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Carrying Things, Part 2: Bellroy's Quest to Shrink the Wallet

By Rain Noe - May 31, 2011

in Object Culture

Like Rushfaster, Bellroy is another Australian company, this one located in Glen's hometown of Melbourne. Bellroy's mission is "trying to improve the way we carry," starting with the wallet, an object whose design "has existed in a deep freeze for the last generation or two."

One of Bellroy's five solutions is the Slim Sleeve Wallet, which provides quick-draw access for your two most commonly used cards, then provides a pull-tab to access the less frequently used cards you stuff on the inside. As shown in the video, there's also a slot to hold some kind of funny little play money, I'll ask Glen what those are when he gets back to the office.

Check out the rest of Bellroy's lineup here.

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Mike Land

10 years ago

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I carry the George Costanza wallet. I keep business cards, discount cards, loyalty, etc. I also have corporate credit and personal debit cards. Last Christmas I got two wallets from family. They were nice leather wallets with plenty of pockets for all my junk. They are huge and I carry it in my front pocket as per suggestion of a relative who was a NYC detective. I won't give it up as I always have everything I need in it.
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Americanbadass

11 years ago

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Dont take the word out of context. Play is a way of saying cash to burn bars and etc.

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Mark

11 years ago

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As stated above there's the super thin All-ET, made from spinnaker nylon (www.all-ett.com) and also the Might Wallet (www.dynomighty.com) which is made from Tyvek. I've had both and without changing the contents they reduce the size of your wallet dramatically. Plus the Might Wallet has some very cool designs!
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RumNLime

11 years ago

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You must be from 'Murica if you refer to other countries' money as "play money". Just about every country, even in the Third World, has adopted colored bank notes. This is to help the visually impaired, and everyone else, to never make mistakes with cash.
We understand that your country is slow in getting with the game on pretty much everything ... you know, things like ending slavery, the metric system, universal health care, etc.
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Lynchwood

11 years ago

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Coins are best kept in a 35mm film tub. Saves wear on the fabric of your pocket.
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Sheumais

11 years ago

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I've had a wallet like that for nearly 20 years, so it's hardly a radical new design. If you can invent a way to keep it full of money, then I'd be interested.
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Marcus L

11 years ago

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All they have done is make the petitions thinner, nothing innovative there. Also if its the same material just les of it to keep depth down then they won't be as durable. So whats the advantage?
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Vandelay Industries

11 years ago

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Skinny, shminny - Nothing beats "The Costanza".
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Badger

11 years ago

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what? its no different to wallets that have been around for years!!, its still gonna bulge when you put a decent amount of money in it and the 15 or so plastic cards i have and other stuff..........
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SP

11 years ago

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Looks nice. But no coins? - I prefer my coins in my wallet rather than having them fall around in my pocket. Problem is, while the Aussie notes are more durable than US, different sizes and colours, and a bit thinner, our coins are woefull. They are big and thick and bulky compared to US coins.
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JF

11 years ago

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Reinvents? I have a wallet with this design for now 10 years and it's a Bosca. Aussies do live in a different time zone afterall.
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John O.

11 years ago

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Jan Altus.
Put cards in a wallet opposite ways up when next to each other.
One right way up, one upside down and so on.
That way the magnetic strips are more separated.
:-)
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jan altus

11 years ago

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Are people really so stupid - they put their wallet into their jean's back pocket?

It is incredibly easy to pickpocket a wallet in a back pocket.

I need someone to design a wallet so I can put cards next to each other without corrupting them. I'm constantly having to call my bank to replace cards due to corruption or static damage. Or maybe it's just my magnetic personality! lol :)
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AK

11 years ago

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Am I the only one who doesn't welcome a shrinking wallet?
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Red

11 years ago

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You should all be ashamed of yourselves. Its a wallet. nothing has been redesigned.
The Emperor has no clothes
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Al Dente

11 years ago

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The wallet I use is a nylon All-Ett. These are made from Spinnaker cloth which is the same material used to make parachutes and sailboat sails. It is paper thin and amazingly strong. Even with 2 dozen cards, a cache of currency and a week of business trip receipts it is still far thinner than most wallets. If style is more important than function they also make thin leather wallets but their nylon wallet is the thinnest and longest lasting choice.
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Tommy Dillion

11 years ago

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Why are they using play money in the demo? Should use REAL bills...
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Simon

11 years ago

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haha an Australian having a laugh at the "Play Money" comment now that's our type of humor very well done there writer!! Our colourful money are the best!
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James Clarke

11 years ago

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"Play money"

Don't you mean some of the world's most advanced banknotes that are worth MORE then the USD?

LOL
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No Black Wallets Thanks

11 years ago

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About eight percent of men are colour blind. About 2 percent of women also. Man's preference for black may be at play therefore - why have colour at all since I can't see it? But when you loose your black wallet, in a black briefcase with all the other black things, you'll realize the value of the contrast created by colour.
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cawinters

11 years ago

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I like the Ryan Crabtree's Crabby Wallet found on Kickstarter version much better. Why is this guy getting so much press? He is old news.
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DZA

11 years ago

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They have slim wallets out already... "Big Skinny." Bigskinny.net
I beat the hell out of wallets and the one I have not only has repelled any type of moisture (short of it being dunked into water), but it's held up to quite a bit of abuse. I carry a ton of stuff and the wallet STILL remains 1/2" thick, no more. Maybe 14 cards, 10 USD bills, a couple of coupons and it still has room. Standard bi-fold. Had it for at least 5 years.
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Billy Sims

11 years ago

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One issue to keep in mind is that Aussies use coins far more often than Americans do. I believe Australia is up to $2 coins at this point while Americans rarely see coin values above 25 cents (fifty cent and dollar coins are in circulation in the USA but relatively rare.)

Coins, great for vending machines but a pain the hip in my American wallet.
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Angry of Devonport

11 years ago

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PLAY MONEY? It will cost YOU $1.05 of YOUR money to buy ONE of OURS!!
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Sean

11 years ago

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I use a slim biz card holder for my credit cards. Notes, I just fold them and put in my back pocket. Have been doing this for 2 decades. Any wallet that introduces more than 2 layers of non-content is NOT slim or minimalist.
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Jr

11 years ago

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You cannot shrink the walllet withouth shrinking the cards or combining one card that does multiple functions. Who are you guys trying to fool
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gth

11 years ago

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A wallet without need for change IS the future.

Because it's the coins that are approaching their used-by date, not the wallet.

PS: Would be a good wallet if it also blocked NFC - scamming credit cards is way easy.
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John Delphia

11 years ago

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Does the shell have a metallic (maybe aluminized-mylar) lining?

In the future typical credit cards may become less common with the advent of smartphone mediated transactions.

But i think there'll still be lots of credit-card sized things you'd might want to carry like lenticular magnifying glasses, microSD card holders, LED flashlights and such, like a pocket toolkit.

I live in the US and love the Aussie plastic bills - but by the time we'll get around to it in ten years the technology will have probably already leapfrogged to near field wireless using your smartphone and some sort of government issued smartcard for "cash"...
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Rodney Eskelson

11 years ago

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Jason maybe you had better buy better pants...........
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jason cowan

11 years ago

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Change purse. Without a change purse, this wallet is completely useless to me - where would I store my loonies, toonies and other loose change? In my pocket? Where it falls out into the crevices of my couch or onto the floor, or out on the pavement? The wallet makers are all stuck in the past - even this one - our cash today involves a whole lotta change and as fast as I give it away, I'm constantly losing it.
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Paul Hannah

11 years ago

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If you come across some of that 'play money' again, please send it here. It buys more than that American dunny paper.

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...wow

11 years ago

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For those of you kindly informing the author that the "play money" is actually an aussie note... I think he's well aware.
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Alan

13 years ago

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I use a Dalvey leather card holder and money clip. Mine's looking the worse for wear after 8 years of use and abuse but it holds 10 cards (it's designed for 8 but stretches...) and some notes in a tiny, slimline package.

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Garett

13 years ago

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Play money? It's Aussie money man. Hahahaha! I ditched my wallet 4 years back and use tin a card holder. If I'm hauling around a lot of bills I bring a magnetic money clip. I'll never return to a wallet again.
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Nathan Craike

13 years ago

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Regarding the "play money":

http://www.rba.gov.au/banknotes/counterfeit/security.html

http://www.google.com/search?aq=f&q=1+AUD+in+USD
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Austin

13 years ago

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Love the sleek and minimal look but still looks like a well designed functioning wallet
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Clyde

13 years ago

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Check out the URL for really thin wallets. I've got a couple of them and love them. I wouldn't use any others.
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