Jessica Nix for Bloomberg News:
The fabric, which Apple calls FineWoven, has been panned for being prone to scratches and stains — with an almost-slippery feel that’s off-putting to some. What began as a high-minded effort to make Apple’s products carbon neutral is now threatening to be one of the company’s biggest misfires of 2023.
Apple describes FineWoven as an all-new textile that’s made from 68% post-consumer recycled material. It’s part of a push to phase out leather throughout its product line, including iPhone cases and Apple Watch bands, in a step toward being carbon neutral across the company’s entire global operations.
MacDailyNews Take: There is no leather farming industry. (Cattle hides typically represent less than 2% of the total value of a U.S. beef animal.) Beef farming will continue regardless of demand for leather. In the U.S. alone, there are some 33 million cattle hides left over from cattle farming every year. Left over cattle hides not recycled for leather instead go to landfill or are otherwise destroyed as waste. Ending the use of leather use would significantly increase landfill and greenhouse gas emissions. The burning or disposal in U.S. landfills of 33 million unused hides would generate more than 750,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions every year – and fill all current U.S. landfill sites within four years. Globally, some 300 million hides would be wasted with 6.6 million tons of surplus emissions every year.
If we used iPhone cases, they would be leather. We’d simply switch from Apple to a quality third-party case make who still offers real leather.
But FineWoven has yet to clear its first hurdle: winning over the Apple fanatics and early adopters that snapped up the product before anyone else. Federico Viticci, a blogger and podcaster who runs the MacStories site, is one such user. He posted on Mastodon that he saw a stain on his FineWoven case after going out for dinner.
“I honestly think this is one of the worst accessories Apple’s produced,” he said. “I may just throw this out now. (Great for the environment!)”
There’s some irony in FineWoven being one of the biggest controversies surrounding the launch of the iPhone 15. This is the year that Apple switched the phone to a USB-C connector, and that was expected to trigger outrage among consumers.
MacDailyNews Take: So, is Apple playing 3-D “Control the Narrative” Chess here by deliberately releasing “FineWoven” junk – which has been resoundingly panned by nearly every reputable reviewer and which Apple employees must have clearly been able to foresee would be poorly received – in order to focus criticism on a meaningless accessory instead of iPhone 15?
Perhaps it’s not the cases that are FineWoven™, but Apple PR’s pre-built narrative?
It’d be a brilliant pre-crisis diversionary tactic if true. Instead of waiting for the annual “iPhone-gate” to be ginned up by naysayers and short sellers, Apple may have smartly prepared their own “FineWoven-gate” knowing that it would only hurt sales of one type of iPhone case (Apple still sells excellent Apple-branded silicone and polycarbonate cases which, by the way, are, or contain added chemicals, derived from fossil fuels) while also helping boost sales of third-party iPhone leather case makers and, importantly, leaving their new iPhone lineup free from some “iPhone-gate” firestorm.
Why be reactive when you can be proactive?
So, is Apple’s “FineWoven” junk an intentional self-sacrificial feint meant to divert attention from the Lightning to USB switch, excessive heat during charging or long periods of use, etc. or did Apple, in a fit of misplaced environmental virtue-signaling, just go too far by dumping quality, long-lasting leather for trashy fabric cases?
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Finewoven is just more useless, feel good, woke bullshit.
Has anyone tried unplugging the libturds and plugging them back in again to see if they get any smarter?
Let’s see if that works with you. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/here-are-the-stunning-heat-records-set-so-far-this-summer1/
Here’s what your bullshit article omits:
Scientists mark the start of modern global record-keeping at just 143 years ago, in 1880.
The Little Ice Age ended roughly around 1850 at which point temperatures began to creep back up to normal. When record-keeping began shortly thereafter, temperatures were still low. Little Ice Age low.
That is why you have “record historical high temps” today. The “history” is only 143 years long and begins when the Little Ice Age ends, genius.
More: https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/rick-moran/2023/02/26/former-reuters-editor-says-he-was-misled-on-climate-change-n1673897
Little Ice Age based arguments are pseudoscientific bs that make even less sense now than when they were first shoveled out more than a quarter century ago. The Little Ice Age was not a global phenomenon, and has no bearing on the exceedingly well documented rise in global temperature https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn11645-climate-myths-we-are-simply-recovering-from-the-little-ice-age/
I, jdot say this:
“Climate Change” has been ongoing for millions of years, and our industrial age has only been around for a comparative nanosecond. Temps have repeatedly increased due so sun volatility.
Only govt-grifting “scientists” are suckered by the climate hoaxters; for the $$$.
Seriously, Skeeter? https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/here-are-the-stunning-heat-records-set-so-far-this-summer1/
Here’s what your bullshit article omits:
Scientists mark the start of modern global record-keeping at just 143 years ago, in 1880.
The Little Ice Age ended roughly around 1850 at which point temperatures began to creep back up to normal. When record-keeping began shortly thereafter, temperatures were still low. Little Ice Age low.
That is why you have “record historical high temps” today. The “history” is only 143 years long and begins when the Little Ice Age ends, genius.
More: https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/rick-moran/2023/02/26/former-reuters-editor-says-he-was-misled-on-climate-change-n1673897
“Sun volatility” lol you have no idea what you are talking about
My take on it….
https://x.com/Jdot82823054/status/1706743274885857686?s=20
TC’s obsession has gotten him in trouble again.
Climate wokism, virtue signalling, climate alarmism, etc. at its finest.
When will people wake up and notice that they are being manipulated to the nth degree, or at the very least being lead by stupidity?
I guess those that buy (pun intended) into this are just as stupid. Sadly, there are too many of them.
If you think all this stuff is real, ask yourself why the very politicians and corporations that are pushing this nonsense still buy prime waterfront properties all over the world that are going to be tens of feet under water soon, and why banks are funding these deals if they are going to lose as a result! hmmmm
Yeah. Those thousandaires are just in it for the money…https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/here-are-the-stunning-heat-records-set-so-far-this-summer1/
Here’s what your bullshit article omits:
Scientists mark the start of modern global record-keeping at just 143 years ago, in 1880.
The Little Ice Age ended roughly around 1850 at which point temperatures began to creep back up to normal. When record-keeping began shortly thereafter, temperatures were still low. Little Ice Age low.
That is why you have “record historical high temps” today. The “history” is only 143 years long and begins when the Little Ice Age ends, genius.
More: https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/rick-moran/2023/02/26/former-reuters-editor-says-he-was-misled-on-climate-change-n1673897
It’s a fundamental principal of the Left that actual results do not matter, only the signaling that you are one of the virtuous people is what counts.
Most EXCELLENT MDN Take!
Leather is 100% free-range natural — CARBON NEUTRAL — you woke climate Apple bot idiots! Now guess People Eating Tasty Animals (PETA) influenced their thinking. Guess what, Leather from now on Apple devices…
This is all C R A P – O L A!
Indeed, there is no “Leather farming Industry” that is laughable. Either the cowhides are thrown away (most( or some are used – simple as that. And leather makes strong durable, long lasting, goods.
Thus, the green folk speak crap, Apple is peaking crap, no one is interested in objective truth. Amazing inditement on society at large.
Apple really pushed this green narrative crap as some sort feature people want to purchase? Or as a rationale to purchase more products?
News flash: wanna do the best thing for the planet per se? Never buy another car, Ezv, gas, whatever. Just keep the one you have for 15 years, repair it, keep it, etc…. And you’ll do far less harm to the planet then buy g a new “anything” vehicle by thousands of carbon pounds of waste.
Oh, and don’t buy any digital watch or keep the one you have as long as possible, replace the battery, never upgrade until absolutely it is a must.
The recycled ploy only goes so far, as to get recycled materials one needs original materials to begin with… and no, recycled copper is good in low mix volumes and good once, and many materials never able to be recycled beyond once.
Wanna save the plant? Drive that 2002 F-150 forever and don’t get any digital watch, keep your smartphones for 7 years and you’ll do more for earth than buying some “carbon green neutral” marketing nonsense watch…
Does anyone even know how carbon credits for buying energy even works?! What total farce!!!
I’m still maintaining and driving my 2001 Prius. Going on 23 years in a couple months.
Strange I thought moving to USB was a substantial positive move, silly me.
I like leather. I will buy leather.
In desperation, Apple has decided they must create a clothing division, to salvage the humungous investment they made in Finewoven. Soon you will be able to see shirts, pants, sweaters, socks, and even ski gear in your finest shops. Move over cotton, wool, flannel, Finewoven has arrived.
If it’s more compatible with wearable electronics, why not? Whole new market for Apple to tie in with other iOS products. 😛