When it comes to iPhone cases, plastic is played out. All the cool kids are rocking wooden cases these days, and while there are plenty of brands that peddle wooden accessories, nobody does it quite like Grovemade (formerly Grove).
Coming straight out of DT’s hometown of Portland, OR, Grovemade designs and manufactures handcrafted wood and leather smartphone accessories. The company got its start making cases and stands from things like bamboo and upcycled skateboard decks, but today they’ve announced a new line of products made from walnut and maple. Here’s a quick overview:
iPhone case
Designed for iPhone 5/5s, these new cases are precision milled from solid hunks of domestically-sourced black walnut and eastern hardrock maple, then inlaid with a solid inner core for additional durability. The cases are designed to provide easy access to all the connectors and ports on the device, and also include a wood-actuated button on top for easy locking/unlocking. After they’re put together, each case is then hand sanded and rubbed with natural oils for an artisan finish. And, of course, since each case starts from it’s own block of wood, no two cases are alike. Walnut and Maple cases retail at $99 and the classic Bamboo case retails at $79.
iPhone dock
Much like its iPhone cases, Grovemade’s iPhone dock starts its life as a solid piece of wood. Once it’s milled down to the proper size (one that accomodates iPhone 4/4s, 5/5s/5C), it’s affixed to a three pound precision-milled steel base of the same size. This extra heft helps ensure that the dock won’t cling to your phone and lift off your desk when you pull it off, thereby enabling one-handed docking/undocking. Grovemade’s docks are available with a black or silver steel base in combination with the Walnut or Maple cap, retailing at $99, and the classic bamboo, retailing at $79.
Walnut iPad case
Handcrafted from dark Oregon walnut, Grovemade’s iPad case is designed for both iPad Air and iPad Mini. Despite the rigid material it’s made from, the case’s clever construction allows it to fold into three different standing positions. The covers are carefully crafted to ensure that your iPad can easily slide in and out, and is lined with suede to protect your device from any scratches and scuffs. You can snag one for iPad Mini for $109 bucks, whereas the iPad Air case will put you back $129.
