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15 cool tablet cases that are so not polyurethane (pictures)

Need an antidote for all those cookie-cutter rubber-plastic tablet cases? We found some cases that are refreshingly different.

Leslie Gornstein
Leslie Gornstein is a senior editor with CBS Interactive. For the past two decades, she's covered consumer and B-to-B tech; biotech; entertainment and various other subjects that seemed interesting at the time. She's the author of The A-List Playbook (Skyhorse) and she lives in Los Angeles.
Leslie Gornstein
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1 of 15 Yummypocket/Etsy

Get under the covers

Sure, plastic and rubber tablet cases are reliable, flexible, tech friendly and occasionally even colorful.

But are they also adorable? Likely not. These days, people are making tablet covers in every imaginable material, and they're worth a look.

Take the Bravest Warriors Catbug iPad case, made from two layers of machine-sewn felt.

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2 of 15 Townshipsmile/Discovered

Paper sleeve with bike print

Oh, the irony: a paper cover for those who have gone paperless.

Dutch maker Townshipsmile collects recycled brown paper from a local packaging factory, prints on the paper, and fuses it to a cotton strong enough to stitch. The cover is then treated with a water-resistant spray.

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3 of 15 Tulsi Crafts/Etsy

Cement-sack case

It turns out cement sacks are made of pretty hardy stuff. This sleeve is made of such bags, from Bangladesh. The extra long zipper runs around two sides of the sleeve, allowing for easy tablet removal.

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4 of 15 StudioPapilio/Etsy

Sherlock Holmes tablet cover

This handmade cover has Victorian-style plaid detailing, a printed cotton pocket and a vintage illustration of the great detective.

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5 of 15 T&M

'Dreamer' Kindle cover

This paperback-inspired option is made of cardboard and is inspired by sci-fi tales and the optimistic futurism of the 1940s and 50s.

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6 of 15 Corkor

Vegan cork sleeve

Because each of these Corkor covers is made from cork, a natural material, each one is unique.

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7 of 15 DubleGrafit

Cardboard 'Apple' creation

Remember those textbook covers you'd make in high school – the ones made out of brown paper grocery bags? A YouTube DIY video takes that into the 21st century with a method for turning a cardboard box into a tablet case. What it lacks in aesthetics, it makes up for in affordability.

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8 of 15 Geekify

Necronomicon H.P. Lovecraft tablet cover

OK, so this is faux leather, which comes close to the whole poly/rubber nexus we're trying to avoid. But these are Lovecraftian Old Ones we're talking about; they get to make their own rules.

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9 of 15 ReFleece

Upcycled fleece cover

On the outside of this Refleece cover: cloth upcycled from an old garment or scrap. Inside: charcoal gray felt made from recycled plastic bottles. Even the snap closure is made from recycled plastic.

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10 of 15 My Table Case Place/Etsy

Avengers-inspired cover

This cover, made from officially licensed Marvel Avengers fabric, also protects with a shock-absorbing layer of foam.

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11 of 15 Penguin

Penguin 'book' cover

This iPad case not only features the iconic Penguin Classics black-spine design, but also benefits from dependable, bookbinder-style construction.

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12 of 15 StudioPapilio/Etsy

Handmade squid illustration cover

Made from cotton and linen, this cover looks more like an accent pillow in a beach house than a tech accessory.

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13 of 15 Cocones/Etsy

Merino wool felt sleeve

A minimalist design pairs with a soft feel for this sleeve from Cocones.

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14 of 15

Geometric-contoured walnut veneer cover

This handcrafted walnut veneer sleeve from Grovemade includes a German wool lining, and a leather and brass pull strap to help remove your tablet without grabbing or tugging.

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15 of 15 Velvet Matters

Silk iPad cover

Dutch designer Annyta Lolyta layered pieces of plain and hand-painted silk to create this unique tablet cover.

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