The Best Australian Wallet Brands
[Buyers Guide 2021]
When you think of wallets or leather goods Australia probably isn’t the first country that comes to find when it comes. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. In actuality, Australia has some of my absolute favorite wallet brands in the world and have their own distinctive take on wallets with a huge emphasis on quality leather, sustainability, and amazing craftsmanship.
Today I’m going to talk about a small selection of these Australian Wallet brands, what makes them great, their history, pricing, and why I think they deserve a place in your pocket. Each brand is chosen based on the variety of wallets, functionality, and some other likable features such as their sustainable business practices and innovation in design.
Australia as a Culture
Culturally, across the world, the type of wallets commonly found are usually indicative of that countries culture with money. For example, in the United Kingdom, cash is on the decline with contactless payments and smartphone payments becoming dominant. This creates a culture where wallets are getting smaller as people carry less with them. On the opposite end, Japan is a country that has been incredibly reluctant to adopt alternative forms of payment. Cash is very much still king there meaning wallets have retainer larger sizes, coin pouches larger capacities.
So what does this mean for Australia? Australia is much more similar to the UK or Germany who has opened contactless payments with open arms and lives in a more cashless society. Contactless payments specifically are being used in over 55% of all point-of-sale purchases in Australia as of 2019. Overall, the number of card payments in the country grew significantly from 6.6 billion in 2015 to 10.5 billion in 2019 and is expected to reach 14.9 billion in 2023.
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Should You Consider an Australian Wallet?
Australia has a long history of leathercraft and generally, most of the wallets on this list are leather wallets made from some of the best quality leathers in the world. This has developed an array of Australian wallet brands that has risen in popularity in the last decade with certain brands taking the top spots for most popular in the world (not kidding).
Along with this, you need to consider the previously mentioned cultural element of the wallets. Australian wallets tend to be smaller, on average, and cater to the fact banknotes and coins are becoming less common in daily life. More minimalist-sized wallets are common, and RFID Security is a must. That being said, we’ve included brands that offer an eclectic mix of different styles of wallets so even if you still carry tons of cash you should still find a wallet that suits your needs.
Bellroy Wallets
Bellroy shouldn’t need much introduction. As one of the largest wallet brands in the world, they helped pioneer fashionable wallets that introduced modern features that gave traditional-style wallets a new lease of life. Founded in 2009, Australia, Bellroy has since expanded into a huge array of other products including backpacks, tech accessories, and travel goods. What makes Bellroy great is also their amazing stance in helping compact waste, and helping with sustainability, and help make the cause in reducing the impacts of the leather industry and global warming (Bellroy is a proud member of B-Corp).
In terms of their wallets, I can’t really complain regarding the sheer range and versatility of their offering. Whether you’re looking for a traditional style bifold, a minimalist wallet, or a travel one, Bellroy has everything you need in choosing a wallet that excels at what it’s designed to do and in an attractive and high-quality manner. You can check out some of our best reviews of Bellroy including their popular Bellroy Note Sleeve and Bellroy Flip Case Wallet.
Starting at a price tag of $60.00 and ranging up to $200.00, Bellroy is a great pick for people who want to purchase from a very safe and international brand that sells across the world guarantees quick delivery and a great warranty/returns policy. Below are just a number of wallets we’ve reviewed over the years by Australian wallet brand Bellroy if you want more information regarding which one is best for you.
Status Anxiety Wallets
Originating from Sydney Australia in 2004, Status Anxiety is a highly unique brand. You might be wondering the meaning behind their unique name, as I was, as it shapes their brand ethos and what Status Anxiety stands for. Its name derives from a social condition caused by comparing ourselves to others around us. We’re about worrying less about measuring up to others’ perceptions, not taking ourselves too seriously, and reassessing real value in all areas of our lives. This is what Status Anxiety builds its philosophy on, creating wallets for the masses, strong brand identity with the aim of dispelling this
Although the brand was founded selling wallets, its since expanded into a vast and eclectic array of apparel including clothing, sunglasses, and tech goods/accessories. These goods are all built to strong ideals, an ode to exemplary craftsmanship, and a modern take on good business ethics, much like Bellroy, who takes a more sustainable approach in sourcing materials that give back in helping combat climate change.
In total, Status Anxiety has a great and diverse array of wallets to choose from. Ranging from traditional designs, like bifolds, slim cardholders ranging to more niche styles like zip wallets and money clips. It really is a stark and fantastic array of wallets all made with Status Anxties premium vegetable-tanned leather and available in a diverse array of colors including an array of browns and black.
Starting at a price of $39.95 and ranging up to $89.95. Status Anxiety is definitely not cheap but you pay for the quality you get and they offer diverse pricing allowing you to pick up wallets for a fair price if you’re not willing to pay top dollar. For more information on the huge array of wallets from Status Anxiety visit their official website using the link below.
Karakoram2 Wallets
Inspired and named after the King of Mountains, The K2 located in Central Asia, Karamoram is a fairly new wallet brand that first came onto the scene being founded in Sydney. Their choice of name is based on the quality, innovation, and design of their wallet range which they say are destined to reach an epitome of mighty wonder that stands out effortlessly. Again, Karakoram is a wallet brand that takes sustainability and the future of the planet as a core goal of theirs and takes this into account in the development and manufacturing of their wallets.
The range of wallets provided by Karakoram2 is smaller than other brands mentioned on this list, but definitely provides a great array of options to choose from. One such example, and my personal favorite, is their Smart Slide Wallet. This wallet capacities on the popularity of Pop-Up Wallets, also known as, cascading card wallets, that allow for an easy and simple way to store and access your credit/debit cards. Other options include a cardholder with a quick access slot and two different-sized bi-folds. All wallets are built to a high standard being made from premium sustainability sourced full-grain leather.
Karakoram2 wallets start at a price tag of $65.00 and range as high as $89.00. Again, not the cheapest you could probably find, but you are guaranteed a classic, well-built, and high functional wallet and one that is likely to last a lifetime with good care. For more information on the Karakoram2 Wallet range check out their official website using the provided link below.
R.M. Williams Wallets
As the oldest brand on this list, being founded in 1932, R.M. Williams is one of the most well-respected clothing brands to come out of Australia. Although they don’t primarily specialize in men’s wallets, they do offer some of the best of Australia and deserve a place on this list. R.W. is most famed for its footwear originally built to withstand the harsh conditions of the Australian outback. With an emphasis on high-quality leather goods, those built to last, R.W. Williams has stood to an ethos where durability and quality remain at its core.
The wallet range offered by R.W. Williams is as diverse as any brand and offers a collection of 22 different styles of wallets to choose from. While providing the choice between typical styles (like bifolds, trifolds, and cardholders) they also offer some unique wallets such as travel, zipper coin pouches. As discussed earlier R.W. Williams is all about quality and durability and this clearly shows with their choice of material. Each wallet is made using quality kangaroo leather which is very apt coming from Australia.
R.M. Williams is the most expensive brand we have featured on this list with wallets starting at a price of $58.00 and rising up to a max price of $220.00 (for their Crocodile Leather Bifold). Overall, I was impressed with my time using a few of the wallets from R.M. Williams and found their ethos of durability and craftsmanship to be exactly what I’d come to expect from a premium brand of this nature. For more information on all the wallet range of RM Williams check out their official website using the link below.
