In an internal memo, Apple has instructed retail employees what to say and how to address customers when they inevitably complain and ask about the company’s new FineWoven cases. In the memo obtained by 9to5Mac‘s Chance Miller, Apple outlines several pointers for Apple Store employees to follow.
The memo tells employees that customers may ask about the “appearance of the new FineWoven material, how it wears over time, and how to care for it.” In response, Apple suggests employees boast that FineWoven is made from a “luxurious microtwill, with a soft yet durable suede-like texture.”
As iPhone 15 models and FineWoven cases started arriving to customers in the last couple of days, negative criticism and complaints have mounted for the new line of cases and Apple’s new “luxurious” material replacing its leather accessories. The Verge headlined, “The new FineWoven iPhone cases are very bad.”
Complaints have also mounted on Reddit, X, and elsewhere across the internet. When customers inevitably inquire to employees about FineWoven’s durability and wear and tear over time, staff should tell them that the case “may look different and show wear over time as the fibers get compressed with normal use.” Apple also points out that “some scratches may diminish over time.”
Another key thing Apple wants retail employees to point out: “Some scratches may diminish over time.” Apple also reiterates that “MagSafe accessories on the FineWoven Case with MagSafe will leave slight imprints,” something it first pointed out earlier this month.
9to5Mac
FineWoven is part of Apple’s massive environmental push, which it dedicated ample time to discussing during its “Wonderlust” event earlier this month. FineWoven is an “elegant and durable” textile made from 68% recycled content that offers a “subtle luster and a soft, suede-like feel,” according to the Cupertino tech giant.
FineWoven can be found in Apple’s MagSafe cases for the iPhone, alongside the MagSafe wallet, Magnetic Link, and Modern Buckle Apple Watch bands. FineWoven has “significantly lower emissions compared to the more carbon-intensive leather,” Apple said in a statement earlier this month. FineWoven is one part of Apple’s push to use 100% recycled metals in key components by 2025.
