Designer Joel Beebe has spent a good portion of his working life tied up in power cords so you don’t have to.
His latest solution is a MacBook accessory called the Hula Wrap, a leather sheath that helps organize your computer’s power cable.
So a pouch that wraps and snaps isn’t mind-blowing. It does, however, aim to be the unsung hero of your computer carry by taming a cable that isn’t easy to pack.
Answering customer complaints about tangling and fraying a few years ago, Apple made its charging cables more durable. But in doing so, the cords are now more difficult to coil and store in your bag.
“The increased durability was great, but that also meant that any time I dropped them into my bag, the cables went everywhere,” Beebe told Cult of Mac. “I’ve seen a couple of solutions keep the cords organized — velcro straps, rubber bands — and I’ve seen a few products keep the short cable from fraying but nothing really looked like a nice finished solution.”
Hula is almost finished. Beebe is trying to raise manufacturing funds on Kickstarter, where a $20 pledge will get you one. There are 26 days left in the campaign to raise $9,800.
Photo: Hula Wrap
Beebe is co-owner of Free Clothing Co. in Columbus, Ohio, which makes hip T-shirts, hoodies and other apparel. Prior to this venture, Beebe was senior designer for Trident Design in Columbus and came up with the Couchlet, a USB-charging port that nestles between couch cushions or under a mattress, allowing you to use your phone in comfort as it charges.
For Hula Wrap, Beebe started cutting strips of paper to come up with a design. He then worked with a friend who makes leather wallets.
The charger fits in a holster that has adjoining snap straps for the AC cord and MagSafe connector cable. These can be wrapped together or separately.
If all goes according to schedule, Hula Wrap will begin shipping to early backers before Christmas. While delays often snag successful Kickstarter campaigns, Beebe said a manufacturer has already been secured to get production going.
The Hula Wraps will be available for the three sizes of MacBook chargers, 45W, 60W and 85W.
