The Postalco Pressed Cotton Wallet Review

The Good
  • Great quality materials including high-quality full-grain leather, and pressed cotton material.
  • Handmade and some of the best craftmanship of any wallet I’ve come across in a long time.
  • Great functionality as well with great capacity for cash, cards, and coins.
The Bad
  • It Is a big old wallet coming in at 8 x 11 cm. It can be felt in the pocket and can’t easily be stored in the back pocket.
  • One of the most expensive wallets we’ve ever reviewed! Most people will not be able to afford this wallet.

If you’ve ever been to Japan then you might have discovered that their entire culture is based around cash. By that I mean they are very big on physical means of paying for items using banknotes and coins as opposed to western cultures who have paved the way for use of technology (credit/debit cards and contactless technology) in the way we pay for goods and services. That’s not to say Japan doesn’t have credit/debit cards but if you’re ever planning a trip to Japan you might struggle to find businesses that don’t prefer cash as opposed to credit with some not even accepting cards as a payment option.

Because of this cultural difference, wallets brands, and the design and functionality of wallets, are very different in Japan. While western countries have gone down the more minimalist route with many wallets taking a more slim or minimalist design Japan still need to consider the prevalent use of cash and with it develop some of the most feature jam-packed wallets in the world that have a fantastic capacity for not just cards, but cash and coins. 

Today we’re going to be reviewing the Postalco Pressed Cotton Wallet. Founded in New York and now based in Tokyo, Postalco takes much inspiration from the Japanese culture of Mottainai meaning ‘the culture of not wasting’. Postalco places this ideology into every product they make, making sure they use sustainably sourced goods and make sure nothing goes to waste during the manufacturing process. Also, work with family businesses and uphold the best craftsmanship, quality, and traditions in every product they make. That passion and experience can be clearly seen when using any product from Postalco whether or not you’re purchasing a wallet or any number of their goods.

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Look & Design

The Postalco Wallet is made in a typical bi-fold style and has a very vintage look to it down its rustic range of color options (including black, brick red, navy blue and olive green) and use of pressed cotton (more on this later) that adds to the oldy worldly look and feel. As far as the wallets I tend to review this is probably one of the largest I’ve tested in quite some time coming in at 8 x 11cm. This obviously comes with advantages and disadvantages as the size can be seen as bad as it really adds to the wallet’s weight and can easily be felt in the pocket. In the same vein, this larger size gives the wallet more substance when it comes to its functionality and how more cash and cards can be stored.

The wallet is made out of a combination of two materials leather and pressed cotton. The leather is made from full-grain cowhide one of the highest quality leathers on the market. The leather appears quite hard on first unboxing but as you use the wallet more it becomes more malleable overtime eventually developing a unique look and texture. Postalco also uses a unique method for dyeing their leather called aniline dyes. 

The pressed cotton is also a unique material I’ve never personally come across in a wallet before made using the same machines used to make tent fabric. This material has a very natural look to it with a distinctive texture that too, like the leather, develops a unique patina-like look after extensive use. It’s a very attractive material and compliments the leather very nicely. 

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Functionality & Utility 

As previously mentioned this wallet is all about quality and fantastic functionality. With a large array of areas for credit/debit card storage, the Postal wallet has a max maximum card capacity of between 8 – 10 cards, with the option to squeeze in a few additional cards if you so wish. One of these pockets has an interesting mechanism by which squeezing the sides of the pocket seamlessly opens it up for easy and quick access when on the move. 

Like most bi-fold style wallets the Postalco has a large full-width slot at the top of the wallet for storage of banknotes. Japanese banknotes are notorious for being large in size so this slot is comically larger than most people from America or Europe are used too, although it does provide a huge capacity for banknotes far more than most people would ever need. Finally, the wallet comes with a dedicated area for storing coins and other small items like keys. This is a really nice addition and goes to show how good the functionality of the wallet really is.

Overall, I used the Postalco wallet for around 4 weeks and it was a pleasure to use. Although a tad too large for me the wallet worked seamlessly for easy access of cash and cards and the fact it can be all held together shut with a button is a nice touch to keep the wallet compact when not in use.

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Price Tag

Now for a bit of disappointing news. The Pressed Cotton wallet comes in at ¥20,000 Yen that roughly translates to $187.00. As far as price goes this wallet is probably the second or third most expensive wallet I’ve ever reviewed so that goes to show how expensive it really is. That being said, I am not going to go out on a limb and say this wallet is overpriced or not worth it. It’s a niche product and from using the wallet, and knowing the fantastic efforts Postalco as a brand but into the quality, I think it’s a fantastic pick for people with a certain budget.

Final Verdict

The Postalco Pressed Cotton wallet is a fantastic take on the traditional leather bi-fold. It’s got a great range of functionality, but for me where the wallet really stands out with its incredible build quality. The pressed cotton, top quality leather and attention to detail with its craftsmanship is by far one of the best I’ve come across in a long time. That being said, this is obviously reflected in its very high price that most people won’t be able to afford, unfortunately (myself included). For more information on the Postalco wallet, and their full range, check out their official website using the link below.

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