FineWoven is here, as Apple phases out leather in watch bands & cases

AppleInsider

As Apple ends its use of leather, it has introduced a new FineWoven material that has a much lower carbon footprint, coupled with new partner bands for Apple Watch.

FineWoven magnetic loop

During its Wonderlust event, Apple had a smattering of new band announcements to pair with the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2. Environmental impact was a big talking point for Apple's vice president of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives Lisa Jackson.

Apple has officially discontinued its use of leather in any new iPhone case or Apple Watch band. In doing so, it has replaced many of its leather products with new versions using a material it created called FineWoven.

Apple Hermes bands

FineWoven has a subtle satin-like finish and is made from more than 60 percent recycled material. Apple has a new modern buckle and magnetic loop band using FineWoven material in a variety of colors.

It also plans on continuing its long-standing partnership with fashion powerhouse Hermes. Gone are the leather bands and there are instead three new woven bands and a rugged molded silicone offering.

New Nike bands

These aren't the only new bands Apple showed off during the prerecorded livestream, it also highlighted new bands for Apple Watch Ultra that use more recycled material and a series of new Nike bands in new patterns and designs.

Read on AppleInsider

Draco

People who still want leather, like me, are just going to buy non-Apple accessories. It's a stupid move that will sacrifice sales on the altar of virtue signaling. 

It's like their lightning and USB-C cables that are made out of recycled butterfly wings but only last a couple of years before they break. 

ionicle

Draco said:

People who still want leather, like me, are just going to buy non-Apple accessories. It's a stupid move that will sacrifice sales on the altar of virtue signaling. 

It's like their lightning and USB-C cables that are made out of recycled butterfly wings but only last a couple of years before they break. 

Im already looking at Nomads bands …. Not had one yet because they seem pricey, but considering it now

danox

Draco said:

People who still want leather, like me, are just going to buy non-Apple accessories. It's a stupid move that will sacrifice sales on the altar of virtue signaling. 

It's like their lightning and USB-C cables that are made out of recycled butterfly wings but only last a couple of years before they break. 

A great business opportunity for a smaller company what’s the problem?

Aladick

Draco said:

People who still want leather, like me, are just going to buy non-Apple accessories. It's a stupid move that will sacrifice sales on the altar of virtue signaling. 

It's like their lightning and USB-C cables that are made out of recycled butterfly wings but only last a couple of years before they break. 

Agreed.  I'd like to see how these new bands are fabricated all the way back to their chemical composition and compare to leather.  While it's commendable that Apple is doing what it can to "save the planet" it's not a selling point for me.  Like you mentioned it's nothing more than virtue signaling.  Just like the neighbor down the street with their "We don't believe any human is illegal, etc etc etc" signs.  

teflondon

I would have thought that the $$$ would've been a bit cheaper.. they are selling them for the same price as the leather... typical apple greed 

Japhey

This change is long overdue, and one that I predicted a year and a half ago. I just wish the bands themselves were a bit more attractive. 

danox

It seems some Android phone users are mad covered with sour grapes,    The hardware, the software, and the high-quality programs that can be created by the third-party companies, the best in class across the-board, with Apple Vision Pro camera support to boot.

chasm

Good to know the future of mankind on Earth is doomed because of selfish, privileged baby-men.

clexman

lmasanti said:

Not too many people knows tht cows… the principal providers of leather… are one of the most polluting animals…

Cows expel huge amounts of metane… thru farts… one hugh climate pollutant.

Yes, those cow farts are so much worse than the forever plastics.

Cows are mostly raised for their meat and milk. Using their leather just means that there is less waste when the edible parts are harvested.

jSnively

clexman said:

[...]

Yes, those cow farts are so much worse than the forever plastics.

Cows are mostly raised for their meat and milk. Using their leather just means that there is less waste when the edible parts are harvested.

The leather industry is one of the most polluting and highly resource-consuming sectors. About 0.25 Mg of leather is produced from 1 Mg of raw material and requires 15,000 m3 - 120,000 m3 of water, finally generating 15–50 Mg of wastewater and 400–700 kg of solid waste (Hu et al., 2011), to say nothing of odors, greenhouse gases (CO2, H2S, NH3) and volatile organic compounds such as amines, aldehydes and hydrocarbons. The amount of chemicals emitted is influenced by the type of treatment and the technology used to process leather in a tannery (Fela et al., 2011). It is estimated that the global production capacity is approx. 15 Mt of leather per year, which shows the scale of the problem (Hu et al., 2011). Until now, landfilling and partial disposal were the only practices used in tannery waste management, mainly for economic reasons.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S095965262102120X

baconstang

lmasanti said:

Not too many people knows tht cows… the principal providers of leather… are one of the most polluting animals…

Cows expel huge amounts of metane… thru farts… one hugh climate pollutant.

So, I assume you don't eat beef or use leather products or take any supplements that are derived from bovine resources?
Well good for you.

Actually it's mostly burps being ruminants and all.

kdupuis77

Not too many people knows tht cows… the principal providers of leather… are one of the most polluting animals…

Cows expel huge amounts of metane… thru farts… one hugh climate pollutant.

I'm pretty sure that HUMANS are one of the most polluting animals...

What amounts of Methane do humans expel through farts I wonder lol.

CelticPaddy

Draco said:

People who still want leather, like me, are just going to buy non-Apple accessories. It's a stupid move that will sacrifice sales on the altar of virtue signaling. 

It's like their lightning and USB-C cables that are made out of recycled butterfly wings but only last a couple of years before they break. 

You’re clueless 

mikethemartian

Draco said:

People who still want leather, like me, are just going to buy non-Apple accessories. It's a stupid move that will sacrifice sales on the altar of virtue signaling. 

It's like their lightning and USB-C cables that are made out of recycled butterfly wings but only last a couple of years before they break. 

My guess is that the profit margin for Apple’s new artificial material is much higher than they could get selling leather made products.

exceptionhandler

lmasanti said:

Not too many people knows tht cows… the principal providers of leather… are one of the most polluting animals…

Cows expel huge amounts of metane… thru farts… one hugh climate pollutant.

And most people don’t realize the number one green house gas is water vapor, contributing more to climate change than any other gas.  So much so that all the other gasses are like spitting into the ocean, yet we aren’t doing anything to prevent it from making it into the atmosphere.

kiowavt

Of course a lot of venting here.  I am thrilled, but then I am 45+ years vegetarian.  I hope everyone recovers.  Likely there are other reasons as well than environmental.  Maybe, for instance, they don’t sell well enough.  

mattinoz

lmasanti said:

Not too many people knows tht cows… the principal providers of leather… are one of the most polluting animals…

Cows expel huge amounts of metane… thru farts… one hugh climate pollutant.

Except the Cow itself is working entirely within the climate system. Between cows, naturally grown grass and dung beetles they sequester carbon back into the ground from the atmosphere. Supplement the system with seaweed (not a weed, and can be tank grown inland to desalinate water) you not only improve the outcomes but reduce the methane not captured in this round of processing.

The problems have always been the processing and delivery post-cow, not the cow. Cows are carbon-positive. 

Where is the 40% non-recycled part coming from if it's ground carbon then this is significantly worse 

If it is better it has to be coming post-cow or it really is Greenwashing in that it has taken the emotive part out of the system but not ground-carbon.

If they were committed they'd sell watches without bands as an option to recycle the bands you have

 

iadlib

MEANWHILE Hermes is selling S9 with LEATHER bands on their own website, carbon neutral be damned: https://www.hermes.com/us/en/product/space-black-series-9-case-band-apple-watch-hermes-double-tour-45mm-1AWHS945BLACKpH0009911v02LCWpH078792CY89/

Oh, and they have double tour in 45mm models, which Apple never offered, doubt you can finance it though.

StrangeDays

Draco said:

People who still want leather, like me, are just going to buy non-Apple accessories. It's a stupid move that will sacrifice sales on the altar of virtue signaling. 

It's like their lightning and USB-C cables that are made out of recycled butterfly wings but only last a couple of years before they break. 

Nonsense. It signals nothing other than choosing to live by their own desires. You rugged-individualism types get so triggered when others practice their own independence with values that differ from yours. 

Aladick said:

Draco said:

People who still want leather, like me, are just going to buy non-Apple accessories. It's a stupid move that will sacrifice sales on the altar of virtue signaling. 

It's like their lightning and USB-C cables that are made out of recycled butterfly wings but only last a couple of years before they break. 

Agreed.  I'd like to see how these new bands are fabricated all the way back to their chemical composition and compare to leather.  While it's commendable that Apple is doing what it can to "save the planet" it's not a selling point for me.  Like you mentioned it's nothing more than virtue signaling.  Just like the neighbor down the street with their "We don't believe any human is illegal, etc etc etc" signs.  

Again, not signaling when it’s just a fact - decreased carbon footprint. You can get butthurt by that all you want but it is what it is. And your neighbors sound like sensible people.

irnchriz

Net zero is a joke, we need to reverse the damage done, they should be aiming to be removing/capturing and containing KG’s of carbon for every product made.