CASETiFY cases are showing up all over social media, and they certainly sound great. The brand boasts that their cases not only look great, but are also good for the environment. But, are they actually everything they seem to be? Let's take a good look at these cases and find out!
To really find out if CASETiFY cases are worth it, we're going to look at their reviews, the company itself, and answer some important questions. Finally, we'll see what some other options are, and if there are better choices out there.
Table of contents
Let's start by taking a look at the CASETiFY brand.
What is CASETiFY?
CASETiFY is a phone case brand built on the idea of turning your photos into phone cases, but they have significantly expanded since then. They now have multiple lines of phone cases out that are designed based on different priorities, such as protection, sustainability, or customizability.
If you want a durable case, you'll choose from CASETiFY's impact case series. If you're prioritizing sustainability, you'd then choose one of their recycled cases or even one of their compostable cases. However, when the cases are separated like this, it seems like you're trading protection for sustainability. Also, can a brand really call itself sustainable if only some of their products are designed with sustainability in mind?
If being eco-friendly is truly your goal, yet you still want cute and protective cases, then you should go for a brand that is wholeheartedly designed to be sustainable, such as Pela. Not only are all Pela cases compostable and protective, but the company is all about helping both people and the planet.
CASETiFY reviews: what to expect from a CASETiFY phone case
As with most brands, there are a variety of both positive and negative customer reviews. Of course, the CASETiFY website shows nothing but glowing reviews for their phone cases. However, you can easily find some less stellar reviews when checking out CASETiFY on other sites. Some fairly negative reviews can be found even on sites Sitejabber where they have an average rating of 1.4/5 stars.
The positive reviews are as you'd expect them to be: some people just love the cases they receive and are happy with the transactions they made. However, it's always important to take a look at the negative reviews to see if there are any issues that are consistently brought up.
From what we've seen in the latest reviews, there seem to be two major consistent issues. The first one is CASETiFY's terrible customer service. No matter the situation, whether there was a simple payment issue, shipping delay, or the buyer just wasn't happy with their products, customer service appears to be simply non-helpful or downright terrible to deal with. Here are a couple of reviews showing this problem:
Another common complaint is about the durability of CASETiFY's phone cases. Many buyers found that their cases were just falling apart within a few months of getting them. Some even complained that their cases were essentially useless within only a month of their purchase. This combined with aggravating and unhelpful customer service makes for a pretty terrible experience (and potentially a waste of money). Here are some examples of these critical reviews:
7 FAQs about CASETiFY and their phone cases
Now that we've taken a general look at the CASETiFY reviews, let's dig deeper into some more specific questions.
1. Are CASETiFY cases protective?
This is going to depend on the type of CASETiFY case you buy, and even then it's hard to say. The impact series cases are their most durable, which CASETiFY claims has a drop protection of 6.6ft. On the other hand, if you want a compostable case, that'll only get you 4ft of drop protection.
That's all assuming those drop protection ratings are accurate, which they may not be. There are quite a few reviews complaining that the cases failed to protect phones from even shorter drops:
2. How long does CASETiFY take to ship?
Currently, CASETiFY ships worldwide, so how long it takes to get your case will depend on where you live.They claim cases will be shipped within 1-6 business days of purchasing your case. After that, it will take anywhere from 6-12 business days to reach US buyers, or 5-23 business days to reach non-US buyers.
Long shipping times aren't always horrible, but that's if you know you're going to be happy with the product when it arrives. If the product gets to you already defective, which some buyers have complained about, having to deal with return shipping and waiting to replace the case can be real troublesome.
3. Do CASETiFY cases turn yellow?
The short answer is yes. Even CASETiFY mentions on their website that the material used to make clear cases is prone to yellowing. However, some reviewers complained about non-clear cases yellowing, and in short periods of time. Other buyers also mentioned other discoleration issues, such as graying or dulling colors.
CASETiFY cases also seem to have an issue with their designs peeling off the cases, as this reviewer mentions:
4. Is CASETiFY legit?
Yes, CASETiFY is a legit company. If you order from them, you will get the phone case you ordered (unless there's been some sort of mistake). The only thing is that the quality of the case may not be what you're expecting. While some people are happy, others are clearly upset with the product quality they've received.
5. What is CASETiFY’s mission?
As stated on their website, "CASETiFY’s mission is to allow customers to express their individuality, creativity and personal style through tech accessories." While this goal is fine, it's far more concerned with self-expression than sustainability. If being eco-friendly is important to you, you should consider supporting a more sustainably-focused brand.
For example, Pela's mission is to eliminate the world's waste issue. Every product they've developed has been in pursuit of that goal, and it's important to Pela that eco-friendly products are accessible to everyone. Compostable cases are just one way for Pela to help reduce the plastic waste in the world.
6. How sustainable is CASETiFY?
CASETiFY is dipping its toes into environmental consciousness. They have a line of compostable phone cases, as well as some phone cases that are partially made from recycled materials. However, that does mean that they do have some cases that continue to use non-sustainable materials.
Outside of their products, however, they've done little to help the environment. They have partnered with earthday.org's Canopy Project, which means that they'll be planting trees for every compostable case sold. However, that's only a small portion of their phone case collection.
If sustainability is your priority, there are far more eco-friendly brands for you to support. Aside from Pela's sustainable products meant to help you protect the planet, Pela gets involved in helping the earth itself. First, Pela always purchases carbon offsets to maintain carbon neutrality. On top of that, Pela partners with and donates to multiple environmental organizations to ensure profits are reaching good causes.
7. Are CASETiFY cases truly compostable?
Yes, CASETiFY cases are actually compostable, and not just biodegradable (as some companies try to pass off as compostable). However, that may not mean exactly what you think it does. While CASETiFY phone cases can be composted, you won't be able to compost them at home as you might expect.
Instead, their phone cases need to be composted in industrial composting facilities. This is simply because an industrial facility can create ideal composting environments that you can't create at home. If your municipality has an industrial composting facility and a good green bin system, then this would be fine for you. However, many municipalities simply don't, meaning your CASETiFY case would end up in the trash like any other plastic case.
If you want a phone case that you truly can compost at home, you need to pick up a Pela case. Pela cases don't need the same conditions as a CASETiFY case to compost, and you can throw a Pela case in a backyard compost pile. To take it a step further, you can even compost your Pela case in a Lomi if you have one.
Is CASETiFY worth it?
Whether or not CASETiFY is worth it depends on your priorities. Are you okay with decent custom phone cases that are slightly better than just plastic, but that you can customize however you like? If so, CASETiFY is perfect. However, if you're looking for a high quality case from an co-friendly brand, look elsewhere.
Pela case: a cute, protective, and eco-friendly alternative to CASETiFY
Although CASETiFY is fairly popular on social media these days, it's hardly the best quality phone case you can find out there. If you're looking for a phone case that'll look great, actually protect your phone, and comes from a brand that values sustainability and acts with the environment in mind, then Pela cases are what you're looking for.
Pela is Climate Neutral certified, and a certified B Corporation, both of which show the brand's dedication to the care of the planet. Plus, Pela cases aren't just compostable, but they're made easy for you to compost at home. It's even easier if you have a Lomi of your own, as well.
But, even putting sustainability to the side, Pela cases are top-quality. They come in a huge variety of designs, so you're sure to find something you enjoy. On top of that, they're slim and flexible for maximum comfort, but have a nice grip and solid design for maximum protection. You just can't go wrong with Pela case!
Just because CASETiFY cases are popular, doesn't mean they're worth it. However, they've got both positive and negative reviews, so it's up to you whether you think they're a good fit for you. If you'd prefer super cute, eco-friendly and protective cases, check out Pela's case collection online!
Written by: Sereana Simpson