Review: Carved Wood Phone Case for a Touch of Nature

Because I have an obsession with nature, I do everything in my power to incorporate tastes and touches of nature in just about every aspect of my life. This is, of course, in addition to spending time out in nature on a regular basis for my sanity and health.

Case in point: I have a rock and a black bear figurine on my work desk as I type this.

I have a large national parks poster up on the wall in my office, just over my shoulder, to keep me inspired to explore.

In addition, I’m wearing a nature-themed T-shirt from Wohven right now also. (I almost exclusively wear their t-shirts these days.)

And just recently, I got the opportunity to add another touch of nature to my life: An iPhone wood case designed by Carved.

Yes, it is wood. Well, a burl to be exact, with epoxy resin incorporated into the case to give it that pop of color. But let’s look more completely at my experience with this brand and my satisfaction level with the product.

I was impressed by this company and its products from the first time they reached out to me. My first glance at their website elicited a string of “oh man”s and “daaaang”s and “I need”s.

But just as impressive as the finished product itself is the process that brings these beauties into existence.

The Creation Process

The actual process itself is pretty mesmerizing and fascinating to observe. And understanding how they source everything sustainably increased my appreciation for their art. (It truly is art, folks.)

ALL ABOUT BURLS

First off, you have to understand what a wood burl is and how Carved uses them.

From Wikipedia: A burl results from a tree undergoing some form of stress. It may be caused by an injury, virus or fungus. Most burls grow beneath the ground, attached to the roots as a type of malignancy that is generally not discovered until the tree dies or falls over.

More specifically, Carved works predominantly with Buckeye Burl and Maple Burl:

You can read a bit more about burls and how they are responsibly and sustainably procured on their All About Burls page.

And if you’d like to take a bit of a deeper dive into the process and see the details of how it all comes together, take a peek at the video below:

Pretty fascinating, isn’t it? It’s like some kind of therapy to see such beautiful things created.

Unboxing My Carved Phone Case

I was so excited when my package from Carved showed up at my door. It had been a couple of months or so since I was first introduced to the brand, and I had been on their site multiple times seeing what kind of wonders they were cranking out each day.

But when I hit the site and was introduced to Jabbar, the search was over. (Yes, they name each of their “1 of One” unique phone cases. And I quickly decided Jabbar was my guy!)

I think it was the combination of the two different types of burl along with the green resin, that looked like an evergreen forest canopy, that really grabbed me.

And from the moment I opened up the package, I knew I was dealing with a quality company that truly cared about the details.

Packaged in a unique bag made by a great organization called Braverly in Thailand, it gives you both a visual and tactile experience from the beginning.

And when I opened the bag, it was so clear to me that they truly value their customers. I had seen the same on their website, and it just continued through to the hands-on experience.

I was immediately struck by the look of the case itself also. It looked just as good as it did on their site, and maybe better since it was in my hands now!

I installed it on my phone right away and the fit was absolutely perfect. For me, it is the protection I wanted without the bulkiness of my last phone case. So even though this new phone of mine was larger, the overall size with the low profile of the Carved case was about the same as my previous iPhone 12 Mini.

The Details Count

You’ve already seen some of the details that matter in the images above, in how they present their product.

But the product itself also continues this focus on the details with some features I wasn’t expecting.

Seeing the brand name inconspicuously placed on the edge of the case simply brought a smile to my face, honestly. It reminded me that this case mattered to someone, that it was a point of pride for one of their employees that they value.

I like to think Jabbar, my phone case, was paraded around the workshop when it was completed. That it was a showstopper that every single person in the place appreciated, smiled about, and patted someone on the back for.

And then I noticed the inside of the case. Not only is it lined with some type of suede to protect and cradle your phone, but it also gives you the reminder once more that you are carrying something truly unique, a “One of 1” design.

It’s something I am proud to carry and will absolutely show off every chance I get. Though I doubt I will have to show it off since it shows itself off and draws in the eyeballs quite nicely on its own. I’ve already noticed that for sure.

I don’t know about you, but I do love representing brands that truly make a difference.

In my mind, Carved makes a difference in several ways:

• Their attention to detail in every product they make
• The way they value their customers and want nothing but a stellar experience for them
• The way they value their employees who craft each product with pride
• Their decision to support entrepreneurs in another country by using Braverly bags to hold their products
• Their desire to bring beautiful things into the world

When I layer all of that on top of the enjoyment of carrying this case around and looking at it each day, it definitely brings a smile to my face. It makes me want to support this brand and these folks in any way that I can.

Does a Wood Case Protect the Phone?

This is a pretty common question when it comes to wooden phone cases, so I wanted to address it quickly.

Carved does cover the protection issue in their FAQ section. Specifically, the “traveler cases” like mine provide a moderate level of protection, which is less protection than the many rubber and plastic cases available on the market today.

In other words, a Carved phone case should be treated with care.

Ordering an iPhone wood case is extremely simple on the Carved website. Simply browse through the available options and select a beautiful design you like. In addition to “traveler cases” like mine, they also have a line of stunning “live edge” cases, as well as beautiful alloy wallets and bracelets (I recently bought two of these bracelets).

Do yourself a favor and go take a look at their artistic expressions. Whether you decide to buy one or not, you will admire their craftsmanship.

Todd Bonner

Todd loves a competitive game of table tennis, a breathtaking hike, and exploring new places. He lived and traveled in an RV with his family as they traveled throughout much of the US and parts of Canada. Todd has extensive knowledge about RV travel, safety, and accessories and has shared many of his stories here on TREKKN. When he’s not busy launching and building small businesses, you may find him staring at pictures of Glacier National Park (probably his favorite spot on earth).