Apple today shared a new iPhone ad titled "Goodbye Leather" on its UK YouTube channel, stirring controversy months after the company faced backlash for transitioning accessories from leather to the criticized "FineWoven" fabric material. Apple's move to phase out leather accessories for environmental reasons was noble, but the FineWoven accessories didn't quite hit the mark.
Just days after the release of the first FineWoven iPhone case, some customers and media outlets complained about the fabric's susceptibility to scratches and stains. Additionally, a photo surfaced showing misaligned cutouts for the USB-C port on a FineWoven phone case.
Joanna Stern of The Wall Street Journal reported that her FineWoven case had turned "banana-peel yellow" after five months of use.
Writing in her Tech Things newsletter, she said, "The edges are peeling, the fabric is scratched like an old CD, and it's turned banana-peel yellow. I've been waiting for the CDC to come to my house and declare it a biomedical hazard."
Apple has yet to comment on the criticisms of FineWoven, leaving speculation about whether the company will discontinue the product line or improve the material in any way. We await further developments.
