Shoreline Act2-GreenSmart bag review

Will this help carry your work home?

29 January 2008 9:00 GMT / By Stephen Patrick

We’re all being asked to be more "green" and take part in recycling campaigns, but would you actually be willing to carry your valuable notebook around in a recycled carry case?

Well, this is what Shoreline is asking with its Act2-GreenSmart notebook carry case - made from recycled plastic bottles, the equivalent of 17 bottles to be precise.

We’ll have to take Shoreline's word but apparently that means a saving of 7650 Btu (British thermal units) compared to using virgin fabrics. Or to put it another way, the same power as running your notebook for up to 150 hours.

However, the first thing that strikes you is how normal it actually looks. There are the standard carry handles and also a shoulder strap for using on the commute. With plenty of pockets and access zips for your cables and little extras, this is a well designed bag.

We were expecting something a little more amateurish but this is a professional looking product that looks like any other notebook carry case made from a nylon outer-skin and padding that is also recycled.

To remind you the bag is a green way of thinking, the lining to the case is bright green and is certainly in stark contrast to the black of the outside itself.

There are a number of different sizes to choose from, ranging from an ultraportable 12.1-inch, to the largest 17-inch for desktop replacements. It isn’t the most robust of cases and we’d like to have seen a little more protection for our notebook but it’s a great start.

Verdict

Overall, the Act2-GreenSmart is the first recycled carry case we’ve come across, and while it’s not the most robust out there, it’s certainly worth the asking price.

Score

Review Recap

Made by: Shoreline
Price as reviewed: £30
The good: Environmentally friendly
The bad: Needs more padding
Quick verdict: This eco-friendly bag is a great idea but we’d like to see a little more padding to make it more notebook-friendly
Score