It started the way these things usually do — with a dropped phone and a repair bill that made us wince. After yet another cracked screen and yet another trip to the repair shop, we started looking for a case that was actually worth buying. Something that protected the phone properly, didn't look like it came free with a contract, and didn't cost more than the meal out we were trying to photograph.

We couldn't find it. So we built it.

PhoneMate was born from a straightforward frustration with the market: too many cases that were either cheap and ugly, or premium-priced and dull. We thought there was a better way. A case that takes protection seriously, has a genuine point of view on design, and sells at a price that doesn't require a second thought.

The name? Mate felt right from the start. It's the word we use for someone who's always got your back. That's exactly what a good case should be — always there, never in the way, quietly reliable. Your phone's best mate.