The Cafe Supply Leather Bi-Fold Wallet Review

Premium & simplicity are the two words I use to describe this Italian leather brand. Cafe Supply are not trying to reinvent the wheel but have developed a strong foundation for leather goods that are top quality, attractive and built to last. 

Cafe Supply have always been a wallet brand on my radar. Ever since I first discovered them in 2017 I’ve been intrigued to try them out as I always longed to move away from the ever-expanding range of weird and innovative wallets and go back to basics with the traditional leather bi-fold. Let’s take a closer look at what the time Cafe Supply leather wallet has to offer.

‘Our products are handmade by Spain’s best artisans, from the town of Ubrique, where they use premium Spanish leather and 100% vegetable tanning. Our work is defined by a single idea: we do what we feel and we feel what we do. Our brand was created by extremely curious people fixated on delighting exquisitely authentic customers’. – Cafe Leather Supply

Look & Design

Before I get onto the wallet I just want to quickly mention the branding and packaging of Cafe Leather Supply. This is only the second wallet ever (the first being the KKMC Micro Wallet) that I’ve ever felt the need to mention a wallet packaging because it’s just that good. From the box everything comes in, to the ‘thank you’ letter sealed with real wax the whole branding, look, feel or everything really shouts premium like the Apple of the wallet world. 

When you first unbox the wallet the first thing you’ll notice is the smell. Being made from the highest grade leather the initial smell is the best indicator to me that this is really real leather that can sometimes be difficult to prove. The other indication of the quality of the leather is its feel. With a soft yet firm touch the wallet is something which needs to be broken in much like a pair of leather walking boots.

The range of colors is also worth mentioning although the range is slim the choice of colors is nice and unique to suit the tastes of anybody. This includes classic colors like brown and black but extends to colors like green and even a bright yellow color. I really like that they didn’t just stick to the traditional colors of black or brown. Although not to everyone’s tastes it really does add a unique aspect to the wallet that really shines compared to other wallet brands.

Another quality indicator is how the wallet forms a unique patina on the leather the longer you use it. The image below from the Cafe Supply website shows just how the leather changes over time from initial unboxing through to use over a long period of time. I’ve been using the wallet for 2 months now and I’ve already started to see the changes happen. 

The wallet can also be customisation options where you can have custom words written on the wallet. Although this does come in at an additional cost (around $20) that really does add some unique personality to the wallet and would be perfect as a gift. 

Functionality & Utility 

The wallet doesn’t try to be something it’s not in terms of its features. In actual fact, the wallet is fairly simple. Arranged in a typical bi-fold fashion the wallet has 4 separate card slots 2 on each side of the wallet. These slots are really well designed with a tight grip to space between the two for easy access.

The only downside here is the card slots can only fit one card each (for a total of 4 cards). Cafe Supply do say that it can hold a maximum of 8 cards (in that case 2 per slot) but I found the tightness of the leather was too much to achieve this. This isn’t a lot especially for the slightly larger size than what most would consider a minimalist wallet. Nevertheless, for me, the wallet was a perfect size as I only carry 4 cards with me anyways. Maybe once the leather is broken in more this would become a reality. 

Final Verdict

I thoroughly enjoyed the simplicity and craftsmanship of this classic bi-fold style wallet. Cafe supply do a great job of providing a compact wallet with a look and quality that is timeless and will last forever. If you’re looking for a wallet with a big emphasis on functionality this wallet won’t be for you. But with a price tag around $85.00, this wallet won’t be for everyone. The quality and care and materials that go into this wallet is why the price is what it is. For more information on the Cafe Supply Bi-Fold check out their official website below – and other range of wallets – by clicking the link.