Get a Carved iPhone case if you value one-of-a-kind designs handmade quality

When it comes to iPhone cases, everyone tends to gravitate toward the same general brands. Because of this, it’s easy for one person to have the same case as someone else. While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, I also believe there are people out there who enjoy standing out and making a statement for themselves. For these people, a one-of-a-kind case is a better option.

Carved is a company that hand-crafts one-of-a-kind cases for the iPhone and Samsung Galaxy-series smartphones, and they do it right here in the United States – specifically, inside of a warehouse in Elkhart, Indiana. According to the company’s website, they use wood burls (growths and deformities that are generally found on tree trunks) from Maple and Buckeye trees and mix it with epoxy resin to create one-off designs that absolutely no one else will have but you.

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In our case, Carved was gracious enough to let us select design samples from their website so that we could test them out, and we received exactly what we selected. Carved says the user experience is the same for customers, who can peruse the brand’s website to select the design they want, and that is the exact case they will receive because it’s one-of-a-kind.

One thing about Carved is that they add a human element of personality to their cases by giving them unique names. In addition to that, one could argue that the unique designs in and of themselves are unique personalities. Those unique designs are attributed to both the unique wood burls the team picks, as well as the epoxy resins and colors they choose to integrate into them.

The product

In our samples, the case is both well-made and easy to appreciate. The outer TPU-based shell gives you protection from drops and dings, while the buttons (including the Action Button) are satisfyingly tactile. Unlike bigger case brands, Carved doesn’t advertise a special drop rating, as their cases are designed to be unique works of are more than protective OtterBoxes.

Carved’s TPU case design offers a generous lip that protects both the screen and the rear-facing camera from tabletops when placed there, but the team still highly recommends a screen protector.

The inside of the case is lined with a fine felt material that protects the surface of your iPhone from abrasion, and they even include a magnet that works seamlessly with MagSafe and Qi2 wireless chargers (original non-magnetic Qi chargers are also supported).

I appreciate the generous space offered for USB-C accessories, as I’ve found that a lot of case manufacturers make this hole too small to fit a lot of third-party USB-C cables and connectors. That isn’t a problem with the Carved case, and the team makes the speaker grilles just large enough (but not too large).

For the adventurous individuals out there, a lanyard loop comes standard don the case. While it’s plenty protective against drops, the lanyard can prevent those drops from happening in the first place.

But perhaps the most important part about the case is the one-of-a-kind design. You will see in my case that I have hints of wood and ocean blue/green colors. I was mildly attracted to this color choice, perhaps because I live in Florida and our beaches frequently give off the same colors. Of course, this is a subjective matter, and with all cases being one-offs, no one will get the same case I have here — nor will I be able to get anything you get.

Other products offered by Carved

In addition to cases, Carved makes a few different one-of-a-kind everyday carry (EDC) items, including folding pocket knives, wallets, and wireless chargers. I went ahead and acquired a pocket knife because I use one almost daily for opening boxes, and it hasn’t disappointed me.

The Carved team informs us that the pocket knife’s blade is comprised of a “Damascus” steel with a 440c core. Of course, it’s not true Damascus steel, it just looks a lot like it. Still, I find that the blade holds an edge well, even when slicing through cardboard rather frequently. I haven’t needed to pull out the knife sharpener yet, and I’ve been using it for a few months now.

The wallets, which I don’t have, are basically comprised of a wood and resin body with an RFI-blocking front. Carved says these wallets are designed to carry 1-8 credit cards and some cash, and that there aren’t any screws or tiny metal parts to go missing on you.

Carved’s circular wireless chargers are made using a wood and resin top, while the round housing is comprised of aluminum. These have MagSafe-compatible magnets inside, but they only charge at 7.5W due to being Qi-based. Fortunately, the charger is USB-C based, giving you a modern cable standard to charge with. A wall adapter isn’t included, so you’ll need to fund your own.

My thoughts on Carved

I have found that Carved’s products hold up well. I’m not a construction worker, so I can’t advise about how well these cases hold up in the extreme elements, but for someone who takes their phone into an office setting, uses their phone every single day in front of the TV, or while grocery shopping, it’s been fine.

I don’t really think of Carved as a case brand. When I think about cases, all the usual brands like Nomad, OtterBox, Speck, and Urban Armor Gear come to mind, but when I think of Carved, I get a closer-to-Earth feeling, which stems from the work that goes into converting natural woods into one-of-a-kind consumer products with their own personalities.

The latter point is important, because you’re not going to turn to Carved for a case that holds up in industrial environments. You’re going to turn to Carved if the idea of a one-off case and Earthy designs appeal to you. Obviously, that isn’t going to be everybody, but for the audience this does appease, Carved does it very well.

And even if you aren’t into cases, I think their pocket knives and wallets are pretty neat. I probably wouldn’t even bat an eye at one of their circular wireless chargers, given the proliferation of faster-charging Qi2 and MagSafe chargers available on the market that port sleek aesthetics on their own, but you do you!

Here’s a short list of pros and cons that I’ve made after considering Carved’s products:

Pros:

• One-of-a-kind designs for every product
• Cases fit the iPhone very well and feel great in hand
• Case buttons are tactile, not spongy
• Durable materials used in the construction of products
• Generous port cutouts for accessory compatibility and a built-in lanyard loop
• Excellent customer support with fast shipping
• Slick packaging gives you a truly special experience
• Excellent use of natural resources
• What you see online is what you get

Cons:

• Not as protective as some mass-produced cases
• The price of one-off accessories is higher than mass-produced ones
• You can’t get more than one of a single design due to nature of being one-of-a-kind

Where to get one

If you’re interested in getting a Carved product of your own, then you can head over to the brand’s website and find everything you’re looking for. We’ve provided links for you to follow below:

• Carved one-of-a-kind iPhone cases
• Carved Live Edge one-of-a-kind wooden iPhone cases
• Carved one-of-a-kind EDC Pocket Knives
• Carved one-of-a-kind wallets
• Carved one-of-a-kind wireless chargers

Conclusion

Carved makes one-off products that are unique in every way. They’re known for their hand-crafted smartphone cases, but their EDC pocket knives are just as slick.

If you’re interested in standing out from the crowd and you appreciate products crafted from natural materials rather than industrialized ones, then you should check Carved out.

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