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The 8 Best Eco-Friendly iPhone 12 and 12 Pro Cases

Protect your iPhone 12 from damage with these eco-friendly phone cases.

Updated Nov. 8, 2023 1:00 p.m. PT

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Written by  Charlotte Maracina David Carnoy
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Charlotte Maracina is an associate writer for CNET based in Long Island, New York. When not writing about top products on the market, she's traveling, binging Love Island or following Harry Styles on tour.
Expertise Charlotte has two years of experience tracking different travel, fashion and lifestyle trends among 18-24 year olds. She studied Communications and Sociology at Belmont University.
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Executive Editor David Carnoy has been a leading member of CNET's Reviews team since 2000. He covers the gamut of gadgets and is a notable reviewer of mobile accessories and portable audio products, including headphones and speakers. He's also an e-reader and e-publishing expert as well as the author of the novels Knife Music, The Big Exit and Lucidity. All the titles are available as Kindle, iBooks, Nook e-books and audiobooks.
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$30 at Moment
moment-thin-case-for-iphone-12
Best for adding camera lens
MagSafe Compatible Moment Case for iPhone 12
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$25 at Nimble
nimble-iphone-12-2
Best clear eco case
Nimble Disc Case
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$17 at Walmart
incipio-organicore-iphone-case
Incipio's green case
Incipio Organicore
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$58 at Casetify
casetify-ultra-compostable
Customizable compostable case
Casetify Ultra Compostable Cases
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$9 at Amazon
eplanita-eco-case
Under $10 option
Eplantita Eco-Friendly Case
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$17 at Walmart
lifeproof-wake
Recycled ocean plastic
LifeProof Wake
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$15 at Amazon
The Tech21 Eco Slim case for iPhone 12 comes in a few different colors
Top slim eco iPhone 12 case
Tech 21 Eco Slim Phone Case
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$50 at KerfCase
kerf-wooden-iphone-12-cases
Best wood case
KerfCase Plywood Case
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While the tech industry still has a lot of catching up to do to be carbon neutral, sustainable iPhone cases are on the rise. These iPhone cases, made from recycled or biodegradable materials, are more than capable of helping the environment and protecting your phone. Biodegradable cases won't harm Mother Nature for years after you're done using them. Some of the cases listed below are made out of both recycled plastic and plant-based materials that are biodegradable. 

Eco cases can look and feel slightly different from standard thermoplastic polyurethane, or TPU, cases -- particularly the wooden ones -- but most people wouldn't even realize you were using an eco-friendly case unless you told them. Many offer good drop protection, and all the cases on this list are compatible with wireless chargers.

It's also worth noting that many of these cases are available for earlier iPhone models, including the iPhone 11 and iPhone XS, and many of those cases are discounted.

Read more: Best iPhone 12 and 12 Pro Cases

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$30 at Moment

Best for adding camera lens

MagSafe Compatible Moment Case for iPhone 12

Moment's iPhone 12 case is thin and comes with a soft-to-the-touch texture. It is made out of biodegradable materials so the body is compostable after the polycarbonate parts are removed. It can be tossed in your compost bin when you are done with the product. 

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$25 at Nimble

Best clear eco case

Nimble Disc Case

You know all those compact discs you no longer listen to? Nimble makes translucent iPhone cases out of them. They're a little pricey at $50, but some of us like the idea of protecting the latest technology with recycled technology and don't mind paying a little extra for that. They have antimicrobial protection, are scratch-resistant and aren't supposed to turn yellow over time. While the Disc Case is slim, it's rated for 6-foot drop protection. 

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$17 at Walmart

Incipio's green case

Incipio Organicore

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: black, natural and eucalyptus (pictured here). They look and feel similar to the Torro Eco Cover cases and it's really a toss-up between the two brands. The Torro's main advantage is that it comes in more eye-catching colors -- the red and blue do pop -- and currently costs less.

Note that Amazon is discounting certain colors of the Organicore case  (the natural version is $10), but the green version shown is $15. Also, the Organicore is available in a iPhone 12 Pro Max version, but it costs more. 

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$58 at Casetify

Customizable compostable case

Casetify Ultra Compostable Cases

Casetify recently launched its new Ultra Compostable Cases. Compared to its earlier Conscious cases, this new eco model increases the drop-protection to 6.6 feet and is made with the 100% compostable, plant-based material Ecotify, the company's proprietary blend of biopolymers, starch and bamboo grain.

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 the screens and is available in seven color options. The price is high at $66, but the case is customizable with personalization and prints.

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$9 at Amazon

Under $10 option

Eplantita Eco-Friendly Case

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 only $9. Eplantita says its case is built from 100% biodegradable wheat straw and recyclable TPU. It fully covers your phone and has raised edges, so that should help with any face-down drops. It's available in several color options.

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$22 at Walmart

Recycled ocean plastic

LifeProof Wake

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 this teal variant, which I happen to like best. (If you're going to get a "green" case, it might as well be green.) 

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$15 at Amazon

Top slim eco iPhone 12 case

Tech 21 Eco Slim Phone Case

Tech 21 offers a few different eco-friendly case options for the iPhone 12 series. The cases are made of biodegradable materials and have a grippy texture that helps you avoid having your phone slip out of your hand. The Eco Slim model is available in a few different color options and offers good drop protection (it's rated for up to 10-foot drops) while also being relatively slim. Prices vary a bit by the type of iPhone 12 you have but most versions cost $15 or less. 

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$50 at KerfCase

Best wood case

KerfCase Plywood Case

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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