Based in Portland, Oregon, Grovemade started out 8 years ago in the summer of 2009 by like-minded entrepreneurs, Joe Mansfield & Ken Tomita. At the time no business plan existed, but simply a goal to “make cool stuff and have fun doing it”.

What started out as a company making bamboo iPhone cases, now resides in a 5000 square ft former auto repair shop in the Central Eastside Industrial District, nine blocks from the Willamette River. The company still makes iPhone cases, but has also expanded to creating a whole line of desk accessories (iMac / Macbook risers, mouse & trackpad effects, lamps, sound systems co-designed by Joey Roth), and personal accessories (wallets, keyrings, belts, knives, watches + watchbands). Their product line has grown organically & consistently, always focused on their ethos, “Find What Matters”.

You can see more of their great stuff on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook & Pinterest.

Images courtesy of Grovemade.

Vintage suitcases & trunks converted into portable boomboxes? Sign me up! I had stumbled across these while browsing the Decurate website, over at www.decurate.com. The Boomcase comes iPod ready with a standard 1/8″ audio input, and can play for up to 9 hours on a single charge (charger included). Other optional features include iPod/USB charger, extra batteries, TV screens, custom paint, & solar chargers. You can visit their online store, or have them customize one of your existing suitcases. Oh and they also do lunchboxes (called the LunchBoom), boasting the “loudest lunchbox on the planet”. Nice!

Images courtesy of The Boomcase, www.theboomcase.com.