For those avid readers of BestLeather.org, you’ll recognize the name, Origins Leather Company. We recently did a review on their Classic Briefcase, and followed that review with a giveaway of the same briefcase. The giveaway was extremely well received with over 14,000 entries, the best giveaway that BestLeather has had to date. After the giveaway we knew that Origins had a unique recipe for producing quality goods. That special recipe is quite simple, like many goods recipes are. They use very high quality vegetable tanned leather and thread, crafted by experts with a high degree of precision, into a good that is practicable and useful. That recipe is also used for their Simple Wallet, which we’ll take a look at in this review.
LEATHER
In the Classic Leather Briefcase review, I wrote that the leather Origins uses “feels as good as butter tastes”. That same leather is used for their Simple Wallet and it feels just as great. It is a little difficult to describe, but the leather has a soft but substantial feel. You immediately recognize that the leather is the type that will last a long time (Origins offers a 100 year warranty on all of their products by the way), but has a certain luxury to it as well. Origins uses a five ounce leather, which is boot leather thickness. The leather is also slightly burnished on all edges, which gives the edges a nice finish, and it comes in a beautiful chestnut color.
The inside of the wallet is unlined, which allows you to appreciate a different element of the fine leather. You really don’t need a wallet to have a liner of course, but I also appreciate bags and other goods that are unlined. There is something about the underside of finished leather that is tactile and fulfills some sensory need to fully appreciate the raw material something is made from. In other words, I like how it feels. There certainly are some applications where having a liner of some variety is appropriate, and often it is used for aesthetic purposes, but when it’s not completely necessary, I say let it be. Perhaps it is because I am a leather purist at heart. When you use leather as nice as Origins, this certainly is a great way to produce your products.
DESIGN
The Simple Wallet is as its name implies – simple. It has one open compartment for stashing your cards and bills. You can fit at least 10 cards along with some bills comfortably, so it has ample room for what most people need. The top flap slides securely into the attached strap and the wallet can fit nicely into either a front or back pocket. When opened, you will notice a small scoop that allows for easier grasping of your cards or bills.
The Simple Wallet is made from four pieces of leather. The main body and flap are made from one solid piece, one piece for each side, and the front strap. Its construction reminds me of how many quality messenger bags are made. The two side pieces are sewn to the main body with a small flap on bottom of each side piece riveted to the bottom of the wallet. This manner of construction produces a very hardy and durable wallet and forces the wallet to have a more open pocket. This could be a benefit to some as it makes sliding cards in and out easier, and also provides more room for additional cards and bills, but could be a drawback to some as it produces a wider footprint. The rivets at the bottom prevents the wallet from flattening out completely, especially if you only had a couple of cards and wanted a slimmer profile for example. This makes the wallet a full half inch in width, and provides a rigid bottom, but that is still slimmer than many wallets.
THREAD AND HARDWARE
The only hardware to speak of on the wallet are the two previously mentioned rivets. They are approximately 1/4 inch in diameter, with a dark antique finish, and are solid brass.
The thread is a marine grade polyester thread with a brown color that matches the wallet nicely. Polyester thread is three to four times as strong as nylon thread, and will not fade when exposed to sunlight. It is some of the best thread that can be used for high quality leather goods.
BESTLEATHER CONCLUSION
In a world with ever increasing options for minimalistic wallets, the Simple Wallet from Origins Leather Company is a very strong contender. Made with some of the best leather I’ve seen, leather that is struck through (dyed to the core of the leather), is beautiful to see and feel, and crafted with precision and attention to detail, the Simple Wallet is an excellent choice for those seeking a simpler approach to carrying their daily essentials.
