A leather wallet is an accessory that helps you carry your business cards, money, credit cards, and other everyday essentials easily.
Your leather wallet should be easily accessible and needs to fit in your jacket or trouser pocket, making it reliable.
A good quality wallet is made using a durable material that can resist wear and tear and be easy to maintain.
No other material can outdo full-grain leather in terms of quality, durability, and flexibility of design. That’s why it’s the preferred choice for wallets, shoes, belts, phone cases, and furniture.
Not only does full-grain leather come in different unique colors it’s also:
- Natural and comes from sustainable resources
- Durable and can outlast other natural and synthetic materials
- Visually appealing and never goes out of style
- Offers value for money
Here, I’ll explore two types of full-grain leather wallets to help you decide which one to go for between a trifold and a card wallet.
Table of Contents
What Is a Trifold Vs. a Card Wallet?
A trifold wallet has three sections and two folds allowing you to fold it into thirds. This style allows more space for notes of all sizes, receipts, and cards.
It can easily fit into a back pocket or a front pocket without looking too bulky.
The card wallet is a smaller compact size wallet. It folds into two sections and can fit up to five cards.
This wallet is designed for someone who prefers to use credit cards rather than cash.
Step 1 - Determine What You Need to Carry
Depending on the contents of your current wallet, you can easily establish the capacity you need when you’re selecting your new wallet.
A trifold wallet, for example, is roomy enough to hold cash, debit and credit cards, plus receipts.
The Popov Leather Trifold Wallet has the following compartments:
- Four card slots
- ID slots that can hold two cards
- Space for up to 20 bills
It also has extra space where you can carry gift cards and can even accommodate larger foreign currency.
This wallet is designed for someone who needs to carry a lot, often. You can never run out of space when you choose a trifold wallet.
The card wallet is small in size and feels like it’s barely there in your pocket.
This wallet is perfect for those who prefer to carry cards and a little cash rather than carry a bulky wallet around all day.
Even though it’s small, the Popov Leather card wallet can still accommodate many cards in its five-card slots.
It can also fit 10 folded bills easily.
The card wallet is perfect for carrying in the front pocket.
Step 2 - Decide Which One Fits Your Personal Style
A wallet is not just a personal item. It’s an accessory that expresses who you are and your sense of fashion.
When picking your preferred wallet, make sure you pick something that goes well with your everyday fashion choices.
A card wallet is fashionable for someone who prefers to wear it in the front pocket of jeans or a shirt. It also looks good on khaki pants as it’s not chunky.
The trifold wallet on the other hand looks good on the back pocket of jeans and in your coat and jacket's front pockets.
Step 3 - Settle For Your Preferred Size
The main difference between a card and a trifold wallet is the size. While the card wallet is small and compact in size, the trifold wallet is bigger and has a lot of room.
The 5 Card Wallet from Popov Leather has dimensions of 2.9" x 4" x 0.4". It can fit into small pockets with ease and is also very light in weight.
If you prefer something smaller in size, the card wallet is more appropriate for you.
For a person who prefers a more visible wallet, then the trifold wallet suits you better.
The Trifold Wallet from Popov Leather has dimensions of 3.45" x 4.25" x 0.75" when folded. When it’s not folded it opens up to 9.8” wide. It’s easier to feel or grip and has everything you need easily accessible.
"LOVE IT! Smells great. Everything fits. Looks better every day!"
Step 4 - Choose Between a Minimalist vs Traditional Design
Are you a minimalist or are you more traditional? Traditionally, more roomy wallets were a necessity as you had to carry your cash everywhere you went. That’s not the case anymore.
Right now, you don’t need to carry cash as you can pay for everything with the swipe of a card.
However, there are still people who prefer to do it the old-school way and carry both cash and cards.
If you still prefer to carry the old-school way, the trifold wallet is perfect. It not only allows you to carry more cash, but it also has a lot of room for your photos and cards.
If you’d rather carry your cards only, the simple five-card wallet is the better option for you.
It has enough room for your ID and as many cards as you need, and it still has some room for notes.
Expert Tip: Avoid overstuffing your leather wallet. By doing so, you’re stretching out the leather grain and risk permanently damaging it.
To maintain its flat, elegant shape and keep the card slots as tidy as new, clear out old receipts and coupons regularly.
Comparison of a Card vs Trifold Wallet
The table below shows a comparison between a trifold and a card wallet.
| Features | Card Wallet | Trifold Wallet |
| Size | Folded dimensions are 2.9" x 4" x 0.4" | Folded dimensions are 3.45" x 4.25" x 0.75" |
| Capacity | Can hold up to 5 cards and 10 bills | Can hold up to 20 bills, four cards and has an ID slot |
| Style | Contemporary | More traditional |
The Trifold Wallet and the 5 Card Wallet are both available at Popov Leather.
All our products are made using full-grain Horween Leather, a strong and durable material that looks better with age.
The wallets are hand sewn using durable Tiger Thread that never comes off. This means the wallet will last a lifetime.
All wallets are available in four unique colors:
- Natural
- English tan
- Black
- Heritage brown
If you’d like a wallet, or you’d like to see more of our leather products head on to our website or contact us for more.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I look for when buying a leather wallet?
When buying a leather wallet, always make sure it’s made of real natural leather. Real leather develops a patina as it ages, a sign of character and uniqueness.
Also, make sure that it’s well sewn so it doesn’t fall apart. For example, at Popov Leather, we use Tiger Thread to hand sew all our leather accessories. The polished edges and attention to detail ensure that they last a lifetime.
How can you tell the quality of a leather wallet?
A quality leather wallet will have well-polished and neatly sewn edges. The leather will not wear out or fall apart.
A good-quality leather wallet will also have multiple slots to carry your cards, cash, and identification documents.
Which is better, full-grain leather or genuine leather?
The word genuine in “genuine leather” refers to the grade of leather and not the quality of the leather. Genuine leather isn’t top quality, neither is it as attractive as full-grain leather.
Full-grain leather is stronger, durable, and develops a patina as it ages.
Written by Ryan Popoff
Ryan Popoff is the creative mind behind Popov Leather wallets, iPhone cases, belts, watch bands and journals since 2013. With a Bachelor Degree in Fine Arts, my leatherworking journey began at home. I wanted to create a simple leather wallet that could fit into my front pocket and — to my delight — it was a hit with family and friends. Hopefully you love our honest, quality leather goods too! Reach out with questions.
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