my minimal wallet

“After years of carrying my wallet in my back pocket and going through a number of different styles, from chained biker to T.H.E. wallet, I read an article about the risk of Sciatica from rear wallet carry.  I did some initial research via the web and having just started to work in leather I decided to have a go at making my own.”

“Size was based around folding a £20 note in thirds, which is roughly the standard card size and the offset ‘V’, facilitates ease of pulling the contents out with thumb and forefinger.  Internal thickness was set at two cards and £100.”

“I chose 4mm veg tanned leather to be saddle stitched with waxed cotton thread.  After stitching it was wet formed round a block and the edges were finished with gum tragacanth.  A light wax dressing was applied which has allowed a natural patina.”

“Since making this I have never had a wallet in my back pocket and I am secure in knowing that my money and cards are safe.”

Jon Stevenson

“For the past two years my wallet of choice has been the Holstee Upcycled Wallet in blue. The wallet is actually made out of plastic bags and newspapers from the streets of Delhi. So, no two wallets are the same and the sourcing of such materials helps reduce waste and gives the impoverished fair wage employment.”

“My wallet holds exactly what I need it to. Two pockets on the front for my debit and grocery store card, a slot on the back for my drivers license, and a pocket in the center for bills. It’s extremely thin, feels very comfortable in my pocket, and my back feels much better because of it.”

“I spent a year or so trying out various other wallets and this is by far the best. It’s lasted much longer than I expected it to and likely has another year or more left in it. As long as I’m still able to purchase them I don’t expect myself to want a different wallet ever again.”

Michael Rockwell

initialcharge.net

“Several years ago, I was given a Kenneth Cole Pay It Forward Leather Trifold Wallet in Black Leather as a gift. I can’t say I’ve always given much thought to the wallet itself. I tend to use one until it falls apart and then just pick up a new, similar model (or, as was the case last time, someone noticed my wallet looked like hell and bought me a new one). ”

“While little thought goes into the wallet, a fair amount has gone into what goes into it and where things go within. When you open the first flap, there are two visible cards: my Metrocard for the subway and my bank card. My health insurance card lives in the section behind this. I also keep a few spare Better Mess cards in the back (although they hold up like crap in there) for the few times where I forget them (by few times, I mean almost always). In the middle is my license and nothing else. The wallet makes it easy to get this out, which seems to happen more and more these days (apparently our nation is in danger of people buying allergy medication). In the far flap are two credit cards for work. In the far back, I keep a few of my business cards for work (which also hold up like crap).”

“I’m tempted to step up my wallet game, but I’m partial to what I have. It’s logical and it does a nice job of separating the personal from the professional. I’m also worried that once I start caring about the wallet itself, it will become some deep, dark rabbit hole where I’m always looking for the perfect one rather than rarely thinking about the sufficient one sitting comfortably in my back pocket.”

Michael Schechter

Writer at Better Mess

Podcaster at Mikes on Mics

Geek on Twitter or App.net

“I received my current wallet from my kids about to years ago on Father’s Day. It was made from a recycled vinyl surf poster, and I just love it. The vinyl is really heavy and durable. After 24 months of abuse it still feels great. The stitching is also some sort of substantial material, and makes a bulky seal around the thing.”

“There’s a little color variation on the inside with the one blue pocket. Speaking of the interior, it’s pretty basic: two pockets on the left, two on the right and a single slot for bills.”

“Cashiers often comment on it (“Oh, that’s neat”) and it reminds me of my kids every time I pay for something. Which his usually for them anyway, so it’s only appropriate. The wallet came from a small surf shop here on Cape Cod, so I’m afraid I can’t say where to pick one up.”

Dave Caolo

author & curator of 52 Tiger

“For the last couple months, my wallet of choice has been the Slim by Supr. I briefly reviewed it after getting one in the mail, and my opinions haven’t changed much since then. The sturdy elastic has held up remarkably well, and is just as snappy as it was when I bought it.”

“I love that the simple design forces me to keep the number of cards I carry to a minimum. I used to think that I needed every single business card, every loyalty card, all my cash, and every other thing under the sun in my wallet at all times. After using the Slim for a while, I now realize that 5 or 6 cards is plenty enough for my daily needs.”

“I wasn’t sure what to expect when I first became a backer of the Slim on Kickstarter months ago, but it has since become my favorite wallet. The guys at Supr are still working to fulfill their Kickstarter orders, but people can sign up here to be notified when the online store launches.”

Chris Gonzales

Writer at Unretrofied and Tools & Toys