You're kidding right? I bet you haven't even tried anything Vaja. I've used many types of leather cases from many companies. Some very high in quality, but none of them compare to Vaja. It's like comparing basic Toyota leather to Ferrari leather..
On the contrary, I have had Vaja Agenda for iPad 1, 2 different Blackberry Vaja cases (the type with the lid), 1 magnetic lid Vaja iPod case, a Vaja pouch for iPhone 3, and also a Vaja accessory pouch which I still use for my USB cables and various adapters.
I am not talking about the regular $40 Maroo case - I agree that is Toyota leather.
I am talking about the Maroo Fine Leather case which sells for $99.99. I am telling you that this leather is better than the floater leather used on the Vaja Agenda and Libretto cases.
Vaja Agenda uses their floater leather which is a coated leather. It feels a little harder and less natural than the Aniline leathers that Vaja uses on other cases. While Vaja's Aniline leathers are top notch, the floater leather is not of the same standard. Maroo's leather in contrast feels more like a semi-aniline leather. It has a similar grain to Vaja's Floater leather, but it looks and feels more natural, and is softer.
I don't know why you are shocked. It makes sense to me that a $100 case made by cyberacoustics can have better quality of leather as a $160 hand made leather case hand-made by Argentine artisans. Clearly once you take into account Vaja's higher labor costs, the amount they have to spend on materials is about the same.
Your Toyota vs. Ferrari analogy is nonsensical. We are talking about a smaller price difference between these 2 particular cases, and further negated when you consider Maroo probably has lower manufacturing cost - it's more like comparing Lexus to Mercedes.
I bet you do not have the fine leather version of the Maroo case!