Greyish sticky powder on Apple-cables

[CFranci1]

I've noticed for quite some time how some Apple cables have or develop a sticky feel to them. And how some other Apple cables goes sticky or powder-ish after some time. I've seen some different issues that is probably more or less the same.

For example, black cables: Apple HDMI and Apple TV power cables often start to develop a grey/white powder or texture after a longer time of use. I've been worried about what this is since it can come of and then is in powder form. I don't want to inhale plastic or flame retardant sticky powder or whatever it is.

I've also noticed how some MagSafe-cables are sticky as well and I have tried to avoid them. Even my late 2013 MacBook Pro came with a 85w charger that had this sticky stuff coming of. My other charger did not.

I install a lot of Macs and other Apple products so I come in contact with new cables fairly often. I would say that this issue is not very common with the thinner lightning to USB-A cables BUT I've noticed it on all new lightning to USB-C cables. It is very apparent on them and I am getting more and more worried about that this material is, and how it might affect me and others. Every time I unpack a new cable my hands get filled with this sticky gum/plastic material (I don't know what it is) and I have to go wash my hands. I tried to clean the powder off of one of my USB-C cables and while doing so I noticed how all of the powder disappeared and left the cable shiny instead of matte as they come from Apple.

I am beginning to believe this is a manufacturing issue. Since this material usually seems to be correctly applied to the thinner cables such as lightning to USB-A cables I believe it is a bonding issue or some such. It is much more apparent on thicker cables like the USB-C to lightning and also on the USB-C charging cables. I just today unboxed a USB-C to USB-C charging cable and noticed that the cable looked dodgy from the beginning (the material on the cord not being smooth but turbid. It also smells like very old 80s electronic boards found in old amplifiers et cetera. Upon taking it out of its cylindrical paper holder I immediately got a lot of this material stuck on my fingers as usual.

I imagine that there is two issues here. First I believe that this is a material that comes to Apple in a granulate form, I imagine that they apply this material when it has melted to form a smooth elegant finish coating on the cables. This material seems to blend and finish perfectly on thinner cables but not quite so on thicker cables for some reason, maybe because the process isn't optimized so that the cables cool down to quick or to slow. The second issue, I believe is that the cords now are very tightly wounded around paper spines to give a cool impression - however this might be putting to much pressure on the cords themselves so quickly after manufacturing that the coating material stiffens and goes into this powder/sticky state instead of keeping its smooth elegant properties.

But in the end - I don't know. I just believe this is an issue.

I got in touch with Apple and talked about it, they seemed to not know what it was, like it was an isolated issue related to my work place for some reason. They also told me not to worry about the material but I still feel very worried about it since there is a lot of material coming of, and it smells like old style flame retardants and it is very sticky - I don't want to inhale it, get it into my eyes or anywhere else for that matter.

Asking friends I've noticed that most of them have experienced this with Apple cables too. I now wonder if anyone here has noticed/experienced it too, and if anyone has heard anything about that this is from Apple. I'd prefer to have cables that are safe rather than good looking, and cables that don't spill this material on clothing, bags or on and in bodies.

How do you feel about this kind of cables if you have them and have you been or are worried too?

[doublepost=1552411977][/doublepost]Hi! I found your thread because I inboxed my new MacBook and the white cord had a slimy white residue that came off onto my hands? Is there any new info?

 

[537635]

Get an Anker USB-C cable. Way better quality-wise. Been using it for a while now with MBP, the stickiness of the original cables is much worse than with previous MagSafe cables.

 

[SDColorado]

I have been using Uni cables and have really liked them as well. Uni USB-C Charge cable with power delivery to replace the power cable and a few of their accessory cables. The power cable is thicker, longer and more flexible than the Apple supplied one, much better quality.

https://www.uniaccessories.io/product

 

[takeos]

Exact same problem here, on a white 2-meter USB-C to Lightning cable which sat unused in a closed shelf for 7 months (no thermal issues, no sunlight). I just went back to use it for the first time, and it's so sticky I have to wash my hands after touching it. Purchased April 2019, original Apple cable purchased from Amazon.

 

[asus389]

This is still a thing. I just got a replacement USB-A to lightning 1M cable. Sticky and smells. Also, whatever is on the cable makes my hands itch handling it. The lightning cables I got a couple years ago didn't seem to have this issue.

I had a USB-C to USB-C charging cable for my MBP that I bought as a spare that smelled like mildew. The one that came with my MBP was totally fine.

There's some weird issues with Apple cables sometimes.