Google's official Pixel 4a case protects more than just the new phone

After a long wait, Google announced the Pixel 4a today, and as it usually does, it has a case to go along with it. On the surface, the Pixel 4a case doesn't seem like anything particularly special – it looks like most other knit cases out there, in fact – but according to Google, the big deal about this case is the material it's made with.

Google says that the Pixel 4a knitted case is made with "over 70 percent recycled plastic," which makes it something of an environmentally-friendly buy. Apparently, two recycled plastic bottles provide enough material to make five of these cases.

The jacquard pattern these cases employ makes it easier to hide the damage they'll inevitably endure, whether it's standard wear and tear or it's scratches from drops. Google says you can even drop these cases in the laundry to clean them in the event they become too dirty to look at.

As far as protection is concerned, Google says that the case features "edge-to-edge inner microfiber" to protect against drop damage. The case also has a raised edge that keeps your phone's display elevated slightly when you place it face-down on a surface. All in all, it seems like a fairly standard case when it comes to drop protection, it just has that added angle of primarily using recycled materials.

The Pixel 4a case is available for pre-order today from Google's Store. Google doesn't list a release date for the case, but it's probably safe to assume that it will ship alongside the Pixel 4a on August 20th. The case is available in three colors – Basically Black, Static Gray, and Blue – for $40.