Skooba Design has announced an exclusive partnership with UK-based Proporta, makers of a wide variety of cases and accessories for iPods and other handheld devices. Skooba is now the sole sales and marketing agent for Proporta in the United States, initially making the products available exclusively on the company’s website, www.skoobadesign.com. This limited launch is intended to give Skooba the opportunity to establish the products here and fine-tune the best assortment for domestic consumers from among the thousands of products currently available from Proporta. After the initial rollout period, the company plans to add many more products and make them widely available through retail outlets nationwide.
Proporta designs and manufactures cases for all current and recent iPod models, including the 4th generation nano, 2nd generation touch and 3rd generation iPhones, including Apple’s recently-announced iPhone 3GS. The company is best-known for its exclusive aluminum-lined leather cases , which offer the screen protection of a hard case without giving up the slim, space-saving profile-”and style-”of a fine leather cover. Proporta’s offering also includes faux-leather cases, silicone skins, clear polycarbonate hard shells, pouches and more. The company’s new “Wallaby” is a slim leather wallet, uniquely custom designed to hold a 4g iPod nano in addition to cash, credit cards and even flash memory.
“We’ve been in contact with Proporta for years ” says Skooba CEO Michael Hess, “and have been huge fans of everything from their product designs and meticulous craftsmanship to their ingenious packaging. We’ve also been impressed that they do so much-”at such an exceptional level of detail-”at prices that represent a great value to the customer.” Hess says that this is the first time Skooba has ever sold anything other than its own branded products, so it wasn’t a small decision. “But we saw their incredible success overseas, as well as the great product fit and chemistry between the companies, and we knew the time was right to bring Proporta -˜across the pond.'”
