Tested: Incipio’s 100% biodegradable iPhone 14 case plants a tree on your behalf

The 2022 Incipio iPhone 14 case collection arrived just hours after Apple unveiled its latest models. It features enhanced versions of its mainstay designs, including the Organicore model featured here today as well as some new entries like the more niche Forme variant with nature-inspired designs. The brand has been dishing up notable covers for Apple’s iPhones for years with a focus on an environmentally-friendly approach as of late, and now it’s time to give its Organicore iPhone 14 case a run for its money in the latest Tested with 9to5Toys feature. 

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Organicore Incipio iPhone 14 case review

The Incipio iPhone 14 case collection features a range of models, all of which are detailed in our launch coverage of this year’s lineup and appeared in our roundup of the best iPhone 14 cases out there. The brand’s Apple handset covers are among the more popular options we feature each year and the Organicore model is certainly among the standouts. 

Alongside the usual raised edges around the camera array and display, you’ll also find precision cutouts for the mute switch, speakers, and charging port, joining sealed volume and power button covers. From there, Incipio says its Impact Struts technology – “derived from proven protection tech in the automotive and sports industries” – delivers up to eight feet of drop protection complemented by wireless and MagSafe-compatible charging. 

But the real notable aspect of the Organicore, as the name implies, is its environmentally-conscious build. Organicore is Incipio’s 100% 100% biodegradable (in a compostable environment) composition that is said to dissolve “completely and harmlessly when discarded in a compostable environment.” It is “certified to meet or exceed global testing standards ASTM D6400 and EN 13431.” On top of that, the Eden Reforestation Projects will plant one tree for every Organicore case sold. 

Here’s a closer look at the spec sheet:

• 8-foot drop protection
• 100% compostable plant-based protection
• Impact Struts Protection technology reduces impact force
• Raised-edge bezel protects screen
• Works with wireless and MagSafe charging
• 5G compatible
• Lifetime guarantee

9to5Toys’ Take

The Organicore Incipio iPhone 14 case feels smooth in the hand, delivering an almost liquid silicone-like feel but with an even more slick approach. And I mean that literally – it is a little bit slippery to the touch but in an almost satisfying way. Some added ridges on both sides of the case help to add some extra grip to the experience, however. 

Available in clear with various colored sides, it also comes in charcoal and the “Natural” sandy treatment on display for this review. The latter of which is the most unique of the bunch if you ask me, featuring a sort of subtle speckled look with flecks of gray sprinkled throughout the off-white base color. 

Interior debossed text and logo set in the same color as the case itself carry over to the visible backside of the cover where you’ll find Incipio’s square-like logo. It is a good example of the thoughtful branding treatment and clean look I can appreciate – not too much but not too little for folks looking for a bit of extra interest beyond the completely flat, branding-free options out there. 

While we are talking about the interior, one of the gripes I have about this case is its completely naked approach. There’s no additional material or the plushy inside we see from some brands, but rather it’s just the same flecked material found on the outside. I would appreciate some kind of microfiber or something along those lines to rest my phone against, but that would likely be a challenge when it comes to the Organicore’s mission to be 100% compostable and, again, drive the price up even more. I’m sure it’s possible to maintain that environmental rating with some kind of additional treatment to the inside, but Incipio has decided to keep the cost down to deliver a plant-made solution to iPhone protection with no exceptions here. 

Now having a tree planted with your purchase is certainly wonderful and a nice perk for going with the Organicore Incipio iPhone 14 case, but it does feel a little bit basic for the $40 it sells for. I would like to have seen this case in the $25 to $30 range – Incipio cases rarely ever go on sale as well – to put it on par with some of the other basic silicone options out there. Having said that, the plant-based, compostable design is certainly a highlight you’ll rarely find in this price range from a brand as popular as Incipio, and considering many folks flip their phone out with a new case every year or two, the $40 is worth consideration for anyone looking to do their part in preserving the planet, no matter how small it may or may not be. 

It is available on Amazon for the same $40 you’ll find directly from Incipio, but only from third-party sellers without Amazon fulfillment.

Buy the Organicore Incipio iPhone 14 case