What makes Pela so eco-friendly?

While people measure eco-friendliness in many ways and by different standards, we measure it by the way we minimize harm to the environment in comparison to traditional plastic cases. We are hyper-aware of the greenwashing happening—using eco-friendliness as a marketing tool to sell more products— and are actively trying to avoid being lumped into that category. For us, that doesn’t mean we claim to be perfect, but we strive to be better and better with every business decision we make.

From manufacturing to packaging, here’s how we hope to displace waste and pollution in the tech accessory market:

Material

• Flaxstic uses renewable feedstock (starch, natural fibres) as a substitute for petroleum-based feedstock and reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions associated with plastic production
• Our compostable material helps to reduce landfill waste, breaking down completely without leaving behind any toxic residue
• Solid waste landfills are one of the largest man-made sources of methane gas (CH4) in the US. Methane is known to trap heat and is a powerful greenhouse gas that is linked to climate change and global warming
• Our packaging material is plastic-free - why does your case need a case? We ship our cases naked in a 100% recycled and recyclable paper envelope (also compostable) to further reduce our plastic waste footprint and single-use plastic consumption
• Flax shive is an annually renewable byproduct of the flax oilseed harvest in Canada and is typically burned down at the end of each season. Using this “waste” byproduct gives our cases added strength and natural shock absorption and provides local farmers with another source of revenue
• What good is a plant-based material if it’s not beautiful and functional? We agree! A phone case that does not protect your phone or breaks down easily is just another piece of junk, regardless of its properties. That’s why we always iterate our products to ensure that Pela Case is designed to serve you for as long as you need it

Manufacturing

• Wherever we can in the process, we use reputable local businesses and resources to help fill our needs. Not only do we love supporting our local makers in Canada, this helps us reduce our transportation of goods footprint as well as using pre-existing facilities instead of building new ones and taking up more space and resources
• For example, we use a local injection mold facility and a local engraver in Saskatchewan so we can manage inventory to meet demand and reduce the amount of overstock we make
• We do meticulous market research and so we are not creating products that have low or short-term demand. While sometimes in business it is tempting to make stuff just to cash in, for us, we measure profits and sales against the long-term impact on the planet
• Our products are made ethically with fair wages and safe practices across the entire process

Giving Back

• Pela is a proud member of 1% for the Planet where we donate a percent of our sales to non-profit environmental organizations. Our main focus is clean water and clean ocean initiatives but we are hoping to help out other environmental causes that help protect the natural playgrounds we love
• Pela partners with environmentally focussed organizations throughout the year on special collaborations to help support events and raise awareness for environmental causes
• Our Pay it Forward referral program rewards sales by donating $3 to a charity on behalf of the customer who made the successful referral. That means, just by sharing on Facebook and Twitter, our customers can help us raise money for charities like Amnesty International and World Wildlife Fund

Wow you made it to the end! Craving more? More fun reading about our sustainability strategy is located here: https://pelacase.com/sustainability-strategy/our-footprint