Everyday Carry

8 EDC Wallets Made from Unique Materials

Authored by:
Bernard Capulong
8 EDC Wallets Made from Unique Materials

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Move over, leather. While it's the classic material of choice for an everyday carry wallet, that doesn't always mean it's the best. And because a wallet can be so simple just by its design, what it's made of plays a huge role in how effective it is for EDC. In this guide, we're highlighting 8 minimalist wallets cut from a different cloth. They're made using the go-to materials in other demanding applications—from firefighting to military body armor—so you know they're up to the task of carrying your cards and cash.

Slim Wallets Cut from a Different Cloth

Dynomighty Mighty Wallet

You know those express shipping envelopes that feel kind of like a cross between paper and cloth? That's Tyvek — the main material used in the Dynomighty Mighty Wallet. For its feather-light weight, Tyvek is certainly mighty: it's water resistant, tear resistant, and expandable. Even better, Tyvek is recyclable, making it a more eco-friendly choice of wallet. Physical properties aside, the material also allows for fun graphics, colors, and patterns you can't get on a regular leather wallet.

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Flowfold Wallets

Stronger than steel, yet light enough to float. That's the kind of strength to weight ratio you'll get from the DiamondFiber used on Flowfold wallets. DiamondFiber's origins as a high-performance sailcloth make it an excellent choice for a minimalist wallet that's strong, slim, light, and able to take on some water.

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Magpul DAKA Essentialist Wallet

You might know Magpul for their phone cases or firearms accessories made from high tech composites and polymer materials. Their DAKA series of gear is no exception, made using reinforced polymer and high-frequency fabric welding techniques. On the DAKA wallets (available in either a vertical card sleeve or a more spacious card case), that results in a slim carry with an anti-slip texture, water resistance, and a durable, stitchless construction.

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CommonFibers Wallets

You'll find carbon fiber on most anything designed to go fast and ride strong, from luxury sports cars to military aircraft. That's because of its extreme rigidity, tensile strength, chemical and temperature resistance, and low weight. On a wallet, that means easier slipping into and out of a pocket, daily durability, and less bulk overall. Not to mention, it just looks awesome—it's both stealthy and blacked out while subtly patterned at the same time for a luxe visual effect.

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Hellbent Holsters Combat Wallet

When it comes to carrying other types of gear, like a concealed carry or fixed blade knife, Kydex is the go-to. It's a material used in holsters and sheaths because of its excellent ability to retain a custom-fit shape even after extended wear. To add to that, it's completely waterproof, scratch-resistant, and smooth enough to get gear in and out with ease. Hellbent Holsters took their expertise from making Kydex holsters to create the Combat Wallet. The result is a rugged, yet smooth carry option for your cards, with easy access thanks to its unique card-fanning design.

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Slimfold MICRO Soft Shell Wallet

Hopefully you'll never need this level of durability, but the softshell fabric on the Slimfold MICRO wallet can withstand 70 mph crash tests designed for motorcycle apparel. The old school way of protecting yourself on a motorcycle (and looking super cool) would be to throw on a leather jacket. But compared to leather, the Slimfold's tech fabrics are even more abrasion-resistant at only 0.5mm thick. Its high-density synthetic weave also makes it completely waterproof and stain-resistant so your cards stay protected from scrapes and spills.

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SPEC Ops THE Wallet Jr

If you've handled any quality soft goods from tactical brands, chances are you're familiar with ballistic nylon. The brand name stuff goes by Cordura, renowned for its durability and resistance to tearing and abrasion. Part of its strength comes from how densely its nylon yarn is woven, which also provides some minor weather resistance against water seeping in. The THE Wallet Jr from SPEC Ops is a US-made, Cordura nylon wallet that's earned its popularity in the EDC crowd for its functionality and durability. Over time, nylon tends to break in comfortably too. That can be an important factor considering how often you carry a wallet.

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Recycled Firefighter Wallets

The Sergeant Wallet from Recycled Firefighter is proof that you don't always need fancy, high-tech materials to make a solid minimalist wallet. Like the name suggests, Recycled Firefighter takes decommissioned firehose fabric and upcycles it into various EDC wallets. As something that's originally meant to withstand intense water pressure when putting out fires, it's more than up to the slightly less demanding task of securing your cards, cash, and with some models, a pocket notebook. If you dig that familiar heavy-duty canvas feel, you might like these wallets over the more technical offerings on this list too.

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What's your wallet made of? Leave a comment and let us know your experiences with any of the different materials listed above.

If you're curious about the more traditional EDC wallet materials, check out my breakdown of the big three: leather, metal, and elastic.

Bernard Capulong

Founder and Editor-in-Chief


About the Author
Bernard Capulong is an everyday carry (EDC) gear expert, entrepreneur, all-around nerd, and the founder and editor-in-chief of EverydayCarry.com—the largest online community for EDC gear enthusiasts. Since founding Everyday Carry in 2009, he’s built over a decade of experience in the industry, reviewing and highlighting brands and products, including pocket knives, flashlights, wallets, watches, bags, pens, and much more.

Bernard is known for bringing everyday carry out of obscurity and into the mainstream, having been published or featured in various publications such as GQ, TIME Magazine, The New York Times, VICE, HYPEBEAST, Outside, and many others. He has also played a part in curating, designing, and developing digital and physical products, resulting in successful crowdfunding projects or limited edition collaboration products with established softgoods brands. He stays on the pulse of the EDC industry by attending trade shows, participating in online interest communities, and actively engaging with fellow gear enthusiasts on social media.

In addition to being the editor-in-chief and main social media personality for EverydayCarry.com, Bernard is an avid gearhead and collector in general. His personal collections span technical bags, fountain pens, digital cameras, retro gaming hardware, personal hi-fi audio gear, and mechanical wristwatches, to name a few. Bernard Capulong is a prominent figure and trusted authority in the everyday carry industry with a career dedicated to helping people discover this hobby and stay prepared with quality gear.

Discussion (14 total)

I would be embarrassed to pull out the mighty wallet.
Cody ·
I've been using the Slimfold since actually reading about it on this post, this wallet is awesome! Holds just enough cards (I have 10 in it right now) and cash (I have 15 bills in it currently) for what I typically carry. It's light and really comfortable for a back or front pocket carry. The owner is really nice also, he sent me an email when the wallet was delayed by a couple of days to apologize about it, really great company!
Jess Hines ·
It's leather, but I have been loving my Allet from The Grommet. Super thin due to its 2-card-high design. A year later, I still have to make sure it's there occasionally.
Got the Flowfold billfold last week. This thing is unreal. Light as a feather, roomy and fits perfect in my front pocket. Decided to order the Minimalist to further cut down on crap in my wallet and clip my Fisher Bullet pen to it. We'll see.
I have one not on this list I really like. Apex wallet. Got it on a Kickstarter
International Man Of Myst ·
Can anyone tell me how many bills (folded in half) the recycled firehose wallet's elastic strap can hold? I always carry around $500 in $20 bills so that's 25 bills folded in half totaling 50 bills. Will the elastic stretch to hold that many?
Big Dumb Animal ·
This may or may not be helpful. I carry the Rookie (slim front pocket bifold) instead of the Sergeant but they appear to be designed to carry cash in the same manner. I tested whether or not the elastic in my wallet could handle the specified capacity (alas all my bills weren't 20s) and I am please to say it passed with flying colors. Additionally, when I went back to carrying my normal, lesser number of bills the elastic was not stretched out. However, stating the obvious, a "wad" fifty bills thick does make the wallet less thin.
International Man Of Myst ·
In my never ending quest for a good everyday (but tough) wallet - I went ahead and bought it. I estimate it would hold about 44 bills folded in half before losing them when you slid the wallet in your pocket. Disappointing. Thrown on the pile of brand new unused (and now waiting for another alternative).
International Man Of Myst ·
CORRECTION: In my never ending quest for a good everyday (but tough) wallet - I went ahead and bought it. I estimate it would hold about 4 (yes-just 4) bills folded in half before losing them when you slid the wallet in your pocket. Disappointing. Thrown on the pile of brand new unused (and now waiting for another alternative).
I've used the Slimfold for 3 months and recently picked up the Recycled Firefighter. Both are excellent! The Slimfold is great for the classic bifold feel and the Sergeant is a nice small card sleeve with a cash strap for minimalist design. Still use both for carry.
Carl Bilodeau ·
I've been very happy with my Flowfold.
Bill Collinson ·
Dynomighty wallets are awesome minimalist front pocket carriers for cards and bills, absolutely love mine and have often gotten comments depending on the print. And while I'm not using any of Jake's wallets, I do use the Truckie pouches from Recycled Firefighter and can unconditionally recommend -anything- he makes. Truly unique, quality, well engineered products throughout this entire list!
I have been carrying the hellbent wallet for 6 months and I love it. Lots of colors to pick from and different money clips if you so desire.
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