HAND MADE IN HAWAII...DID WE MENTION THAT BIT OF RIDICULOUSNESS
A ton of work goes into getting you the perfect phone case...here's the rundown...I hand pick every piece of Koa for amazing grain patterns which I then hand sand, finish with water-based poly, laser cut, sip a beer, etch a design, apply ink and assemble. Like I said, pretty much ridiculousness...but it makes a super unique wood phone case.
SHOOTS...BUT WHAT ABOUT THE WOOD?
We use only the finest sustainably harvested "curly" grained Koa wood from the Big Island of Hawaii. Koa only grows in Hawaii and was once reserved for royalty. It was used for the first surfboards, warrior's weapons and the outrigger sailing canoes that explored the Pacific. Read the full Hawaiian Koa Wood Story →
YEAH, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE CASE...
two words...drunken sailers...that's what we are like in the shop...dropping and generally mistreating our phones. The case bouces when dropped (take my word for it) and protects nicely while being as thin as possible...cause who wants a brick in their pocket.
THE ISLANDS ARE CALLING... HELLOOOO!
The perfect reminder of Hawaii that will literally go everywhere with you. Don't forget to grab one as a gift for someone missing the islands.
SMALL BATCH PRODUCTION
...if you can call it that. Each case is made in my shop...I sand, finish with poly, laser etch and cut, assemble, and ink every case that goes out the door. No wonder I'm not surfing these days.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Koa Wood Phone Case?
A hand-crafted phone case with real curly Hawaiian Koa wood inlay, made-to-order in our small shop in Honolulu. The Koa is sealed under resin so it stays drop-tough and life-proof, and the design is laser-etched into the wood for a clean island-inspired look. Every case is one-of-a-kind — the grain never repeats.
Which phone models does it fit?
We started with the iPhone 4…we've been making them for a long time. We've got all iPhones and some Galaxy cases — you'll pick your exact model in the dropdown on the product page.
Is it drop protective?
Yes — drop tested and approved. The case wraps and protects all sides, with a raised lip around the camera and screen. The Koa inlay is sealed under a clear resin coating that keeps the wood grain visible while making it life-proof against water, sweat, and daily abuse. We're like drunken sailors around the shop — if we can't destroy it, you probably can't either.
Can I use wireless charging with it?
Yes — regular Qi wireless charging works through the case. Note these are NOT MagSafe cases (no embedded magnet ring), so MagSafe accessories won't snap on magnetically. If you want full MagSafe compatibility, check out our MagSafe line.
What's special about the Hawaiian Koa wood?
We use only the most rare and beautiful "curly" grained Koa from the Big Island of Hawaii — the tightest curl density is what makes the wood look like it's moving in the light. Pictures really can't do it justice. I waited 10 years for the current log of curly Koa. The wood is sustainably harvested from dead or dying trees on private land — no live-tree harvesting — and hand-finished in our shop in Honolulu.
Do you offer exchanges? Is it gift-ready?
Yes — our automated support portal makes the exchange easy and free. Please double check your model as it gets expensive to swap out with shipping.
Some of the reviews shown are from related products the merchant grouped with this one.
j
What a great reminder of the Islands we love so much. Made in Honolulu and so gorgeous on my mobile. And FYI, the Post Office lost my first order but Pono immediately shipped me a second, replacement case.
S
I loved the look of my case, but after just one week the magnetic ring on the back started separating from wood. It is now almost completely separated and coming off. I tried emailing the company but didn’t get a reply. This is the second case that didn’t last because the adhesive they use has failed on some part of the case. I’m very disappointed since I want to shop local whenever possible.
R
The magnets will pop out when taking off whatever socket I have on it. This started happening within the first week of owning the case. Maybe the adhesive is just too weak idk. Also wish the MagSafe cases had designs on them like the other cases.
Oh no...that's no good. I started using super glue in addition to the existing adhesive to help keep the magnets stuck.. it seems to be working. If you go to the 'customer service' part of the website, i can get you taken care of with a new one.
Sincerely,
Brett
M
I had one of the lovely wave cases on my iPhone 12 and had a second one when I upgraded to the 14 Pro. I loved them both, but wanted to be able to use MagSafe charging.
So I upgraded to the MagSafe case about six months ago, and all was well… until about three weeks ago when the glue on the sticker backing and the inlaid magnets started failing. This allowed some of the magnetic tiles to slip up onto their neighbors, forcing the sticker backing to start peeling away faster.
I tried fighting with it a bit but eventually it got bad enough that I had to peel the sticker backing off, remove about six or seven of the magnetic tiles, and re-glue them in place with a stronger adhesive. It’s better, but definitely not like new, as the sticker ring isn’t sitting as flush to the case as it was before the repair and new glue. If these could be produced with more resilient glue in the first place, this kind of surgery wouldn’t be necessary.
That said, I still love this case!
L
I get compliments on my Pono phone case, everyday! It's beautiful and it's Koa wood reminds me everyday of how beautiful and magical the Hawaiian Islands are. It's the 3rd phone that I've bought a Pono case for, and my hubby has their wallet. Thank You Pono Woodworks for your artwork that we carry on us everywhere!
G
She LOVES her phone case.
Thanks for getting ME a nice Valentines gift from her!
M
I’ve had this koa cover for my iPhone 15 pro max for about a week. It is already delaminating around the camera group. Not very happy with the way it’s holding up…
M
I have had 2 pono woodworks cases now, this one is my second. My first for my iPhone 11 lasted me 2 years and I loved it so much, I only got rid of it because I upgraded my phone. This case was for my iPhone 12 and looks amazing! The only problem is that it has a slight raising between the case and the wood on one corner. This review would be an easy 5 stars if that raising didn't exist, but it is small so not a big deal. I would happily change this review to 5 stars if I were to be able to swap for a new one :) Overall, beautiful phone case, protects and lasts!
M
I live in Hawai’i & love this phone case & feel confident that it’ll be durable. Can’t beat the look of koa.
M
I ordered this phone case for my dad and he absolutely loves it! The koa looks beautiful and the the craftsmanship is very high quality. I got a koa case from Pono about 5 years ago for him and it has held up wonderfully and looks just as beautiful as when we got it, so it was no question to order one for his new phone! Brett was extremely pleasant to work with on my custom order and shipping was very quick!
N
I'm very happy with my experience with Pono, I appreciate the response and honesty I got via email when my phone case was a bit late to ship. Final product is awesome, no complaints, perfect fit for my phone. Love your packaging and marketing materials, and back story on Koa wood and your products. I have already recommended you to several friends. Im buying my daughter a new phone for xmas and I'll be ordering a Pono case soon to go with it..
Can you do a custom design on your cases? I have a friend who wants one of your cases with a Marvel's Dr. Strange symbol on the back. Picture of symbol attached.
S
This is my second phone case from Pono. When I got my new iPhone 13 Pro, I knew that I wanted to get a case similar to the one that I had for my old phone. I ordered my new case and was quickly notified that there would be a little hold-up because it was for the brand new iPhone 13 and they were still waiting on materials to arrive from their supplier. I was even offered a partial refund so that I could buy a cheap case to get me by until they could ship the new Pono case. I told them not to worry about that, I was happy to wait patiently for the case I really wanted.
I feel like the new case arrived quicker than expected. It is beautiful. It is exactly what I want around my phone. It protects nicely and it is very pretty. It is very classy and rich looking. And yet very affordable.
My previous case lasted better than my phone, and I’m sure that this one will do the same. I also know which company I will order my next case from, when I upgrade my phone again someday in the future.
V
I like it. Looks great on my phone. I gave it 4 stars cause the upper right side is not glued down flush to the case. (See attached photo) But will order again.
Aloha Vic,
thanks for the 4 stars but I think that should have been a 1 star. Sometimes you can push that down with your thumb nail and itʻll stay permanently (that would mean it was 2am and I blew it when making it for you). If that doesn't work, let me know and Iʻll get you a new one...we want it to be perfect for you. Big Mahalos.
C
The phone case I ordered is beautiful, very nice packaging and arrived very quickly. I also love that I’m supporting small business here in the USA. Thank you for your craftsmanship.
J
I love this case!!! It is the best case I have ever had. I wish I had found these sooner! Looks great on my iPhone 12.
D
This has been the most fun purchase from the silly emails to the fun packaging. The case is absolutely beautiful! The quality is impeccable! Thank you so much for making this wonderful product!
M
Love my new Koa case with flowers! Fits Samsung 20 plus perfectly gave it a new look! Thank you awesome work!!!! Recommend your business to anyone wanting a beautiful unique case that will last a long time! Miss home all the time so this lets me have a little of home all the time!!! Keep Making these!!! Bet a tribal design would be a seller!!!
M
This is my second iPhone case from Pono. Had the old one for over three years and the phone never got a scratch. So when I got a new phone there was no question what case I would put on it. Great protection and a reminder of the islands until I can get back there. Love it! Mahalo!
G
I wanted a cell phone case that reflected my love of nature and Hawaii and this one fulfills both of those desires.
As you see in the picture, it turned out perfectly.
The Faux Abalone popsocket along with the wood finish and Hawaiian islands makes me smile every time I pick it up.
So long as this wood is sustainably harvested I'll continue to buy these beautiful cases.
Thanks very much!
Super-happy to have this.
Cheers from Honolulu!
Greg
Aloha Greg, No need worry...we get-em from dead or dying trees on B.Island
K
The phone case I bought for myself and the knife I bought for my husband are truly beautiful! Thank you for your quick response and beautiful products.
