Luxury is defined as ‘an inessential, desirable item which is expensive or desirable to obtain’, but when is comes to wallets, there is no doubt that there are some design and craftsmanship techniques that distinguishes a luxury wallet from a mid to low level wallet.
A quality leather wallet is an indispensable item in a mans wardrobe. The average man keeps his wallet for 5-7 years and over that time the wallet becomes a very personal object. You carry it every day and it moulds to you, it adapts to your hands and takes on a well used, worn and trusted character.
Historically, a luxury wallet has been symbolised by 'animal skin', but luxury is much more complex than that. Luxury is not a material, it encapsulates design, craftsmanship, quality of materials, respect for people and social responsibility. Would a leather wallet on a market stall produced in a sweatshop be perceived as Luxury, simply because it is made from animal leather? So what of the new future materials? the textiles which will help to clean up the fashion industry, reduce pollution and water consumption.
Traditional technique meets textile Innovation
Here at Watson & Wolfe we have used over a decade of experience in luxury leather goods to create a range of 100% cruelty free, certified vegan wallets and card holders that combine age old leather working techniques with innovative textiles.
Here are the key elements of our vegan wallets and what that means for you and our planet.
Turned Edges
Each vegan wallet and card holder is crafted with turned edge construction. This is achieved by skiving the edges of our eco leather (thinning) before it is folded over (turned) and stitched. A quality, turned edge finish is smooth with no discernible lip.
Reinforced Stitching
The high stress areas of a wallet are the card pockets. Over the years they endure the most wear and tear, so we ensure all the pocket edges are stitched to provide additional strength and durability for long lasting use.
Lightweight Material
We use a polymer, a synthetic material which has been engineered to be thin and strong. The base of our material is made with more than 50% bio plant material from corn. The corn is carbon neutral and provided from a renewable source. The oil which is extracted from the corn makes the base fibres and then a PU layer is placed over the top. The result is a low impact, long lasting, lightweight and durable material which is water and scratch resistant.
Environmentally friendly lining
Our lining is made with rPET, a fabric made from post consumer plastic bottles. When used as a lining on items such as wallets and card cases, rPET is an eco friendly material and is a great alternative to virgin polyester, the number one choice of many leather goods brands. rPET uses 94% less water, 60% less energy and 32% less CO2 to make rPET compared to virgin polyester.
Skill
The construction techniques used on our luxury wallets requires high levels of skill and craftsmanship. Finding an experienced factory which produces high quality items is crucial. Everything is made ethically and we support the skills and experience of the individuals who craft our designs and this shows in the quality of the finish.
Luxury also encapsulates other less tangible and more sensual elements – a sense of style, tactility, those finishing touches, sometimes even invisible to the eye, of fine design and craft which lend the product a pleasing and desirable air, something well-made to be, admired and treasured.
To touch, our products are as buttery soft as real leather but allowing you the lifestyle choice to be cruelty free in your gifting or purchasing. Being able to add that final bespoke touch of personalisation is the last stage in creating a luxury gift and is indeed a luxury in itself – a way of adding personality or making your own mark, defining the wallet as something that is uniquely yours.
Follow us on:
