Christmas Gifts: Carrying It All

I have an iPhone and I bring it with me everywhere - and I go through cases quickly.  I loved my Agent 18 mix-tape case, but broke the corner of it off accidentally (not to mention it got really dirty) and had been using Contour's Flick case, which unfortunately wasn't terribly useful since I had to take the entire case off when I put it into my roommate's speakers.

So I was really thrilled when my brother and sister bought me a TRTL BOT iPhone case for Christmas.  I knew that I wanted my next case to be more environmentally friendly than my last ones, and TRTL BOT cases are made from recycled water bottles (and other recycled plastics!) and locally designed and manufactured*.

The best part about this case is that it holds three credit cards in the slot in the back - though when three cards are in there it's a bit difficult to get them back out (they are snug).  It's probably better to keep two cards there.  One or two cards fit well so I'm not worried about bringing it out when I run errands or when I'm out partying.  I rarely bring cash out with me, so this can fit my ID and a credit card.  It's perfect for all my sparkly clutches, which can't fit my wallet.

It's completely functional (it doesn't cover the camera, charging slot, or any of the other buttons) but there are a few things I wanted to mention.  It's a little bulkier than my old cases because of the credit card holder, but not to the point of discomfort - it's still easy to use.  The other note is that it's not a glossy-shiny plastic, like my Flick case was.  It's recycled so it's a duller, smoother plastic.

Overall, I really love this case!  I'm excited to start using it when I go out and saving some space in my purse.

*My case has materials from Indiana and is manufactured in California, so it's not totally "local" to where I live, but much more so than other cases.  It's important to note that this company also tells us where the product is sourced and manufactured, an open information system similar to the one that Patagonia is moving towards.

UPDATE 12/26/10: Something else that I noticed that may be important for you guys... I almost always put my phone in my back pocket and I wear jeans.  The white case gets stained with the indigo from my jeans, so if that matters to you then you should probably get the black case.  (Or you should just not keep it in your jeans pocket...)  Most of the blue comes off with some all-purpose cleaner, but there's still a tinge of blue.