Dbramante1928: a protective film made from recycled PET

Smartphones have to go through a lot every day. No wonder protective covers are widely used. But not every model helps against scratches on the display. That’s why plastic protective films sell well with us, protective glass covers even better. The latter have a reputation for being more robust and higher quality than protective films. Manufacturer Dbramante1928 wants to prove me wrong and has offered its product to me to try.

My test object: an iPhone 15 Plus

My current test device is an iPhone 15 Plus, at home in a case for the last six weeks. Its display was exposed to all kinds of forces during this time. So far, things look good. I’ve got an undamaged candidate ready to run with a protective film.

The scope of delivery: they thought of everything

Sticking on a film can be quite tricky. The protector should fit correctly, air bubbles and dust lint should be avoided where possible. Dbramante1928 has done a good job in this respect, including everything you need to install the film.

In addition to a microfibre cloth, wet wipe and a scraper to remove the very last air bubbles, you’ll also find something very useful: a plastic frame. It’s designed to ensure perfect alignment between the protective film and the smartphone.

No more tedious assembly

An instructional video shows me how to apply the film correctly with all the accessories. I need a second video player for this – luckily my freshly cleaned second cell phone is in my pocket. A laptop or PC is, of course, also possible.

The video is easy to understand, but too fast for working in parallel. So plentiful pausing is the order of the day. The result? Satisfaction. I can remove those last few air bubbles with the enclosed scraper. Fortunately, there’s only a small dust fuzz on the edge, which I don’t notice when I run my finger over it.

But who knows, maybe it doesn’t always go so smoothly. So I convince some of my editorial colleagues to grab a foil. Why convince? Some have big reservations about protective films, which often fit poorly and provide inferior protection. Lorenz and Flo took pity on me and stuck the protective films on their phones. They come to the same conclusion: assembly is easy. A few dust fluffs are nearly unavoidable, but they don’t interfere in practice.

Everyday use: hardly noticeable

The Dbramante1928 film is quite thin and supple compared to protective glass. What’s more, I hardly notice any difference to the naked display and even forget that it’s on the phone from time to time. Even after installation, Flo couldn’t tell it was plastic, not glass. When I enlighten him, he’s pleasantly surprised. Lorenz also adds that you don’t feel any resistance when wiping the screen, he’s had very different experiences. It seems we’re all convinced: the film isn’t noticeable, and that’s a good thing.

And durability? After three weeks, it still stays on as it did on the first day. I don’t see any scratches so far. Flo has already slammed his poor iPhone to the ground a few times – but the foil didn’t budge an inch. In such situations, protective glass can easily crack.

Wait, wasn’t there something else? Sustainability, that’s it

Dbramante1928 markets its protective films as the most sustainable choice. The manufacturer emphasises that its films are made from recycled PET. The production and recycling of plastic also requires much less energy than glass, for example. However, sustainability and recycling are quite complex issues and difficult to verify.

With the Dbramante1928 protective films, I particularly notice how much waste is produced when fitting just one film. The plastic frame alone, which I bin after one use, makes me feel guilty. So I take my glasses, tablet and my second smartphone and clean everything thoroughly with the wipes. At least I used those a bit more.

Verdict: practical, but with a lot of residual waste

Protective films are useful if you want to stuff your phone in every bag and backpack without hesitation – along with keys and the like. Dbramante1928 protective films have so far been able to prevent scratches with ease and are surprisingly easy to install. I’m not entirely convinced about the sustainability given the waste after installation. This waste bothers me more than a few scratches on the display. Wear and tear on everyday objects seems unavoidable to me and part of the process. I’ll probably do without a film in future and limit myself to a smartphone case.

But maybe you’ll see things differently given the simple installation and long-lasting protection. Please note, however, that the selection of films at Dbramante1928 isn’t very extensive yet. If you own a current iPhone or Samsung smartphone, you’re in luck.