Here’s a simple how-to for making your own Tyvek sleeve case for your iPhone. Yes, it’s odd that I’m willing to spend $600 on a phone and then make my own case.

Tyvek is a magic material made by DuPont [more info]. It is used for mailing envelopes and house siding. I even have a wallet made of Tyvek. It feels like paper, is easy to cut with scissors, glue and fold like paper, but is really difficult to tear.

To create your Tyvek iPhone case, all you need is Tyvek, glue and scissors. My source of Tyvek was a USPS priority mail envelope. You can also use a FedEx or even a NetFlix envelope, except NetFlix usually likes them returned. I used a rubber-cement type glue, which marketing has dollied up and is now called a Gel glue.

You will need two pieces of material. The first piece wraps the iPhone, leaving an opening at the top and bottom. Measure this out by wrapping the phone and cutting to fit, leaving enough overlap so you can glue together. The second piece of Tyvek will slip inside and provide a handle at the top to make it easier to get the phone in and out. At the bottom, the second piece loops over and holds the iPhone in place. The second piece can be long and then cut to fit after it’s in place.

Now, to glue it all together. I left my iPhone wrapped in the material but protected so that the glue would not get on it. This way I could pull the Tyvek around it, not too snug, and glue it at the overlap. I put the seam on the back of the phone in the middle. Slide the inner piece in and glue it on the seam, leaving extra at the top and bottom sticking out.

I glued the bottom piece to the outside, which if I were to do again, I would tuck it inside and glue so you can’t see it. Trim the top and you’re good to go.

Your own Tyvek iPhone case. The world’s cheapest case for one of the world’s most expensive phones.