Apple's Discontinuation of Leather Cases: A Shift to Fine Woven and Profitability

Apple's leather cases have been around since the iPhone 5s in 2013, gaining popularity among users who sought premium and durable accessories. However, despite their widespread use, all leather products from Apple were discontinued along with every other leather offering. The decision to discontinue leather was attributed to environmental concerns, as Apple cited that leather has a significant carbon footprint, which contributes to reducing the company's impact on the environment.

According to Apple, the decision to phase out leather is driven by the need to reduce its environmental impact. The company explained that while leather may be a popular material for accessories, it comes with a substantial carbon footprint. In an effort to minimize this impact, Apple has introduced a new material called Fine Woven, which replaces leather in their products, including watchbands.

The introduction of Fine Woven was met with mixed reviews from reviewers and users alike. While many agreed that the material felt premium, with a suede-like texture, others were disappointed by its lack of durability. Some reported signs of wear even after minimal use, likely due to the material's fragility. Furthermore, several critics argued that Fine Woven does not live up to Apple's environmental claims, as microfibers used in this material contribute to plastic pollution and create a new form of waste.

One expert who challenged the environmentally friendly aspect of Fine Woven is a Design and Merchandising Professor. This individual pointed out that microfibers are bad for the environment due to their contribution to plastic pollution. The professor's concerns highlight the complexity surrounding Apple's decision to adopt this material, as it may not align with the company's stated environmental goals.

So, why did Apple decide to discontinue leather? There is a theory that while Apple has saved on carbon emissions by switching to Fine Woven, they have also saved money in another area. Genuine leather is typically more expensive than fabric, which means that by adopting a lower-cost material like Fine Woven, Apple can enjoy increased profit margins without affecting customer prices. This strategy is reminiscent of the company's approach in 2020, when they stopped including bricks and earpods in their iPhone boxes, citing the need to reduce e-waste.

The decision to adopt Fine Woven over leather not only has environmental implications but also significant financial benefits for Apple. By continuing to sell cases at the same price point as before ($60), the company can reap increased profits without passing on the cost to customers. This strategy is a classic example of how companies like Apple balance their commitment to sustainability with their bottom line, often prioritizing the latter.

In conclusion, Apple's discontinuation of leather cases and its replacement with Fine Woven raise important questions about environmental responsibility and corporate profitability. While the introduction of Fine Woven may seem like a positive step towards reducing waste and carbon emissions, it is essential to consider the potential drawbacks and motivations behind this decision. As consumers become increasingly aware of these issues, companies must walk the fine line between sustainability and profit maximization.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enApple's leather cases have been around since the iPhone 5s in 2013 they became popular among users who wanted something more premium and durable than Apple's silicone cases but despite their popularity they've been discontinued along with every leather product Apple's offered so why is this well Apple cited environmental reasons for the change saying leather is a popular material for accessories but it has a significant carbon footprint to reduce our impact will no longer include leather in any new Apple product including watchbands and that starts today after the announcement they introduced a new material to replace leather called Fine woven which Apple claimed was a luxurious and durable microwill most reviewers agreed that the material felt premium with a suedel likee texture but the durability claim didn't hold up many people complained about signs of wear out of the box likely due to the material being so fragile that even a fingernail left permanent scuff marks that couldn't be buffed out even the environmentally friendly aspect of fine woven was challenged with a Design and Merchandising Professor arguing that microfibers are bad for the environment since they create a new form of plastic pollution so considering all the downsides of this new material why did Apple get rid of leather well there's a theory that while Apple has saved on carbon emissions they also saved on something else money from Apple watch bands to Aires belts genuine leather is almost always more expensive than fabric which is why many found it strange that Apple didn't lower the price of their case when switching from leather to fine woven the new material may feel premium but it's very unlikely that it cost Apple the same to produce so by continuing to sell the case for $60 Apple could enjoy more profit without increasing the price for customers which is the same strategy they used in 2020 when charging bricks and earpods were no longer included in the iPhone's box Apple said they did it to save on E-Waste but they also happen to be saving an estimated $3 billion per year here so while it's true that Apple stopped using leather for environmental reasons it's likely also true that shifting to lower cost material boosted profits this is Greg with apple explained and if you want to learn how I make videos like these let me know by tapping the link in the commentsApple's leather cases have been around since the iPhone 5s in 2013 they became popular among users who wanted something more premium and durable than Apple's silicone cases but despite their popularity they've been discontinued along with every leather product Apple's offered so why is this well Apple cited environmental reasons for the change saying leather is a popular material for accessories but it has a significant carbon footprint to reduce our impact will no longer include leather in any new Apple product including watchbands and that starts today after the announcement they introduced a new material to replace leather called Fine woven which Apple claimed was a luxurious and durable microwill most reviewers agreed that the material felt premium with a suedel likee texture but the durability claim didn't hold up many people complained about signs of wear out of the box likely due to the material being so fragile that even a fingernail left permanent scuff marks that couldn't be buffed out even the environmentally friendly aspect of fine woven was challenged with a Design and Merchandising Professor arguing that microfibers are bad for the environment since they create a new form of plastic pollution so considering all the downsides of this new material why did Apple get rid of leather well there's a theory that while Apple has saved on carbon emissions they also saved on something else money from Apple watch bands to Aires belts genuine leather is almost always more expensive than fabric which is why many found it strange that Apple didn't lower the price of their case when switching from leather to fine woven the new material may feel premium but it's very unlikely that it cost Apple the same to produce so by continuing to sell the case for $60 Apple could enjoy more profit without increasing the price for customers which is the same strategy they used in 2020 when charging bricks and earpods were no longer included in the iPhone's box Apple said they did it to save on E-Waste but they also happen to be saving an estimated $3 billion per year here so while it's true that Apple stopped using leather for environmental reasons it's likely also true that shifting to lower cost material boosted profits this is Greg with apple explained and if you want to learn how I make videos like these let me know by tapping the link in the comments\n"