Pro 4 charging station with 3 iphones and an AirPods case
Double-decker 'AirPower' charger now available from Apple — here's what it costs
Foldable iPhone concept image
Are you sitting down? Here’s what the foldable iPhone could cost
iOS 19 logo on an iPhone
iOS 19's big redesign is tipped to bring a whole new look and unite all of Apple's devices — and pave the way for a foldable iPhone
Latest in Opinion
Woody Harrelson as Duncan Allcock in "Last Breath"
The most intense survival thriller of 2025 so far is now streaming — and viewers rate it 92% on Rotten Tomatoes
MacBook Air vs Pro - Apple Silicon
MacBook Air 15-inch M4 vs MacBook Pro 14-inch M4: Which is right for you?
A close up image of the Apple Wallet app
iOS 18.4 adds a new way to track your spending — but I think Apple can go even further
A person plugging a coaxial cable into the wall
I finally added internet to my kitchen and all it took was my old cable TV wiring — here’s how
Apple Intelligence on an iPhone screen
Apple analysts sound alarm on Siri delay — here’s why
samsung galaxy s25 edge mockup at galaxy unpacked
Galaxy S25 Edge is overhyped — I want Samsung to make this phone thinner instead