“It’s browning like a rotten banana”: a senior WSJ tech columnist’s take on Apple’s FineWoven case

Back in September 2023, a serious portion of Apple’s Wonderlust event was dedicated to the Cupertino giant’s eco-friendly re-orientation.

That’s when the FineWoven was introduced: a new luxurious material to replace leather in Apple products.

This move may have won Apple the PETA Company of the Year, but the Wall Street Journal’s Joanna Stern is far from okay with the way FineWoven is aging:

There it is, everyone. My iPhone 15 Pro Max’s FineWoven case after five months of use. The edges are peeling, the fabric is scratched up like an old CD, and it’s browning like a rotten banana. I’ve been waiting for the CDC to show up at my house to declare it a biomedical concern.


According to Stern, many could share the same issues with the FineWoven. She recalls how Apple said this FineWoven material was “an elegant and durable new textile” and that it was made from 68% “post-consumer recycled content”. To which the WSJ’s senior tech columnist says: “Admirable. Except nothing has been fine about the FineWoven case”.

“At online retailers, the people who gave the case one or two stars all point out the same issues—peeling edges, scratches, proclivity to get dirty. On Best Buy, many say they’ll never buy an Apple case again and that it’s the worst product Apple’s ever made. Same on Amazon”, continues Stern’s stimulating report.

She says Apple’s advice for cleaning the FineWoven case with laundry detergent and water helps, but “the thing is still scratched and peeling”.