A biodegradable iPhone case is here!

We Love Wheat Straw Phone Cases And Let Us Tell You Why!

Moanas are on a mission to make a positive impact on the plane. We have been searching far and wide for the perfect alternative to plastic phone cases, and I am here to tell you we have found it….WHEAT STRAW.  Wheat straw is made from wheat plant stalks and other parts that remain after harvest and milling. It's a by-product of wheat production, which is one of the most widely grown crops in the world. 529 million tons of wheat straw is produced annually across the globe.

Companies usually burn wheat straw as a method of disposing of this by-product. Burning wheat straw creates environmental issues for the surrounding communities. Since wheat straw is made of 40% cellulose, 40% hemi-cellulose , and 15% lignin, it can be made into an environmentally friendly plastic which is why moanas hawaii decided to use this material. What exactly is environmentally friendly about plastic you might ask, well wheat straw plastic is made up of plant compounds which means it's compostable! Wheat straw plastic takes only 1 to 2 months to compost in a local municipal compost facility, whereas regular plastic might take up to 450 years to decompose.

How Is It Made Into A Plastic?

After searching for the right material to use, the team at moanas decided on wheat straw as the best material to fit our values. Now the next step was to research how  wheat straw will be converted into a product like a phone case or sunglasses, to make sure that fits into our values as well.  

To make wheat straw into a moldable plastic first you need to break down the lignin in the wheat straw. Lignin is part of the plant that gives it structure, these are the cells of the plant that keep it standing. Lignin is thicker than most plant cells, in combination with sugar molecules, lignin can be modified into an environmentally friendly plastic. However, first thing is first the lignin must be broken down to be able to make a plastic from it. Rhodococcus jostii is a bacterium that is able to produce acid, which breaks down lignin easily without the intervention of harmful products that are synthesized by humans . When the lignin has been broken down by Rhodococcus jostii combined with sugar, it is a plastic-like substance that can be molded into forms like iPhone, sunglasses, ect.

We Chose Wheat Straw Plastic!

Wheat straw plastic is lightweight and strong. We love this material because it is durable and made to last, not to mention completely compostable. There are so many reasons why we chose wheat straw over other biodegradable materials. Here are just a few!

• Readily available
• It requires less energy to produce wheat straw plastic than regular plastic and toraphene (a different compostable plastic).
• Compostable 
• Saves communities from needing to burn this by-product 
• Helps communities to profit off of their by-product

It Does Not Break The Bank

This material is readily available across the globe. Converting the wheat straw into moldable plastic takes a small amount of energy and can be done with a natural bacteria, this is a cost efficient system. This allows us to sell wheat straw products at competitive prices to regular plastics. So you can save the environment and money.

The process is simple:

We take wheat straw, which is a by-product that would otherwise end up being burned and convert it into an environmentally conscious  plastic using natural bacteria. From there we can create any number of products.

We sell our products at competitive prices because we don’t have any added costs like other alternative plastics do. 

Protect Thy Phone

Moanas wheat straw iphone cases will protect your phone from the natural world. They are flexible and will fit your phone like a glove and better than any regular plastic.

Super Protective Anti-scratch, anti-slip, anti-shock. Wheat straw is an amazing material, it is durable and will last longer than any other  bio plastic case on the market.

They are made from real wheat straw and they can be cleaned just like any other plastic phone case. The difference between this case and other cases is that these cases have been designed with extra protection to keep your phone safe from the elements of nature, whether you're out in the rain, snow or salt water.

You Get The Point

The unique properties of wheat straw make it a fantastic alternative to regular plastics. There are many benefits to using such a phone case in that it is 100% natural and renewable. It is also recyclable and does not create toxic by-products during production. 

We've compared 5 materials against each other in terms of four different test criteria: price, ease-of-use, durability, and aesthetics. The material that stood out amongst the rest was definitely wheat straw.  It was almost always the most affordable. When used as an environmentally conscious product, they are easy to use and surprisingly durable.

Next time you're in the market for a phone case, choose Moana's Hawaii, the environmentally friendly option and stylish option.