Absolutely, positively time for a new wallet

Years ago, I tried to make a wallet out of a Fedex Tyvek envelope, based on instructions from the inaugural issue of Readymade magazine. I liked the idea of a super-slim wallet that was (a) really cheap without seeming (b) totally cheapskate. The problem was, as simple as it seemed, making the thing involved a sewing machine, a device that is actually somewhat hard (not to mention scary) to use. So I gave up on the idea of having one until about a year and a half ago when I saw one for sale on Etsy for $5.


This is my Tyvek wallet after 18 months of use. When I bought it, I figured that it would last for a couple of months before it fell apart, but I was pretty amazed at how well it held up without much outside assistance other than a couple of layers of packing tape now and again.

As long as we're talking about Fedex, here's the cool 70's Fedex logo, and one of those 80's ads with the fast-talking businessman [YouTube]. Next up: a relatively inexpensive wallet from All-Ett that uses silicone-coated ripstop nylon. Doesn't have the cool DIY look of the Fedex wallet, but seems a lot more durable.

UPDATE: Just got email from Terrence Kelleman at Dynomighty Design, who designed a wallet made from a thicker, more durable grade of Tyvek and which is held together by gluing and folding rather than stitching. No sewing machines: bonus. Check out his demonstration [You Tube].