Here’s my old wallet. Yeah, it’s duct tape, 100%.
A friend made it for me back in Cambridge. In fact, she made two - I lost the first one. Of all my goods, this probably gets the most comments. One every day or two at least.
But it was time for a change. The duct tape wallet was getting tired.
I was going to pick up a standard leather wallet until I attended a talk at SBS by Kresse Wesling of E&K. She has started a company that reclaims tons (literally) of waste and uses it to produce luxury goods. Their wallets immediately caught my eye. Made from old fire hoses, they were not only bombproof, but sexy as anything. So are their belts.
I decided this was the new wallet. I ordered one as soon as I got home. It arrived barely two days later.
I’ve always been a little skeptical of ‘green’ products. It’s odd, as I consider myself at least a little envionrmentalist. But the hemp styles really don’t do it for me. I’ve long become tired and suspicious of anything labeled ‘eco’ or ‘green’. Maybe that’s fair, maybe not.
Why is this different? When I talked with Kresse in person, she couldn’t contain her passion for waste. Yes, waste. She loves waste. Particularly, it seems, trolling around landfills and filling her storage with new goods, without any immediate plans for them.
Her drive falls into the obsessed category. The result? Rethinking the whole production and packaging process (click to enlarge).
Now my duct tape wallet will just become a nice memory.
I know many producers of green goods are just as passionate. It’s just nice to feel it firsthand. And it’s nice to buy goods that have real meaning embodied, in addition to serving a daily function.
Go buy some fire hoses, folks.
B
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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Nice wallet, B, but no separate compartment for cash? I would find it annoying to always have to unfold/refold my bills for every transaction. I guess the firehose provides for only so much flexibility in terms of the product’s layout.
[Reply]
Brendan Reply:
October 12th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
Yeah, that was almost a dealbreaker for me too. But I’m trying hard to simplify my life right now, so I figured this helped with the forced improvement. Right now there’s more receipts in my pockets than I’m used to, but the bill folding is going fine. Plus better fit jeans are back in fashion (and, as it happens, on my legs right now), so having a slimmer wallet is not a bad thing.
B
[Reply]
raff Reply:
October 12th, 2009 at 11:09 pm
like skinny hipster jeans?
[Reply]
raff Reply:
October 12th, 2009 at 11:11 pm
[Reply]
Brendan Reply:
October 13th, 2009 at 8:18 am
Dingding!
Raff gets 5 points and a gold star for being the first one to use the comment photo upload link. Nice work.
I don’t think this guy has room in his pants for a used spoke card, never mind a wallet.
Me? Not quite there yet. Just rocking classic 501s.
B
[Reply]
Recycled-waste chic is in full bloom at the moment. I’ve seen wallets made from anything from old bike inner tubes to landfill-reclaimed detergent packages. Yours, however, is something that could pass as a luxury item on its own, rather than screaming “LOOK AT ME, I’M RECYCLED!”. Definitely an under-developed market niche.
I particularly love when recycled products take advantage of the inherent properties of the feedstock. Simple’s Green Toe sneakers use old truck tires for their soles - rubber that’s meant to do 60,000 hard miles and hence last for ages under your feet. We’ve both owned our pairs for 6 months, and no wear to be seen yet.
I also covet Freitag messenger bags, but they’re priced a little out of my budget. :)
[Reply]
I hope I never see you in jeans even close to that skinny ;o)
I love the wallet. Recycled things are great, and some there are some really excellent products out there. For example, I have a purse made out of seatbelts. It is awesome. Also, it is essentially indestructible. I have had it for 2 years now and it still looks brand new.
[Reply]
Did you see the used milk bag purses in Addis…less wallet, more coin purse, but the same general idea (and cheaper). They might not last very long but at least they’re recycling the plastic into something else useful.
[hastily-taken picture, sorry, don't have time to make it better!]
[Reply]
that’s cool, glad i found this, those fire hose wallets are def. BOMB.
here’s another cool place worth checking out that is right up your alley!
ductiledesigns.etsy.com
100% duct tape wallets, that last…and last
[Reply]