AirPods cases are as plentiful as their iPhone counterparts these days, and many of them are generally unimpressive or incredibly expensive. Accessory company Native Union has a better idea: Capitalize on early Apple nostalgia, list at an affordable price, watch the internet foam at the mouth for it. Enter from stage left the AirPods Beanie, a knit sleeve of 100-percent recycled yarn. One $20 pack comes with all four pastel color combos: Glacier, Peach, Indigo, and Sage. Incredible value, really.
If you lived through the early 2000s, these AirPods Beanies will probably look super familiar. That’s because they’re a direct successor to the iPod Sock, the original iPod’s hottest accessory.
Two decades of iPod —
Native Union created the AirPods Beanies as objects of nostalgia that can also be appreciated by those who aren’t familiar with the source material. But the source material is definitely important here.
The iPod was a game-changer for Native Union’s creative and brand director, referred to on the company’s blog as just “Fab.” The click-wheel that launched an empire is actually one of the reasons Fab became an industrial engineer. And the company’s co-founder, Igor Duc, was inspired to create Native Union after the first iPhone’s release.
Native Union chose now to release the AirPods Beanies to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the original iPod’s release on October 23. “But more so, it’s just a fun way to share and connect with our community around a collective memory from simpler days,” the company writes.
All about the style —
Though not the most protective case in the world, there’s lots to love about the AirPods Beanies. They’re one-size-fits-all, so you won’t have to buy a new set when you finally cave and buy the AirPods 3. Four color options means you’ll be able to match with whatever outfit you threw together in the dark that day. And your AirPods will never get cold. Native Union even says the Beanies won’t affect the AirPods’ Qi wireless charging capabilities.
The iPod Socks have been dead and gone for nearly a decade now (RIP) but they’ll never leave our hearts. And now, with the AirPods Beanies, we can carry that nostalgia with us in our pockets, too.
