The Custom Leather iPad Case and MacBook Pro Case Program

Why Choose MacCase For My Custom iPad Case?

MacCase invented the Apple-specific case market in 1999 and then reinvented it in 2007 with our Premium Leather Collection. MacCase is a design driven company and no manufacturer has more experience protecting Apple portables than MacCase. 

What if I need 10, 20, or 100 custom iPad Pro cases?

It is not a problem to create a "run" of custom iPad Pro cases. Fill out the form and let us know your needs in the Additional Information box. The draft invoice you will receive will have the total for your order quoted and estimated time of arrival. 

Can I create a custom iPad case or Mac case that's not on your list?

Due to the extreme difficulty of meeting customer expectations with a brand new design, we have chosen to create our custom cases based on our existing designs. This insures that the custom iPad or Mac case you order will be the case we deliver with all your specifications in place, exactly as you ordered it.

How long will my custom iPad case take to make?

Can I have a case made in a color that is not on your list?

Custom Leather iPad Case - Behind the Designs

The latest in a series of interviews about the story behind the design of MacCase products.

For this interview, we are speaking to MacCase President and Chief Creative Officer Michael Santoro not about a specific product design, but about the company's Custom Leather iPad Case program. 

The Custom Program allows customers to choose a whole host of options to build a unique, one of a kind case, sleeve or bag to transport and protect their Apple tablet. 

Building a Personalized iPad Case

JKD: Our last conversation centered around the personalized laptop cases. How is doing personalized iPad Pro cases different? Do you see a different client for the tablet models? 

MS: Fundamentally it's the same. We are using the same form to collect what the customers want in their build. Yes, I think the iPad Pro opens up different doors when it comes to who the customer is. We see a lot more groups, companies, etc. choosing the Folios.

For companies, we'll design and build personalized iPad cases with their logo. Sometimes we'll emboss the company logo then add individual embossed monograms for each member of the team. Those have been quite successful and quite beautiful. I'm sure they make a great impression when those employees sit down to meet with a client. 

Another example is the work we are doing for one of the most prestigious wineries in the Napa Valley, Sonoma Valley area of California. The director of Special Events called me to inquire about doing a custom leather 2020 4th generation 12.9 iPad Pro case for all their employees at their visitor center.

Because this was more than a single, one of the kind piece, we were able to create a custom, color matched hide to match their corporate branding. So we a wonderful detailed company embossed logo on the front cover but the case is crafted from a company matched color.

We were able to create truly one of a kind pieces for them. They turned into a perfect example of a personalized iPad case. 

The Custom iPad Case

JKD: Why do you think a custom iPad case appeals so much to this customer base?

MS: The iPad Pro is used in much more in teams, teams of doctors, teams of statisticians, teams of creatives, so doing custom leather cases for iPad opens up the door to multiple people working together. All of our custom laptop case pieces were done for individuals.

That not to say that individuals will not want a handmade iPad Pro case, sleeve or bag because they have been ordering. It's just that the tablets open the door to multiple pieces of a given build. Teams love the idea of having matching custom cases.

Say you have a team of five people, whether it's a group of PR professionals, baseball coaches or cancer researchers, having the ability to order custom leather iPad cases with company logo embossed into the leather, in colors of their choosing is an attractive thing.

One difference I have noticed is that the tablet customers tend to want simpler things. Maybe using a custom leather color, picking the thread color or adding a monogram. The builds for the handmade leather iPad cases tend to be much less expensive because of this.

The Customized iPad Case

JKD: Since you started the program, what are some examples of the best in a customized iPad case that you have seen?

MS: That's a great question as many of the folks who come to us are a bit hesitant about what is possible. This is one reason why we try to have a large assortment of our customized cases on the program page.

Early on we did an 12.9-inch sleeve for a customer named Amy. She wanted the case in pink pebble grain leather with white stitching. We also did a very special logo with her name in a script font inside a circle. It was very distinct and came our beautifully. That was a very memorable build early on in the program. That was a very customized piece.

Another was a bundled set of our Messenger Bag and 15" Sleeve in our blue vintage hides. Seeing the set together, we knew we had built something really special, really handsome. Each piece had the customers monogram and the white stitching really popped on against the deep oil of the blue hides.

Another memorable build was a whole set of Folios we did for Opus One Vineyards in Napa Valley, CA. We worked with their representative to craft a folio design for the employees at their visitors center. We created these beautiful pieces in a dark blue pebble grain with the Opus One logo and tan stitching.

In this instance, it wasn't a customized leather iPad case for an individual, but a suite of leather cases personalized to a company, to represent the brand values and aesthetics as their employees interacted directly with the general public. I hope we can do more programs like that in the future.

The Branded iPad Case

JKD: For Opus One Vineyards, you created a series of Folios using their brand. So branded iPad cases are something that is within the scope of this program?

MS: Yes, absolutely. The Opus One program created a branded iPad case that is used by their staff at the visitor center in Napa Valley, CA. Their staff members meet and greet visitors, answer questions about the varieties of wine available and take orders. It was important that the folios included their branding.

We've done many other branded iPad case programs for a broad range of customers including law firms, financial institutions, and religious organizations. We even did a program for a local Native American tribe where each tribal elder got a case. This was branding of a different sort, but in the end, the cases had a symbol on the front cover that was important and meaningful to them.

Recently, we completed a branded iPad case program for a company president who gave the cases (with iPads) as a retirement gift to employees who had worked at the company for decades. It was important that the cases reflected the gratitude the company president felt toward the many years of service the employees had provided. This cannot be done with $25 cases purchased on amazon.

He choose MacCase and we delivered a series of beautifully crafted, branded iPad cases to commemorate this. That was a great project to be a part of.

Custom iPad Case with Pencil Holder

JKD: You have the Magnetic Accessory System as part of Premium Leather Collection. Do you see customers interested in adding those? Are they asking for a custom iPad case with a pencil holder, for instance? 

MS: Well that is the great thing about this program and the brand scope of our Premium Leather Collection. Because this program is built on our established production designs, customers can pick and choose what to add to their build. 

We have done quite a few Folio builds with the options from our Magnetic Accessory System. The most popular is our Pencil holder. Customers will often spec a custom iPad case and add the Pencil holder to match. They'll often have us add a special embossment to the Pencil case like a birthday or a grandchild's name. 

This kind of request really takes it to the next level. It becomes very personal for both us and the customer. In cases like this, they are looking to tie these special moments in their lives to something we've made specifically for them. It's the farthest thing I can think of from the disposable tablet covers available on the big mass-market sites. 

It's wonderful to make these kind of personal heirlooms for people. Almost every set of a custom case with pencil holder or other accessory has been met with near tears by customers at seeing their idea realized. They often tell me it was worth every penny. 

Custom Leather iPad Covers, Sleeves and Bags

JKD: Speaking of cost, what can someone expect to pay for a custom iPad Pro sleeve or bag?

MS: It really depends. Right now the builds are running about 50-70% higher for a personalized leather iPad sleeve or bag than what a standard production model would cost depending on the model. Adding a monogram adds about $50 to the cost because we have a make a steel die. The good part about doing your monogram is we keep the die. If in the future you want another custom case, the cost to add it would be minimal. 

We did a beautiful custom, chocolate brown Folio for the 12.9 iPad Pro that was around $240 delivered. The customer loved it and was just what they were looking for when they came to us originally. That's what this is all about. 

JKD: MacCase has been making sleeves and bags for Apple laptops since 1998. You've obviously been doing something right all this time. How does this custom program fit into the company's mission, the company's aesthetic or even your personal vision?

MS: The company's mission was and is to constantly innovate, offer the best design specific protection combined with the highest build quality and a timeless aesthetic. I know that sounds like a lot of boxes to check, but that is what we do.

Doing custom iPad Pro covers fits into this mission perfectly. As far as how it fits into the company aesthetic, it could not be a better marriage. I love the idea of doing this. I think we are going to build some truly stunning pieces. We have over 4800 variables to play with.

We start with designs I love, otherwise they would have never gotten to production in the first place (laughing). Now we get to make one-of-a-kind versions. Its exciting.

It's exciting for everyone at MacCase, for me personally, and I am hoping, even more exciting for our customers to design and receive something that is truly their vision. From the response so far, the customers are pretty excited. 

Your Personalized iPad Case - The 3rd Chapter

JKD: You've spoken about the Custom Program being the third chapter of the MacCase's story. How so?

MS: Yes, this idea is providing truly personalized iPad cases is like a third chapter to an ever evolving story. 

The first wave was Genesis, the birth of the company. That first iBook case. It seems like million years ago at this point. The second wave was the launch of the Premium Leather Collection.

This came after losing our largest single customer. Those were some dark days. We had a lot riding on the success of the Premium Leather program and it worked out. It saved the company.

The leather line secured our future and as the market for Apple specific cases filled in around us, we found ourselves high atop this mountain alone because of the uniqueness of those designs and their quality execution. No one had seen anything like it.

Now we stand at the beginning of something new. It feels like we're starting up again. Providing personalized leather iPad cases has that energy, that sense of excitement of not knowing what is going to happen next. It's the third chapter for sure but no less exciting than the two that have proceeded it.

JKD: The thing I find interesting is the time between the chapters. You have nearly a decade between each of these different phases. Why is that?

MS: I don't know. Maybe it's necessity. Maybe it takes that long for each phase to run it's course. Maybe it takes that long for me to get bored and itching to do something really new within the structure of MacCase. It's not that I sit around for 10 years thinking of the next big thing.

So much happens and happened between the birth of the company and the launch of the Premium Leather Collection. This is the tenth anniversary of the Premium Leather line so I guess we are due for something new, (laughing). That something new is doing custom iPad cases. 

JKD: What is the most popular custom leather iPad case?

MS: Our Premium Leather iPad Pro Folios are the most popular models that we create as part of our custom program. It makes sense as Apple tablets are extremely popular. After you've been through a half a dozen poor quality covers and wants something of real quality, our Folios are the answer. 

Moreover, if you have had one of our Folios over the last 10 years and you know how truly special they are, stepping up to a customer leather iPad folio is the next step. Customers who receive one of these very special builds are thrilled with the results. It's great to see their reaction. 

What's Next for the Custom iPad Case Program?

JKD: This is a question I wanted to ask you during our last conversation. Where do you see this going? Could custom iPad cases go on to be what MacCase ultimately becomes known for?

MS: If that happened, it would not be a bad thing. We have a great reputation for building great things. I think there is a very quiet yet very passionate group of people who have been using our Premium Leather models for the last 10 years and love them.

They don't spend a lot of time on things like social media. They're busy pushing the world forward and they are doing that with our bags and cases protecting their hardware, in essence, their ideas.

Our job is to let them know this handmade, custom iPad case program exists and that it's here for them. The problem is that when people hear the term " custom iPad case", many will think of a low priced cover covered in stickers, or vinyl film or something like that. That's not what we do. 

As the customers who have participated in the program so far can attest to, what we do is quite the opposite. Yes, it's a lot of work. Most things in life that are worth doing are not easy. That's how you know you are on to something.

If MacCase becomes best known for their custom, monogrammed leather iPad and Mac cases, that would be something I would welcome. 

Embossed Leather iPad Case

A shipment from our Custom Program arrived chock full of custom iPad cases, sleeves and Flight Jackets for the 12.9, 11 and 10.5 Apple tablets. Our customers continue to specify truly unique builds, some of which we will cover in this post.

There are currently five iPad models in the Apple suite of tablets. A good quality leather case is extremely durable and will provide years of protection while expressing your individual style. A custom iPad case takes that last part to a whole new level.

While prices are higher for a one of a kind, personalized, custom iPad case they are still well below the off the shelf bags and cases available from well know European fashion brands.

While there are many companies that sell vinyl stickers that cover your Apple tablet and give it a personalized look, this might not be the custom solution you had in mind if you're a professional. 

An iPad covered in stickers is great custom solution if you're in high school. But if you're making presentations to clients, the CEO of a company or a doctor, your idea of a custom iPad case is probably a bit more sophisticated.

MacCase designs are both personable, exciting, and made with quality materials. The colors available include red, tan, chocolate, pink, black, gray, and brown. Matched to these color options are a variety of finishes. There are three variations of finishes including smooth, distressed, and pebble grain for added luxury. The thread color is completely custom too.

You can mix and match exterior finish and thread for a funky and eclectic style, or you can customize your iPad pro case with similar color tones for conservative and sleek design.

Custom Leather iPad Cases - Expressing Your Individuality

Embossing is an excellent way to express your individuality on your custom leather iPad case. If you want to emboss your initials on your iPad cover or the initials of someone else as a gift, this can be done. 

With all the color options available with the MacCase Custom Program, red is a very popular choice for custom leather iPad Pro cases like the 11" Folio shown above. Red was a production color when the Premium Leather Collection was first introduced in 2007. It ran for many years and was well loved by so many customers. 

If the customer wanted this to be an embossed leather iPad case, a typical three letter monogram would be placed in the lower right hand corner as shown below. 

When it came time to choose the colors for the custom leather iPad Pro cases program, red had to be included. Many of the current fans of the red pebble grain are choosing red hides with red, black, white or the red/ white stitching option for their builds. The case above shows the red pebble grain hide with the red/ white combination thread and a features a black interior. 

Since its debut in 2010, Apple has sold more than 350 million iPads worldwide.

Given that so many case options are the same, one thing that is exciting about the Custom Program is when a customer spec's a build for something no one has seen before. This was the case (no pun intended!) with this extremely handsome, distressed gray vintage 12.9 Folio with embossed monogram shown above. 

The gray vintage is a rare hide that has all of the character of our standard production vintage hide including the varying oil content, marks, scraps and changes in colors and hue.

In person, the gray is hauntingly beautiful in the same way that a perfectly produced song can be. It's striking without being "shouty" and will patina in in the same wonderful way that the brown vintage does, getting darker where you touch it and lighter where you don't. 

If you're looking for something truly unique and different yet still professional in a custom distressed leather iPad case, have a look at the gray vintage with an embossed monogram or company logo. 

Like the red pebble grain, chocolate pebble grain was a production color when MacCase invented the Apple-specific, premium case segment way back in 2007. 

Like red, chocolate has it's fans and those folks tend to be everyone who wants and needs an alternative to black. We know some people are tired of black, especially in a professional environment. A Chocolate custom leather iPad case offer a terrific alternative to the classic black, yet has all the richness. 

One of the recent standout builds was this superbly subtle chocolate black iPad Pro 12.9 Briefcase. This warmth of the chocolate hide is perfectly juxtaposed against the cool silver of the buckle and the zipper detail.

The white highlighting thread adds the right amount of contrast and additional detail. This build was spec'd with a tan poly-suede interior fabric and was quite handsome inside and out.

Many customers choose a custom iPad case to give as a gift to a loved one, clients, friends or colleagues. Another recent build was this wonderful blue vintage 12.9 Folio with red stitching with matching accessory pouch that magnetically attaches to the front of the case.

The latest generation of MacCase Premium Leather Folios all feature our Magnetic Accessory System. Any one of 4 optional accessories can be quickly and easily attached to the front cover of any folio model. The accessories include a case for the Apple Pencil, the aforementioned cable pouch, a document or paper holder and a business card holder.

Most custom folio builds we do include at least one matching accessory. If you'd like to add any of the accessories to your build, you can let us know in the Special Instructions box in the submission form.

Custom Mac Cases - New Arrivals

A shipment from our new Custom Program has arrived and it includes a full assortment of custom Mac cases, sleeves and Flight Jackets for the 14" and 16" MacBook Pro. The level of customization and creativity is truly inspiring. 

While prices are higher for these one of a kind, custom pieces, they are still well below the off the shelf bags and cases available from well know fashion brands. With our quality being on par or higher, our program offers the luxury of customization and world class quality at a lower price. 

One of the standout custom leather Mac cases from the last shipment is this brilliant red Flight Jacket. Finished in our red pebble grain hide with just a single line of white contrasting stitching and a gray interior, this one-of-a-kind piece was exactly what it's owner was looking for but was unable to find anywhere else.

Enter the MacCase Custom Program where this first time MacCase customer was able to order a custom Mac case to her exact specifications. 

"I was looking for something that combines the functionality of a laptop case with the elegance of a fashion bag but it couldn't be too bulky. It looks even better in real life than it did in the mockup image I was sent. Thank you so much for bringing my idea to life. I absolutely love it!".

This was from an email received shortly after the custom case arrived to it's new owner. Bringing this kind of joyful emotion to people is exactly what this program is all about. 

One trend that we have seen over the last few months in the Custom Program is red thread. Many are asking for it on the custom Mac cases we are quoting and building.

While you might think a classic, pebble grain black Flight Jacket would not be the first choice for a custom leather Mac case, when paired with full red stitching it becomes a truly bespoke, custom piece. The red stitching really seemed to bring out the richness of the hide and added a dynamic quality to the overall aesthetic of the case. 

Many sports car interiors that feature black leather use red thread to highlight the racy nature of the vehicle. This Flight Jacket completely follows in that line of thinking and would not look out of place in the passenger seat of any classic or late model sports car. 

Classic black leather too boring for you? How about the same red stitching combined with our unique blue vintage? Talk about an electric look! Nothing vibrates more visually than red on blue, especially with our Blue Vintage.

The distressed, blue vintage is a hide unlike any other with each section of each hide being different from the section next to it. Varying oil content creates dark and light pattens in the hide. When the hide is cut into panels and the varying panels are sewn next to each other, you get something very original and very special.

No two vintage cases are ever alike. With the rarity of the blue vintage, you will receive something unique to you in all the world. Even if someone ordered the same exact build spec as you, the uniqueness of the leather itself would keep the two cases from ever being exactly the same. The blue vintage hide against the red stitching made each color come alive in a way that we've never seen before here at MacCase. 

Custom Leather MacBook Pro Sleeve

Lastly we have a classic MacCase Premium Leather Sleeve customized in a way that separates it just enough from the standard sleeve it's based on. Our beloved distressed, brown vintage hide was sewn together with all white stitching. In our production build, only the curved panels receive the white stitching.

On this custom MacBook Pro Sleeve, white stitching highlights all the panels that make up the sleeve design. The rows of perfect white stitching really brings out the attention to detail and amazing overall quality inherent in each Premium Leather model. The embossed monogram completes the custom package.