The evolution of leather wallets

We are close to it every day, but how well do we know it? In this article we will see some basic knowledge about the origin and course of wallets throughout the years.

 

Etylomology

The word "portfolio" comes from the Italian word "portafoglio" which in Italian means briefcase. In English, the word "wallet" comes from the Greek word "cubism", which describes the sack that Hermes carried with him in mythology.

 

History

Since the ancient times the human being had the need for an accessory, in which he could transport objects. This accessory was supposed to be consisted mainly of animal skins since in those years there was not the plethora of materials available to us today. With the circulation of the first coins this need became even greater. These leather "pouches" ensured the safe transport and storage of valuables.

In 1200 AD the Chinese had already begun to use paper currency and it is rumored that, at that point the wallet took its current form. In 1700 AD paper currency began to be printed in Europe as well. That was the period when the leather wallet came into fashion as we know it.

 

In the 19th century wallets were established in the market and became a necessary accessory. There were many who, in addition to cash and coins, also stored their tobacco products in their wallets as at that time tobacco was sold in bulk. Storing tobacco products led the market to invent the first tobacco pouches.

 

The leather wallets today

Over the years the size of the banknotes changed and so the wallets were adjusted accordingly. Today's wallets have been significantly reduced in size since the first designs. The first cards were released in the 50's and so the designs of the wallets were adjusted so that one could carry them easily in his wallet. Of course the sizes of the wallets change depending on the currency of each country. For example, in Europe there are still many designs with small pockets for coins, while in America wallets with pockets for coins are rearly seen. Also due to the fact that the banknotes of Europe are bigger than those of America, this makes our European designs slightly bigger.

The 2 basic types of wallets are bifold and trifold. Their main difference is that in the bi-fold the wallet consists of 2 sections, while in the case of the tri-fold it consists of 3 sections. A basic need in today's designs, in addition to meeting everyone's needs, is to be easily transported. This means that they are small in size so that they do not take up much space. Of course, the classic will never go out of fashion, which is why there are many who want their wallet big and imposing. In a large wallet you can find everything from money and cards to small items, passports and other documents.

Women's and men's designs are of course different. The majority of women's wallets are more stylish and follow the fashion. In fact, many times women choose their wallet based on their overall outfit. On the other hand, men's wallets are more practical, smaller in size and as thin as possible. This is because the design is most often intended to fit in their jeans' pocket.

 

Cardholders – The wallets of the future

 

We are going through the period of plastic money which is gaining more and more ground in the market. Indicators show that a few years from now the traditional way of trading will disappear. So as the ways and means of trading change, so do the designs of wallets.

Cardholders have been on the market for a few years now and for someone who is completely free of banknotes it seems to be the perfect choice. Smaller in size than a wallet and obviously thinner in thickness as they only have slots for cards, they can fit in any pocket and are easy to carry.

However, apart from credit cards, nowadays cards have other uses as well. Shop cards, driver's licenses and various passports use cards that contain all of our information. Many of these cards are a must-have with us so a cardholder should have enough slots to cover all our needs.

 

Closing

We hope you enjoyed the article and learned new things about the origins and types of leather wallets. At Leaject we capture all this history that wallets carry and all our knowledge in each of our designs. The leathers we use are vegetable tanned and guarantee the best possible quality. You can see our entire collection in men's & women's leather wallets and cardholders by clicking here.