CES 2024: OtterBox Launches New Cases Made From Sustainable Cactus Leather

OtterBox, known for its range of protective cases designed for the iPhone, today announced the launch of new cases that are made from cactus leather. According to OtterBox, the cases are designed to feel like leather, but are created from the more sustainable and ethical cactus material.

otterbox cactus leather case
The soft-touch Symmetry Series Cactus Leather Cases offer the case protection that is typical of an OtterBox accessory. There's a rigid case design with reinforced corners for shock absorption, a raised edge to keep the camera safe, a screen lip to protect the display, and DROP+ protection.

The cactus leather is sourced from the nopal cactus, which is more commonly known as the prickly pear. Producing cactus leather requires less land, water, and resources than producing traditional leather, and when mature prickly pear pads are gathered, the rest of the cactus remains alive and healthy for re-harvesting again in the future.

MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera was able to see OtterBox's cases in person at CES, and he found the material to be an improvement over Apple's leather alternative, FineWoven.

OtterBox is offering the cases alongside cactus leather Apple Watch band options and a MagSafe wallet made from the same material.

The first cactus leather cases will be priced at $60 and will be available from the OtterBox website starting in Spring 2024.

Popular Stories

Low Cost MacBook Feature A18 Pro

Apple Is Expected to Launch These Four MacBooks in 2026

Friday January 9, 2026 8:17 am PST by
2026 could be a bumper year for Apple's Mac lineup, with the company expected to announce as many as four separate MacBook launches. Rumors suggest Apple will court both ends of the consumer spectrum, with more affordable options for students and feature-rich premium lines for users that seek the highest specifications from a laptop. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. ...
iPhone Top Left Hole Punch Face ID Feature Purple

10 Reasons to Wait for This Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Thursday January 8, 2026 2:56 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
iOS 18 Siri Personal Context

Apple Confirms Google Gemini Will Power Next-Generation Siri This Year

Monday January 12, 2026 7:38 am PST by
In a statement shared with CNBC today, Apple confirmed that Google Gemini will power the next-generation version of Siri that is slated to launch later this year. "After careful evaluation, we determined that Google's technology provides the most capable foundation for Apple Foundation Models and we're excited about the innovative new experiences it will unlock for our users," the statement...
Apple Creator Studio

Apple Introduces New 'Creator Studio' Bundle of Apps for $129 Per Year

Tuesday January 13, 2026 6:11 am PST by
Apple today introduced a new Apple Creator Studio bundle that offers access to six creative apps, as well as exclusive AI features and content, as part of a single subscription. In the U.S., pricing is set at $12.99 per month or $129 per year. Here are the six apps included with an Apple Creator Studio subscription:Final Cut Pro on the Mac and iPad Logic Pro on the Mac and iPad Pixelmator...
iOS 26

Here's What's New in iOS 26.3 So Far

Monday January 12, 2026 1:15 pm PST by
Apple today seeded the second beta of iOS 26.3, nearly a month after the first beta. So far, the update includes a couple of new features for iPhones. iOS 15.3 through iOS 18.3 were all released in late January over the years, so it is thereby likely that iOS 26.3 will be released towards the end of this month as well. The update is compatible with the iPhone 11 series and newer. Below,...
iOS 18 Siri Personal Context

Elon Musk Reacts to Apple and Google Teaming on Gemini-Powered Siri

Monday January 12, 2026 11:38 am PST by
Elon Musk today expressed concern about Apple and Google partnering on a more personalized version of Siri powered by Google's generative AI platform Gemini. "This seems like an unreasonable concentration of power for Google, given that [they] also have Android and Chrome," wrote Musk, in a post on X. Musk serves as CEO of xAI, the company behind Gemini competitor Grok. It is unlikely...
Apple Intelligence iPhone 16

Google Gemini Partnership With Apple Will Go Beyond Siri Revamp

Monday January 12, 2026 8:48 am PST by
Apple and Google today announced that Google Gemini will help power not only a more personalized version of Siri, but a range of future Apple Intelligence features. "Apple and Google have entered into a multi-year collaboration under which the next generation of Apple Foundation Models will be based on Google's Gemini models and cloud technology," the companies said, in a statement. "These...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2.1 Update Coming Soon for iPhones

Monday January 12, 2026 8:19 am PST by
iOS 26.3 will likely be released to the public later this month, but it appears that Apple is preparing to push out another software update in the interim. Apple's software engineers have started testing iOS 26.2.1, according to the MacRumors visitor logs, which have been a reliable indicator of upcoming iOS versions. The update will likely be released at some point this week or next week. ...

Top Rated Comments

klasma Avatar
26 months ago

the rest of the cactus remains alive and healthy for re-harvesting again in the future.
So they are skinning the poor cacti alive? ?
Score: 37 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kottu Avatar
26 months ago
Vegen leather, cactus leather…. Why to call them leather at all? Just call plastic or plant based.
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tgwaste Avatar
26 months ago
"but are created from the more sustainable and ethical cactus material."

Based on whos ethics?
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
emmab2006 Avatar
26 months ago
Why use cactus leather when a cow is readily available?
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
arthurgd3 Avatar
26 months ago

Vegen leather, cactus leather…. Why to call them leather at all? Just call plastic or plant based.
Yup, same as calling anything but animal milk, cow, sheep or goat milk milk. Soy, Cashew, Oat, you name it, it ain't milk anymore than this is leather.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WarmWinterHat Avatar
26 months ago

Why use cactus leather when a cow is readily available?
I'd like to check it out. I'm vegetarian and don't buy/use animal leather.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)