Developed by case maker Evouni, which blends Japanese design sensibilities with the lower cost structure of Taiwanese manufacturing, the Leather Hard Case ($35) and Nano Fiber Pouch ($35) offer interesting spins on case designs that we’d otherwise write off as me-too. While the Leather Hard Case is really just a plastic rear shell with a faux leather exterior coating, the diamond textures chosen by Evouni are sophisticated and clean, with a small silver Evouni logo adding subtle and classy branding in one bottom corner. Similarly, the Nano Fiber Pouches are very simple microfiber pouches for the iPad, but little touches — a cleaning cloth pocket, a passive elastic inner strap to hold the iPad’s corner, and suede-like exterior texturing — make the design look quite nice despite the lack of any active top protection. Equally impressive are the company’s iPad packages, which are classy little bags with a mix of what looks like rice paper and glossy clear plastic textures, sealed with Ziploc-like zippers on one side. By contrast, neither the packaging nor the specifics of its iPhone products really grabbed us: they included the plain red Handmade Felt Pouch ($35), Microfiber Pouch ($30), and “Stylish Lanyard” ($19) shown in the last picture. Each is interesting, but the Microfiber Pouch and Lanyard struck us as much better designs than the Felt (actually merino wool) version.
Our Rating
Company and Price
Company: Evouni
Website: www.Evouni.com
Models: Leather Hard Case, Nano Fiber Pouch
Price: $35
Compatible: iPad