MacCase Leather and Nylon Cases, Bags, and Sleeves for MacBook and iPad Since 1998
The Original Apple-Specific Case Maker. Still the Best.
MacCase invented the Apple-specific case market in 1998 with a case for the original iBook. Twenty-eight years later, MacCase makes the most complete lineup of premium leather and rPET nylon cases, bags, sleeves, and folios for MacBook and iPad available from any single brand. Every product is handmade. Every product is rated using the MacCase Protection Rating System. Every leather product carries a Limited Lifetime Warranty. Every nylon product carries a 10-Year Limited Warranty. MacCase has been shipping worldwide since inception.
Two Material Lines. One Standard.
MacCase makes two product lines in two materials. The Premium Leather Collection uses ethically sourced, vegetable-dyed full-grain and top-grain leather from Hindu ex-dairy cows that live in the Indian highlands. The hides become available only after the animals have lived out their natural lives. The rPET Nylon Collection uses nylon handcrafted from recycled plastic water bottles, trimmed at every touch point with the same ethically sourced Premium Leather. Both lines are built to the same construction standard. Both are handmade. Both carry industry-leading warranties. The choice between them is a choice of material and aesthetic, not a choice between quality levels.
MacCase Design Principles
Every MacCase product is built around a set of design principles laid out by multi-award-winning designer and founder Michael Santoro that have not changed since 1998. Timelessness over trendiness. Protection over price point. Construction quality that outlasts the device it protects. These principles produced specific innovations that define the MacCase lineup:
The World's First Apple-Specific Case. Before MacCase, if you owned an Apple laptop and wanted a case, you went to a big box store and hoped for the best. The original 1998 iBook case was the world's first laptop bag designed exclusively for an Apple laptop. The case was round (not a rectangle) and came in 5 colors that matched the iBook. It was a huge hit and is a collector's item today.
The Apple Logo Window. The original 1998 iBook case featured a window that allowed the Apple logo to become part of the design. This detail has been copied more than any other design element in Apple accessory history. MacCase still uses it today on the Premium Leather MacBook Sleeve, over 28 years later.
No Zippers on Sleeves. MacCase's second product was a sleeve. At the time, every laptop sleeve had with a zipper that you had to drag the computer across to get in out or place inside. Over time, zipper teeth scratch. Every MacCase sleeve since 1998 uses a zipperless closure either hook and loop, magnetic or open-top.
World's First "Work-in-Case" Design- The MacCase Binder. A precursor the molded plastic laptop covers, the MacCase binder released in 1999 was a cut-and-sew case that "lived" on the laptop, protected it during transport but remained attached while the laptop was in use.
World's First Modular Laptop Backpack- The Modular MacPack. As the line expanded, Michael Santoro brought the same innovative thinking to laptop backpacks that he brought to laptop cases. In 2003, The Modular MacPack was released. It was the world's first backpack that the user could configure based on their carry needs for that day. The pack consisted of a main module that held the laptop and two additional modules that could be added if needed.
World's First Molded EVA Laptop Briefcase- The MacCase V-Carbon Briefcase. Launched in 2006, the MacCase V-Carbon Briefcase was the world's first EVA molded laptop case. Combining a 3-dimensional, carbon fiber look EVA molded front panel that provided industry leading impact protection with cut and sew side and rear panels, this case set a new standard for high performance laptop case design due to it's lightweight, 3-D impact protection and innovative use of materials.
The Offset Design for iPad Folio Cases. In 2010 MacCase launched its first Leather Leather iPad Folio case. The new book-link design held the tablet in a custom stamped alloy frame 5mm from the edge of the case, creating a crumple zone long each edge and at every corner. This design has never been replicated by any other case maker at the same level.
The Impact-Absorbent TPU iPad Tray. Introduced in 2017, the MacCase TPU tray holds the iPad inside the folio via a precision-fitted, impact-absorbent polymer frame. Unlike rigid plastic trays that crack over time, adhesive-based mounting systems that wear out or fabric loops that stretch and lose grip, the MacCase TPU tray will never wear out and never needs replacement. It absorbs and dissipates impact energy at the corners and edges where drops do the most damage.
The Magnetic Accessory System (MAS). Introduced in 2017, the MAS is exclusive to MacCase. Four accessories: Apple Pencil holder, cable pouch, paper holder, and business card holder, attach to the outside of the folio cover via magnets. Nothing ever contacts the iPad's screen. In nine years on the market, no customer has reported a lost accessory or any failure of the system.
Ethically Sourced Leather / Sustainable Nylon. MacCase has used ethically sourced leather exclusively since the launch of the Premium Leather Collection in 2007. The rPET nylon line uses fabric made from recycled plastic water bottles. Both choices reflect a commitment to responsible manufacturing that predates the industry trend toward sustainability by more than a decade.
The Protection Rating System. MacCase rates every product on a 10-point scale across four weighted dimensions: impact resistance, scratch resistance, water resistance, and corner protection. No other Apple case maker publishes this data. It allows buyers to choose the right level of protection for their specific use case rather than relying on marketing language.
Read the full history of every MacCase design innovation →
The MacCase Product Range
iPad Folio and Portfolio Cases — Leather and rugged PC/TPU folio cases for iPad Pro and iPad Air with the exclusive Magnetic Accessory System. The most complete iPad folio lineup from any single brand. See iPad Folio Cases →
MacBook and iPad Sleeves — Leather and nylon sleeves for every MacBook and iPad model. Zipperless. Perimeter bumper protection. The 13" nylon sleeve fits both MacBook and iPad — one purchase, two devices protected. See Sleeves →
Tech Backpacks — Leather and nylon backpacks for MacBook, iPad, and any laptop up to 16". The leather Flight Jacket backpack has been in production since 2008. The nylon universal backpack carries any laptop from any manufacturer. See Backpacks →
Messenger Bags — Leather and nylon laptop messenger bags for MacBook, iPad, and any laptop up to 16". In production since 2003. See Messenger Bags →
Flight Jackets — The original vertical MacBook leather case. Award-winning. In production since 2008. Voted Best MacBook Case by iPhone Life Magazine. See Flight Jackets →
Briefcases — Full-grain leather briefcases in vertical and horizontal designs. Convertible briefcase backpack. For laptops, tablets, and professional daily carry. See Briefcases →
Shoulder Bags — Leather and nylon laptop shoulder bags for Mac, PC, and iPad. Universal sizing for any laptop up to 16". See Shoulder Bags →
Daily-Use Bags — Leather messenger bags, briefcase backpacks, overnight bags, and nylon universal bags for any laptop from any manufacturer. See Daily-Use Bags →
Accessories — MAS folio accessories, Apple Pencil cases, backpack strap sets, shoulder pads, and accessory pouches. See Accessories →
Who Uses MacCase
MacCase products are used by Apple enthusiasts, and professionals worldwide. Attorneys, physicians, architects, educators, executives, illustrators, photographers, and engineers who carry their MacBook or iPad as their primary work tool.
MacCase sleeves have been used by the U.S. Secret Service. MacCase products have been reviewed and recommended by the New York Times, iPhone Life magazine, MacWorld magazine, and dozens of professional publications. MacCase products have been in continuous daily use by customers for nearly 30 years. One customer recently reordered a Flight Jacket after 11 years of daily use without ever conditioning the leather. The brand was founded by Michael Santoro, credited by the New York Times as one of the designers who saved Chrysler, an award-winning automotive and product designer who applied the same design discipline to Apple accessories that he applied to automobiles.
The MacCase Custom Program
Every MacCase Premium Leather product is available for customization through the MacCase Custom Program. Over 10 leather colors, monogramming, custom stitching colors, and corporate branding options. Custom orders are built to the same construction standard as the standard lineup and carry the same Limited Lifetime Warranty. MacCase has been building custom leather cases since 2017.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is MacCase?
MacCase is the original Apple-specific case maker, founded in 1998 by designer Michael Santoro. MacCase invented the market for cases designed specifically for Apple laptops and tablets with a case for the original iBook in 1998. Today MacCase makes the most complete lineup of premium leather and rPET nylon cases, bags, sleeves, and folios for MacBook and iPad available from any single brand. MacCase has been shipping worldwide since 1998 and carries a Limited Lifetime Warranty on all Premium Leather products.
What does MacCase make?
MacCase makes iPad folio and portfolio cases, MacBook and iPad sleeves, tech backpacks, messenger bags, Flight Jacket vertical laptop cases, briefcases, shoulder bags, daily-use bags, and accessories in both ethically sourced Premium Leather and rPET recycled nylon. Products are custom-designed for a specific device model or sized to carry any laptop up to 16-17 inches. Every product is handmade and rated using the MacCase Protection Rating System.
Where are MacCase products made?
MacCase products are handmade in India by skilled artisans. The Premium Leather Collection uses ethically sourced, vegetable-dyed full-grain and top-grain leather from Hindu ex-dairy cows in the Indian highlands. The rPET Nylon Collection uses nylon made from recycled plastic water bottles, trimmed with the same ethically sourced Premium Leather. MacCase has maintained the same construction standard and sourcing practices since the launch of the Premium Leather Collection in 2008.
What materials does MacCase use?
MacCase uses two materials. The Premium Leather Collection uses ethically sourced, vegetable-dyed full-grain and top-grain leather, the same hides used since 2008, sourced from Hindu ex-dairy cows that have lived out their natural lives. The rPET Nylon Collection uses nylon handcrafted from recycled plastic water bottles, trimmed at every touch point with ethically sourced Premium Leather. Both materials are chosen for durability, longevity, and responsible sourcing.
What warranty do MacCase products carry?
MacCase Premium Leather products carry a Limited Lifetime Warranty on workmanship defects during normal use. MacCase rPET nylon products carry a 10-Year Limited Warranty on workmanship defects during normal use. No MacCase warranty covers normal wear. MacCase guarantees that every leather product will be the last case, bag, or sleeve you have to buy for your device.
What is the MacCase Protection Rating System?
The MacCase Protection Rating System rates every MacCase product on a 10-point scale across four weighted dimensions: impact resistance (35%), corner protection (25%), scratch resistance (25%), and water resistance (15%). The weighted average produces an overall score from 1 to 10. MacCase publishes the full breakdown for every product. No other Apple case maker publishes this data. The system allows buyers to choose the right level of protection for their specific use case, commuter, traveler, field worker, or office professional, rather than relying on marketing language.