Our Products
Recycled plastic case:
Our recycled plastic case consist of plastic and an associated surface coating. The plastic is of the PC type with 100% recycled raw material that is reproduced into pellets and then molded into mobile phone case. The recycled plastic is of the "post consumer" type, which means that the plastic has been used by the consumer and then assessed as waste. This can be compared to the "pre consumer" option, which is also defined as recycled waste, but directly from industry, which makes it an industrial residual waste. It will therefore be a greater benefit to use material that is "post consumer", although it is of course important to use all raw materials regardless. The mobile case has a rubberized surface at the end, which consists of water-soluble oil paint with acacia gum as a binder, which makes it a natural material. The gum is produced from the milky sap of acacia trees.
The material used in the product is compensated in the same way as we compensate for plastic in other products. The weight is multiplied by 3 and then we make sure that amount of material is picked directly from nature to become new products. You can read more under "Plastic compensation" below, but this means that we compensate for the plastic, the coating, and the energy used in manufacturing.
The cases are tested to ensure that they are not dangerous for humans or nature, so-called SVHC substances. The test includes 205 questionable substances and all of them are well below the limit values that indicate impact. If a product contains more than 0.1% by weight of a substance that is included among these substances, the goods may still be sold but with information requirements. The recycled plastic case has according to tests. 0.005-0.01% of these substances, which is therefore fully approved. Unfortunately, it is difficult to completely exclude them because plastics have historically contained large amounts of them because they in various ways give plastics and other materials good properties. The substances are bound in the case and only leave when decomposed or burned.
We have chosen to use recycled fossil plastic over bio-based plastic because we see a need to recycle all the fossil plastic that has been produced up to today and unfortunately continues to be produced globally. According to the World Wide Fund for Nature, eight million tons of plastic waste leaks into the environment and oceans every year, which affects many marine species and not least the sea turtle, which is at risk of extinction solely because of plastic. To avoid plastic ending up in the oceans again, it is important to use the right plastic for the right things. A discarded mobile phone case is considered to have little risk of being left in nature, which makes it a good product to make recycled plastic from. In Sweden today, approx. 80% of all plastic and globally most end up in landfills. By choosing recycled plastic in products, we create a demand and thus an incentive for plastic to be recycled to a greater degree. Big and small companies can offer more sustainable products but it is up to you as the consumer to make the final choice!
Bio-based plastic is made from residual products, which makes it a "pre-consumer" material. Bio-based products and residual products are a sought-after material today thanks to the fossil debate. Just as with fossil plastics, it is therefore important to use the right materials for the right products, and disposable items that are most likely to end up in the combustible classification should therefore primarily be produced from bioplastics. Mobile phone cases and other products that are used for a longer period of time can be advantageously produced from all the fossil plastics that are already in circulation.
Sorting the mobile phone case as plastic can feel hopeless because 80% is incinerated, but partly the burning can be more efficient when it is sorted material and partly it creates the conditions for recycling more in the future. For example, an industrial plant is being built in Motala that will be able to sort 12 plastic fractions and take care of all the plastic that is currently sorted and incinerated in Sweden. Message: Sort more, a product that only consists of one material + coating/paint can almost always be recycled!
Some recycled cell phone cases sold under "premium cases" by other brands have a fabric lining on the inside. We have chosen not to include this in our case because the textile industry contributes large emissions. The fabric lining fulfills no function in terms of fit and protection, but only gives a more luxurious feeling. According to the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, the total Swedish textile consumption causes greenhouse gas emissions of over four million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents each year, which corresponds to approximately 850,000 laps around the world by car.
The recycled plastic case is sorted as plastic
Cork:
Our cork covers mainly consist of cork but also include a thin Kevlar-like material to create a good fit and protection for the mobile phone. Cork is considered a sustainable material choice because it is produced from the bark of the cork oak. The tree remains after harvest, which means that biodiversity is minimally affected and the bark grows again within 7-10 years to then be harvested again. Cork does not need surface treatment because the material itself is protective.Half of all harvested cork originally comes from Portugal (52%) and the other exporting countries are Spain (29%), Italy (5.6%), Algeria (5%), Morocco (3.6%), Tunisia (2.5%) and France (1 %). Since most of the countries in this list belong to the EU, the management of the forest takes place within European standards, which means that the harvest is regulated with regard to sustainability and biological diversity.
Some countries are also good at recycling the material and wine corks can be advantageously crumbled and pressed into new products because wine corks do not contain any material other than cork. Unfortunately, we do not have cork recycling in Sweden, but please try to save corks and come up with your own uses if you feel creative, examples could be holding notes for table decoration or making figurines.
To protect a mobile, unfortunately, a little more is required than just cork, which makes the case difficult to recycle, but since the material is very durable in itself, it is considered a good choice of material for the purpose. The longer a case is used, the better it is. The Kevlar used in the product is compensated in the same way as we compensate for plastic, which means that the amount contained is multiplied by 3 and then we make sure that that amount of plastic is taken from nature and becomes new products (read more under Plastic compensation).
The cork case is classified as combustible
Wooden case:
Our wooden cases consist of wood, a thinner layer of plastic and on some models the design includes artificial leather. We use FSC-certified wood in our products, which means that the raw material comes from sustainable forestry where deforestation is prevented and the focus is on animals, nature and people. The woods used are walnut and cherry imported from the USA. The plastic is of the polycarbonate type and is a plastic that is unfortunately difficult to recycle due to its strong composition. In the manufacture, the technique of mold casting is used, which means that molten plastic is poured into molds and then solidifies and is finished as a product. This technology has extremely little spillage and is therefore considered effective for the purpose. The case is tested for the content of dangerous SVHC substances and does not have high levels that risk negatively affecting people and nature.It is a nice idea to have 100% wood in a mobile phone case, but unfortunately it is difficult to ensure the right fit and protection for the mobile phone in combination with a slim design with a good grip. We don't want to risk the mobile phone slipping out of its case when dropped, so we offer a combined case with both plastic and wood. Thanks to the inclusion of wood, however, the amount of plastic is reduced compared to a traditional plastic case, which in turn reduces the use of fossil raw materials and makes the case a more sustainable choice. Our unique motifs are in turn engraved into the case, which means that we use the properties of the material instead of adding additional material/colour.
A mobile phone case becomes more durable the longer it is used, which is the same for most products in our possessions. The plastic used in the product is compensated by multiplying the weight of the plastic by 3 and then we make sure that exactly that amount of material is reclaimed from nature and becomes new products (read more under Plastic compensation). Everything to make the planet a better and more sustainable place for people, animals and nature.
The bark is classified as combustible
Overall
We at NORTH ONES have a very clear goal which means that we want to contribute positively in a larger perspective, convinced that even small players can make a difference. Historically, development has been linear, which means that we produce new raw materials that are used and then thrown away. Today's knowledge is moving us towards circularity and the idea that materials should be allowed to remain in circulation for as long as possible. We want to contribute to this and do so by partly offering a 100% recycled plastic case, and sustainable material choices in other products, and partly also compensating for the raw material used. We have chosen to cooperate with the company Plastic Bank and ensure that triple the amount of plastic is picked up from nature and recycled into new products compared to the amount of fossil raw materials used in our products.
We work actively to choose the best possible transport in the entire value chain. We have had to rely on air transport during the start-up period, but as our flows stabilize around special models and goods, we will eventually be able to transfer the entire chain to boats, trains and trucks. Shipping out to the customer is sent in the majority of cases with PostNord, which has significantly reduced air transport, where trucks are usually used. The transport sector is an important factor in terms of the climate issue, and transport is in many cases a necessary evil, so regardless of the means of transport, we choose to offset carbon dioxide emissions by supporting relevant projects in the area.
Plastic compensation
According to the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, approximately 8% of globally produced crude oil goes into plastic production, of which half becomes the plastic itself and half is used as energy during production. Because of this, we have decided to offset 3 times the plastic that our cases contain to contribute to a circular system where more plastic is used. In addition to the plastic itself, we also compensate for the energy used to produce the manufacture of fossil plastics. To put it plainly: We compensate for the fossil raw material in our products (x), the energy it took to create them (x), and return the same amount of material to the market again (x), ie: x+x+x=3x .
We provide plastic compensation to the Canadian company Plastic Bank. This is a company that has really got the hang of it and sees the value in the plastic found in nature. There are many organizations that collect plastic with the main aim of removing it from nature to protect animal life, which means that the plastic is often burned or piled up, i.e. landfilled. Plastic bank thinks one step further and defines plastic as a raw material that can be used and become new products. The plastic is not picked in Canada, but in places in the world where the plastic is a disturbing problem for people, animals and nature. Here, jobs are also created for residents who receive a fair wage for the work of collecting plastic, so the contribution to the company contributes to both social and ecological sustainability. Through the collaboration with Plastic bank, we can ensure that more products can be produced with recycled plastic, which means that the need to use crude oil to produce new plastic can hopefully decrease and, in the best case, disappear completely. Plastic in nature is simply a raw material that can be used and we want to contribute to that!
