REVIEW – Greetings from the Jersey Shore! I’m just getting back from playing in the sun and sand, and checking out these cool new wallets! Paperwallet makes a whole line of products made from Tyvek that are durable, eco-friendly, and feature some gorgeous custom designs. Let’s shake the sand off and check them out!
What is it?
They’re super-slim Tyvek wallets that are waterproof, tearproof, and 100% recyclable. They also feature some seriously funky unisex designs from artists all over the world.
Design and features
The Paperwallets sport a design that I’ve never quite seen before. Each wallet is made from Tyvek, cut and folded origami-style into wallet form. There’s a slim bit of plastic backing in the body to give it a hint of rigidity, but that’s about it. Paperwallet also partners with artists around the world to create custom designs for each product, carrying the design through the whole piece. This particular design is called “Ancient Spell.” Here’s the outside cover…
Check out how the design carries over to the inside…
Even the cash pocket gets the customization treatment. How cool is that?
You’ll also get a little card in the wallet with some info on the designer. This is from the “Iconic Kyoto” design. You’ll see more of this design in the rest of the review.
These wallets are ridiculously thin, as the name implies. Here’s a side-by-side to show the thickness before and after loading them up. The top wallet is empty. The bottom is loaded with cash and 6 cards… it’s not much thicker than the stuff I have in it.
Moving to the inside, you’ll find two open-window slots that will hold multiple cards each with a snug fit. Behind each window slot is an open flap for holding several more cards.
The billfold space is shown here. I’ve got about 15 bills stuffed in there in addition to some receipts from my adventures.
Let’s talk about day-to-day use.
After a month of playing around with the Paperwallet, I’ll tell you that it takes some getting used to. The material is literally the thickness of a thick sheet of paper, so you’ll feel like you might tear it by accident. But you’ll quickly find that the Tyvek is pretty impressive. It won’t rip. It won’t tear. It sheds water like a duck.
It does, however, quickly show curling and wrinkles around the edges from use. See the photos below. The first one hasn’t been road tested.
The second has seen a month of steady use. It’s getting a bit of a well worn look. The aesthetic doesn’t bother me, but it’s something to consider if you like pristine gear.
Usability is great. It’s simple and virtually weightless. I did notice that the open flap for cards can be a bit of a problem, though. Cards can slide right out, and I have found a card in the bottom of my bag more than once. If you carry more than two cards (one for each open window slot), you’ll want to keep them in those open window slots and save that space for receipts and such.
Another perk is that the wallet is 100% eco friendly. Toss it in the recycle bin when you’re done with it!
What I like
- Super light weight
- Unique custom artwork
- Tear proof, water proof
- Eco-friendly
What needs to be improved
- Cards can slip out of those open flap pockets, so you won’t want to keep your important plastic in there
- Will show signs of use pretty quickly, which may not be your thing
Final thoughts
The Paperwallet hits three of my favorite things: slim wallets, unique graphic design, and high-tech solutions in simple packages. They also support their artists with a page dedicated to their bios, which I am a huge fan of. Check out the link below to see all the amazing designs. And it deceptively tough for a build that is barely noticeable in your pocket. I’m a fan.
Price: $20 for the slim wallet, $25 for the RFID version
Where to buy: Go to the Paperwallet web site to check out all of their products.
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Paperwallet.
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It’s called ‘The BEACH’, Bob, ‘BEACH’. Well, south of Parsippany it is anyway. 🙂 (From a guy who worked for a N.J. company 33 years.)
I made a couple of DIYs of these out of postal service envelopes. Contents seemed to fly out of them and take to the wind or floor when I opened it. Great review though.
I’m a Philly Kid.
Go to the beach = “go down the shore.”
Taylor Ham = “Pork Roll”
Sprinkles on your ice cream cone = “Jimmies”
The Walt Whitman Bridge = “Whawitman”
My friends from North Jersey bust my chops about this all the time. 😉
This is a total rip-off of the Dynomighty line which has been around for 10+years and have much cooler designs. I guess you can’t patent paper wallets. Or can you?