Leather iPhone Sleeve Archives

December 6, 2024December 6, 2024

North Star Leather Horween iPhone 6 Card Sleeve Review – $40

A couple months back I broke my brand new iPhone 6. It was my last day at a job and I was helping a customer out by looking something up for them. In their excited gratitude, they accidently smacked my phone out of my hand and shattered the screen. Since then, I have always kept a leather sleeve or plastic case on my phone. The North Star Horween iPhone 6 Card Sleeve has proven to be an excellent choice to protect my precious iPhone 6.

About

Michael Batson, son of Steve Batson, said, “My dad started North Star Leather in 1969 doing street vending in Boston (fringe belts, floppy hats, and other “hippy” items). Little by little he grew the company and eventually moved to the rural south; the small town of Ruby, SC, population 354. That was more than 35 years ago and we’ve been making quality leather accessories here ever since. We have 15 employees (4 of whom are family) and are proud to have been able to keep making our products here in the USA without ever considering outsourcing production to cheaper countries.” This is another great example of a company who started years ago, building themselves up to be a successful craft leather company.

For more information on the North Star Leather company, head on over to their About Us page, you’ll find their lifetime warranty information, a little more company information, and several testimonials from North Star Leather’s customers.

Construction

As you can tell from the title, this iPhone sleeve is constructed using Horween Chromexcel leather. The leather is stitched with heavy-duty contrast stitching, giving the flexible leather a nice sturdy feeling. Measuring 5.9” long by 3.6” wide, the iPhone sleeve snugly fits a caseless iPhone 6. North Star Leather has added a simple card pouch on the exterior of the sleeve, which adds only a minor amount of heft to its construction.

Function and Aesthetic

The iPhone 6 sleeve has performed flawlessly. I usually am wary of some leather sleeves because they will be too loose and allow the iPhone to slide out. This is not the case with North Star’s version. The sleeve is slender enough to put in your front or back pocket comfortably. There is plenty of room in the card pocket for several cards and a few bills. If all you need are your driver’s license, credit card, and some cash, this iPhone 6 card sleeve will hold it all.

The leather has already started to develop a nice patina from everyday use. It will continue to scratch and mark up becoming a very broken in, full of character leather accessory. The Horween Chromexcel leather in natural color provides a nice, classic look. The North Star Leather Horween iPhone 6 Card sleeve does come in several colors: Red/brown, natural, russet, and black. Each color will develop the desired patina overtime.

Conclusion

The North Star iPhone 6 Card Sleeve has been an excellent product. Like the Horween wallet we reviewed a while back, North Star has kept the price relatively low. They have succeeded in providing high-quality leather products for a manageable price. At $40, North Star’s leather sleeve is an appropriate choice to protect your expensive iPhone 6, especially if you are on a tight budget.

April 7, 2015December 19, 2017

Avund Goods iPhone 6 Sleeve + Wristlet Review – $99

There’s a plethora of iPhone carry options on the market. Even with all the varieties it’s still hard to stand out since everything available basically amounts to disposable plastic. Avund Goods iPhone 6 Sleeve + Wristlet presents itself as a quality alternative multi function accessory that you won’t want to toss after a week.

CONSTRUCTION

As with most of Avund Good’s products, the iPhone Sleeve is made from aniline finished vegetable tanned leather that has been dyed through and colored on both sides. This is the whiskey colored model that will develop a naturally darker patina with use. Avund also offers this sleeve in black. Edges are beveled and burnished with beeswax. The main body is one piece of leather stitched together (Using waxed polyester thread) and one smaller piece stitched around that to form the pockets. The wrist strap is riveted around the metal keyring. The keyring itself is secured to the main body by a strip of leather that is double stitched. I really don’t see this ever coming apart.

FUNCTION

The iPhone 6 Sleeve + Wristlet is great for those who like to travel light. My iPhone 6 fit in nice and snug, so there was no worries about it slipping out. A little caveat for people who use cases, unless the case is very slim fitting, your phone won’t fit in the sleeve. The pockets on the front and back of the sleeve are incredibly useful. They are perfect for stashing cash and cards. I like to fold my money around my cards and insert that in the front and I store a small wet-nap in the back just in case. Once on my wrist the sleeve is hardly noticeable. With smartphones getting bigger and bigger and women’s pockets getting smaller and smaller, this case is almost a necessity. The open bottom allows port access so you can charge your phone or listen to music with your earbuds unimpeded.

AESTHETIC

Avund has mastered stylistic simplicity. The sleeve’s whiskey coloring blends well in all environments and will weather all fashion trends. The iPhone itself is such a sleek and elegant piece of technology and it’s great to finally have a carry option that looks just as good. If you like the look of the sleeve minus the wristlet, Avund also offers a sleeve only version priced at $79.

CONCLUSION

If you don’t like being bogged down, yet still need a viable carry option for your cash and phone, Avund Goods iPhone 6 Sleeve + Wristlet is a perfect solution. Given the likelihood Apple will release a iPhone 6S at the same dimensions, this sleeve will serve you for repeated uses.

November 25, 2012October 10, 2024

New: Saddleback Leather iPhone 5 Leather Sleeve

Saddleback Leather iPhone 5 case in Dark Coffee Brown top view with phone

If you buy a phone case, especially an expensive one, it can be a pain when the next phone comes out with different dimensions. I am always uncertain about buying leather cases and sleeves for gadgets that change dimensions and ports as new iterations come out, like the MacBook Air Sleeve.

The latest iPhone comes out as too tall for the iPhone 4 sleeves so manufacturers are cranking out iPhone 5 designs. Hopefully those who bought iPhone 4 sleeves can find something to do with them or someone to sell them to. Continue reading “New: Saddleback Leather iPhone 5 Leather Sleeve”