Evutec Kevlar and Wood Cases
It's always interesting to see how a prosaic product like protective cases can spur such ingenuity. Of course, there's a lot of flash in the marketing -- all about shiny colors and licensed characters and bling to personalize your look. But there are also fascinating innovations in applying materials to make cases thinner, lighter, and still stronger-- from plastics to metal to marble to wood.
Evutec has taken the next step by using DuPont Kevlar woven fibers for its cases. Kevlar is five times stronger than steel at the same weight, so thin designs can provide durable protection (although Evutec is careful to clarify that the cases are not bulletproof).
The Evutec Karbon series is made from strands of Kevlar that are woven together in different patterns in black and dark red. The resulting shell is 0.7mm thin, with a scratch resistant coating.
The Karbon "S" Sleek Snap case model for the iPhone 5/5s is $39.95, and there's also a "SP" Sleek Protective model for $49.95 that adds a removable TPU "shock proof" 1.3mm protective inner layer.
There are also Karbon S snap-on iPad mini cases for $69.95, and iPad cases for $89.95.
For a more natural feel, the Evutec Wood series is constructed from multiple layers of a combination of real wood veneer fused with Kevlar. The resulting case is 0.9mm thin.
It's available for the iPhone 5/5s in the snap-on design for $39.95, in light and dark wood tones, with a durable finish.
We found the Wood case to be light yet still feel very strong, without feeling bulky. Once you snap on the case it stays on snugly, so that it's actually hard to take off. The lip that goes over the phone is very small, so the screen protection is minimal. The wood surface has nice smooth feel that doesn't get stuck in your pockets.
Currently the Evutec cases are available online exclusively from the Apple Store online and in Apple retail stores.