iPhone 17 Cases in Leather & Wool Felt
Frequently Asked Questions
With KINGSTON and KIRKBY, yes. Both have sound holes at the lower edge, so the speaker stays open. The SHETLAND in pure wool felt deliberately has no openings.
Slim is for the bare iPhone 17. Wide is for a device that is already in a smooth case. Only the KINGSTON comes in both widths, because we do the cutting ourselves and can therefore control this tolerance.
It is firm at first, and that is intended. A sleeve has to sit tightly without jamming, otherwise the device slides out. After the first few weeks the material gives a little and the fit stays right.
CHESTER, KIRKBY and KINGSTON come in a fine rigid box with a lift-off lid and a silver ribbon across it. We emboss the silver logo onto the lid ourselves, with heat and pressure. You do not need to wrap anything.
In our own workshop in Hamburg, Germany. Splitting, skiving, cutting, sewing, embossing and final inspection all happen here, and have done since 2011. The leather comes vegetable-tanned from Tuscany, and the Merino wool felt is mulesing-free.
Yes, that is what the KINGSTON in the wide fit is for. It is cut so that an iPhone 17 in a smooth clear case or a thin leather case fits inside. The slim fit is for the bare device. You can choose between both widths on the product page.
Yes. KINGSTON and KIRKBY have a charging cable cutout at the lower edge. With the CHESTER hardcase, magnetic and wireless charging work with the case on anyway.
Leather. It takes more mechanical wear and ages visibly more slowly. Merino wool felt is lighter and softer in return, and it absorbs impacts. Both are natural materials and both age, only differently: leather develops a patina, felt hardly changes in appearance.
Often yes. Within one size class the measurements hardly change, and a sleeve is more forgiving than a hardcase. That is exactly why KIRKBY and KINGSTON cover the range from the iPhone 17 back to the 12. If you are unsure, send us your model.
As little as possible. Remove dust with a dry, soft cloth. If it gets wet, dab it, do not rub, and let it dry at room temperature, not on a radiator. Shake out the wool felt and brush it off.
iPhone 17 case: hardcase or sleeve?
We make two kinds of cases for the iPhone 17. A hardcase stays on the device. A sleeve holds the phone while you carry it, and you take the phone out to use it. Which one suits you does not depend on taste. It depends on how often you pick up your iPhone 17.
| Hardcase: CHESTER | Sleeve: KINGSTON, KIRKBY, SHETLAND | |
|---|---|---|
| Principle | Stays on the device | You take the device out to use it |
| Material | Leather or Alcantara outside, soft lining inside | Merino wool felt and vegetable-tanned leather |
| Charging | Magnetic and wireless, also with the case on | Charging cable cutout on KIRKBY and KINGSTON |
| Protection | Also when you drop it | Against scratches and keys in your bag |
| Over the years | Stays firmly on the device | Felt and leather adapt to the device |
| Who it is for | People who use the phone often and quickly | People who put it away and protect it |
How it fits: leather and wool felt on video
Two short clips: the KINGSTON in full leather and the KIRKBY in Merino wool felt with a leather front.
Leather sleeve for the iPhone 17: KINGSTON
The KINGSTON is the sleeve made of full leather. Vegetable-tanned cowhide leather from Tuscany on the outside, just under 2 mm thick, and 3 mm Merino wool felt inside. The contrast stitching is the only decorative element. It comes in dark brown and light brown, and it is the only model available in two widths.
CHESTER, the hardcase for the iPhone 17
The CHESTER encloses the device and stays on it. Leather or Alcantara outside, a soft lining inside, and the edges folded over so that no cut edges are visible. Magnetic and wireless charging work with the case on.
Wool felt for the iPhone 17: KIRKBY and SHETLAND
KIRKBY combines Merino wool felt with Italian leather and carries a pocket for a card or a banknote on the outside.
SHETLAND is made entirely of Merino wool felt, 100 percent virgin wool, in anthracite, red or white. A pocket at the front, a thumb notch at the top, nothing else. The felt is soft enough that it does not scratch the display when you slide the phone in.
| Model | Material | Features | Colours | Fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SHETLAND | Merino wool felt | Front pocket, thumb notch | Anthracite, red, white | slim only |
| KIRKBY | Merino wool felt with leather | Outer pocket, thumb notch, sound holes, charging cable cutout | Dark grey-dark brown, light grey-light brown | slim only |
| KINGSTON | Leather with Merino wool felt | Sound holes, charging cable cutout, contrast stitching | Dark brown, light brown | slim and wide |
Sound holes, charging cable cutout, thumb notch
Three details you only notice in daily use, and then do not want to be without. KIRKBY and KINGSTON have all three.
- Sound holes. The speaker stays open. You hear the ringtone while the iPhone 17 is in the sleeve.
- Charging cable cutout. You charge without taking the device out.
- Thumb notch at the top. A cutout at the upper edge where your thumb finds grip. Without it, you pull on a smooth edge.
The wide fit: iPhone 17 with a case inside the sleeve
There is a third way, and hardly anyone else offers it. Many people already carry their iPhone 17 in a clear case or a thin leather case, and they still do not want to put it into a backpack or a bag unprotected. That is what the KINGSTON in the wide fit is for.
The result is double protection. The case stays on the device and protects the display and the edges every day, and the sleeve goes over it while you carry it. Slim is for a bare iPhone 17, wide is for one that is already in a smooth case.
Which models are available for the iPhone 17
All four: CHESTER, KINGSTON, KIRKBY and SHETLAND. KIRKBY and KINGSTON cover the widest range, from the iPhone 17 back to the 12, both also for the mini models. If you keep an older iPhone, at some point you will no longer find a matching case in the shops. A sleeve keeps working.
Care and packaging
If the leather gets wet, dab it with a dry cloth, do not rub, and let it dry in the air. Not on a radiator. Shake out the wool felt and brush it off. CHESTER, KIRKBY and KINGSTON come in a fine rigid box with a lift-off lid and a silver ribbon across it. We emboss the silver logo ourselves.
From the raw hide to the last stitch
Splitting, skiving, cutting, sewing, embossing, hardware and final inspection all happen in our own workshop in Hamburg, Germany, and have done since 2011.
A sleeve has to sit tightly without jamming. You cannot buy that tolerance, it comes from the cut. That is exactly why we can offer the KINGSTON in two widths at all.
SEE OUR WORKSHOP AND OUR STORY →One sentence to the right case
Four models, four situations. Find the sentence that applies to you.
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Designed for Apple
Handmade cases that fit like a tailored suit – for iPhone, iPad & MacBook.
