Protect Your Macbook Air with a Steve Sleeve

The much-hyped Macbook Air and its thinnovative goodness have made a big splash with its svelte physique; the slick marketing hook is that it's thin enough to fit in a manila envelope. As with other Apple products, Macbook Air is inspiring a whole new industry of accessories to go with it, with these "envelopes" at the top of the list. The "AirMail" borrows most of the manila features, but its use of vinyl gets a thumbs down from TreeHugger, this cotton reusable bag is a step in the right direction (and sorta looks like the paper version) but wouldn't do you much good in a rainstorm.

Enter the "Steve Sleeve" (so clever) from Timbuk2, "built to fit the Macbook Air like an ultraglove." With a softshell exterior (just like the trendy mountaineering jackets) and an interior lining made from post-consumer pop bottles (that's PET plastic for those of you scoring at home), it's a pretty durable alternative that scores points with us for longevity and choice of recycled materials. Like the cotton version, if you're lucky enough to already have a Macbook Air, you'd better get something that'll keep it safe for awhile (and it better be something more durable than a paper envelope). If you don't have one yet, don't worry; the Steve Sleeve isn't ready to ship just yet. Stay tuned for more and hit the jump to get up close and personal with the ultraglove. ::Timbuk2