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Nimble Disc Case Review: Recycled CD iPhone Case

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This plastic case is made from recycled CDs.

The Nimble Disc Case is an iPhone case made from 100% recycled compact discs. Yes, there is a chance that this awesome clear case is made from parts of the N’Sync,  Britney Spears, or Sublime CDs you carried from your car to your bedroom back in high school. Or whatever your favorite CD is.

Made from REPLAY post-consumer compact discs, these cases are available for the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, and iPhone SE 2020 models for $39.95 at Nimble and Verizon.

I’ve been testing the Nimble Disc Case on the iPhone 11 Pro Max for a few weeks and I’m impressed with the quality and excited about the sustainability factor that this case offers.

The Nimble Disc Case offers a lot of grip, and the edges have the right amount of give to them. Many cases are too rigid on the edges, which makes it harder to hold. This case doesn’t add much thickness to the iPhone 11 Pro Max and it still offers six feet of drop protection. This is more than enough protection for my day-to-day needs and while I haven’t tossed this case to the ground with my phone in it, there are features to help keep the phone safe.

There is a nice lip on the front of the Nimble Disc case that keeps the iPhone screen off surfaces when you set it face down, and it helps protect the phone when you drop it. On each back corner is a small raised section that keeps the phone from sliding on smooth surfaces. Overall the case feels very solid and it features all the hallmarks of a protective case in this class.

The front lip protects the screen.

Even with the raised edges, I am still able to reliably use the gestures on the iPhone 11 Pro Max. This was a concern with many of the cases I originally tested that featured lips. The inward curve on the lip helps alleviate that, and possibly I am more adept at using the gestures. I still prefer a case with no lip on the bottom edge, but this one doesn’t hinder switching apps or going to the home screen.

The clear design shows off the color of your iPhone, which is a nice feature. The case is made with anti-yellowing technology so it should stay as clear and crisp looking as day one. After a lot of outdoor use and a day at the beach, the case looks as good as the day I put it on. There is a Nimble Recycle logo on the back, near the bottom of the case and on the right edge of the case is “MADE FROM RECYCLED COMPACT DISCS” text.

The case is scratch-resistant, and it does a decent job of holding up to scratches, but after a month of heavy use, there are a few scuffs and scratches on the outside. This is to be expected, especially since I took this case on multiple hikes where I leaned it up against rocks and trees and to a rocky beach.

There is an anti-microbial coating, which helps keep the case clean. The biggest downside to this case is that like most clear cases, it shows fingerprints. I find myself cleaning the case at least once a week to keep it looking fresh and clean. That’s fairly common though some cases do use an oleophobic coating to keep fingerprints at bay.

The power button was a little stiff at the start, but it flexed after some use on my iPhone 11 Pro Max.

When I first started using the case the power button, or what Apple calls the side button, on the iPhone 11 Pro Max was very stiff and the phone was taking screenshots and it was not easy to activate. I took the case off, flexed the power button 20-30 times and it was better. After a few days of use, the power button started to feel exactly as expected. I would prefer the functionality on day one. Be prepared to wear in the buttons before you put the case on, and then for the first few days of using the case. The iPhone SE case was perfect right out of the box with no flex needed to get a perfect feel for the buttons. The iPhone 11 Pro case we tested did not loosen up enough to use, after trying to flex the buttons the case routinely made the test phone take screenshots when we tried to power it on. It is a good idea to check this when you get your case.

With each purchase, you get a free shipping label to send any used plastic case in for recycling. When you recycle an old case, you get 15% off your next order. The packaging for the case is plastic-free for easy recycling.

Even with the short wear-in period for the iPhone 11 Pro Max case and the issue with the iPhone 11 Pro option, I still like the Nimble Disc Case. The amount of branding just right and it’s a big bonus to have a sustainable case option that doesn’t sacrifice protection. You can buy one at Nimble or from Verizon.

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