We’ve all dropped our phones, watched them tumble in slow motion, and silently thanked the small rectangle of plastic that saved the day. The humble phone case has become one of the most ubiquitous objects on Earth, a tiny suit of armor we replace every time a new color, model, or mood strikes. But there’s a problem hiding in plain sight: most of those cases are made from virgin plastic. Billions of them. Designed to protect something fragile while outlasting the planet itself.
At von Holzhausen, we love a good contradiction, so we set out to rethink the phone case from the ground up. We asked our design team: what if this tiny rectangle that protects our phones didn’t rely on fossil fuels? Could it look like plastic, feel like plastic, but be better for the planet? Spoiler: it can.
Read on to see how our latest Liquidplant study, The Ripple Case, turns a familiar object into something extraordinary with the help of our plant-based plastic alternative.
Q: Why make a phone case out of Liquidplant?
We chose to make a phone case because it's something people touch and use every day, often close to the face, constantly in hand. With over a billion phone cases sold each year, it’s a clear example of how plastic has saturated our lives. Most of those cases are made from plastic and will outlast the phones they’re meant to protect. By using Liquidplant, we’re showing that it’s possible to create everyday products without fossil fuels.
Q: How does Liquidplant allow for innovative design that plastic doesn’t?
While Liquidplant performs like traditional plastic, it gives designers something plastic can’t, peace of mind. It’s made to break down naturally, so we’re not creating long-term waste every time we make something new. As global regulations around plastic tighten, Liquidplant positions innovation that’s both forward-thinking and future-proof.
Q: Why call it The Ripple?
We liked the idea that a single, simple action can create a chain reaction. Choosing a better material for something as ordinary as a phone case can inspire a broader shift in how we think about design, production, and waste. The Ripple marks just the beginning, we have more product case studies in motion and we’re driving change across industries. This is an open invitation to be part of it.
Q: What does this launch say about where von Holzhausen is headed?
Material has always been the roadblock for innovation and design. We are here to change that. By targeting plastic, the world’s most pervasive material, we are unlocking new possibilities not just for products but for entire industries.
