10 Eco-friendly Wallets for Carrying Your Money in Sustainable Style
Let’s be real, finding the perfect wallet is a challenge. We all need to figure out what size, how many card slots and the best pocket for our spare change while shopping.
But for those of us who also value supporting the environment, fair trade, and want to purchase more sustainable items, it can feel challenging to find the best options.
In this article, we are going to dive into the best eco-friendly wallets on the market and what materials to look for.
This post does contain some affiliate links which means The Honest Consumer may receive a commission if you decided to purchase. Our commission is at no additional expense to you!
What Eco-friendly Materials to Look for in a Wallet?
When shopping for a wallet the material is something that depends on the consumer’s values. Here are a few materials to consider when making a sustainable choice.
Recycled Materials: Recycled materials are a great material to look for while shopping for an eco-friendly wallet. This not only helps to reuse items found in the landfill but gives a second life to those materials.
Vegan Leather: If you choose to look for a vegan leather wallet try to look for a plant-based leather alternative such as apple or cork and avoid synthetic vegan leathers that might have plastic. Consider exploring Peta’s guide to vegan leather to learn more.
Organic Cotton: If you are looking for a natural material that is biodegradable at the end of it’s lifecycle, organic cotton is a good choice. Since organic cotton is grown without harsh pesticides this is better for the environment.
Responsibly Sourced Leather: While leather is an incredibly durable material and will last, it’s not always the best for the environment. If you opt for leather consider choosing more sustainable options such as up-cycled leather or leather by-products.
10 Eco-friendly Wallets for Sustainable Style
Not sure where to look when shopping for sustainable wallets? These eco-friendly wallet brands are a great place to start!
All of these brands use responsibly sourced materials and value paying their artisan partners livable wages.
Just about all of these wallets are under $50 making them budget friendly.
Malia Designs Upcycled Wallets
Malia Designs is a socially responsible brand that designs and sells fair trade handbags and accessories.
Malia Designs products are handcrafted in Cambodia and every purchase helps to fight human trafficking.
Bags are ethically made in Cambodia using eco-friendly materials such as recycled cement bags, up-cycled cotton, & more.
Malia Designs wallets feature a variety of styles including long, compact, and men’s wallets.
Their fair trade wallets are an affordable price point of $20-$30. These are just a few of the wallets we love!
This Cotton Long Wallet- This $30 wallet boasts a colorful cotton screen print. Not only will it hold your dollar bills but it also has space for multiple cards and a zip pocket to hold your change. Malia Designs uses up-cycled cotton to make these wallets - so you know they are not only stylish but ethical and eco-friendly.
Men’s Tire Wallet- Whoever thought that tires could make such great wallets? Well Malia Designs has done it again with this tire wallet for men. For $32 you can get a wallet that has multiple dollar bill pockets as well as card holders. The bifold design makes it an efficient way to store your money.
Square Cotton Wallet- This wallet is the perfect option for those who like to be on-the-go a lot! The slim design makes it easy to fit in the back pocket of your pants and the snap closure on the wallet helps to secure it. While this may be the cheaper option at $22, this wallet is wonderful quality and crafted to last.
Recycled Cement Square Wallet-This compact wallet is a unique take on recycling cement bags. It has turned something that would be sent to landfill and given it a new life. This is the perfect small wallet for your everyday needs for $22.
Deux Mains Wallets Made with Recycled Materials
Deux Mains is a social enterprise in Haiti that creates shoes, bags, and accessories using locally sourced leather and recycled tires and inner tubes.
I had the honor of visiting the facility when I studied abroad in Haiti and their work is incredible!
Their factory is 100% solar powered and woman owned.
By providing great jobs to Haitian artisans Deux Mains has been able to help provide livable wages, wellness benefits, health insurance, paid maternity and paternity leave, education matching programs, and more.
Their wallets are made from incredibly durable materials and feature high end design ranging from $15-$49.
Here are a few we’re loving!
Minimalist Card Holder: Attention all minimalists! This wallet is for you! For those who want to hold only the essentials, this card holder is a great option. For $15, you can take home this card holder made from genuine leather and recycled inner tubes. Deux Mains boasts a modern but classic look, perfect for people on the go!
Fold Over Wallet: This classic wallet will serve all your needs. Not only will it have the will it keep your dollar bills safe, but it will also hold all of your cards and protect them. This wallet is made with vegetable tanned leather and pockets made from inner tubes. For $39, you will be getting a wallet that has been made to last.
Carry Courage Cork Wallets
Carry Courage vegan accessories are ethically made in Portland, Oregon using sustainable materials.
Carry Courage provides conscious consumers with organization solutions through eco-friendly cork pouches, bags, wallets, and accessories.
Carry Courage’s cork fabric comes from sustainable forests that have strict harvesting regulations to protect the resource and ensure high quality.
Giver Wristlet Wallet: This wallet has wonderful versatility with the ability to use it as a clutch or wristlet. The interior features two card slots which can hold multiple cards. This wallet can easily be wiped down as it is made with vegan cork fabric and linen lining fabric. This wristlet wallet can be purchased for $59. I actually have this wristlet and love it!
Norboo Wallet: This wallet is a collaboration between Carry Courage and Norboo. It is handmade in Tibet with native brocade and cotton fabrics, features a magnetic top flap closure, 4 card slots, a zippered change pocket, and a interior bill pocket. This wallet can be purchased for $39.
Nisolo’s Leather By-Product Wallets
Nisolo is providing consumers with a more sustainable leather option. Nisolo is a certified B Corporation crafting high quality, ethically made leather goods using socially responsible practices.
Through their sustainable leather shoes, Nisolo provides steady employment opportunities for shoemakers in Peru & Mexico, allowing artisans to support themselves and their families.
Nisolo uses sustainable practices such as eco-friendly waste disposal systems, leather byproducts from the meat industry, & carbon offsetting to craft leather goods that are meant to last a life time.
Here are a few wallets if you’re looking for a leather option.
Brewer Wallet: The Brewer Wallet is a slimline, classic wallet style that you are going to love. For $50, you are getting a well-made wallet but also purchasing from a certified b-corp that has incredible sustainability practices and standards. When you visit the website, you can view their scorecard on how ethical and sustainable the product is, letting you know exactly what you are getting.
Classic Wallet: Another amazing option from Nisolo. This wallet comes in a variety of colors and has many different pockets for all your needs. This is the most expensive wallet on the list coming in at $100. The scorecard also shows their sustainable practices and makes this the perfect wallet for your eco-friendly lifestyle.
Hopefully this guide helped you learn what eco-conscious characteristics to look for the next time you purchase a new wallet!
For more tips & tricks on sustainable living be sure to follow The Honest Consumer on social media, subscribe to our newsletter, & check out the Ethical & Sustainable Brand Directory.