Arbor Is a Beautiful Wooden Wallet That Will Flex Under Pressure

After decades of worshipping plastic and glinting metal, designers are finally rediscovering the joys of wood. Few man-made materials can match the aesthetic value of polished grain. Furthermore, wood has many other good qualities — it is strong and resilient, without causing any damage to the environment. Arbor is a brand new wooden wallet that harnesses these favorable traits. In addition, the wood has been engineered to flex in your pocket, rather than snapping in two.

– Handmade from a single sheet of wood, with a durable Tyvek backing

– Secret blend of oils allows wood to flex like leather while adding pleasant scent

– Four choices of wood and two styles to pick from

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jwebber/arbor-the-first-flexible-wood-wallet

Beautiful Wooden Wallet

It’s not hard to make a decent wallet. You just need to design something slim enough for pockets, yet durable enough to protect cards. We see many such offerings here at the Gadget Flow, each with subtle differences. But to make a truly great wallet, you need to be more radical in your thinking.

In their pursuit of greatness, the folks behind Arbor thought the unthinkable. John Webber and Eric Richardson wanted to make a traditional wallet made of wood. The problem is, wood doesn’t flex very well. But after two weeks of rigorous testing, the pair discovered they could overcome this problem.

[tweet_box]Arbor is a brand new wooden wallet that flexes like leather[/tweet_box]

By treating their chosen grains with oils and waxes, they were able to make wood feel like leather. Arbor is the beautiful consequence of their combined ingenuity.

Arbor-etum

Having created flexible wood, Webber and Richardson got to work on the wallet. They created two styles: the Arbor Minimalist and Arbor Folded.

As the name would suggest, the former is svelte and stripped back. Available in light maple, golden cherry, black-dyed pine, and black walnut, this wallet can hold 5-6 cards. Alternatively, you can remove a couple of cards to make space for bills.

For folks who enjoy simplifying their existence, the Minimalist is a breath of fresh air. Being so ridiculously thin, this wallet can stay in your back pocket when you take a seat, without causing postural issues.

Folded to Perfection

Folks who need a little more capacity can opt for the Arbor Folded wallet.

It’s possible (although not recommended) to jam 8-12 cards into this classic design. Two interior pockets provide quick access, while the durable Tyvek adds longevity. When it’s unfolded, this design also shows off the wood at its finest. As before, you have four grains to choose from.

With either design, you can choose a custom thread color and get your wallet engraved. Better still, you can get the newly released Artist Edition and admire the colorful work of Katy Lipscomb at every ATM.

“We have invented the first ever, flexible wood wallet.  It looks and acts like leather but is made from a single sheet of wood. Backed with Tyvek and hand-stitched for strength, you’ve never felt a wallet like this before.”

“We also developed our own custom wood finish. Made from a secret blend of oils and waxes, it not only protects your new wallet, it smells amazing!” — Arbor on Kickstarter

What We ❤️

The natural beauty of wood grain, with the flexible durability of leather.

Future Designs

This designer-engineer partnership previously created iPhone cases in wood. We’re looking forward to seeing their next product!

Availability

– Kickstarter: Until September 11th

– Pledge: $40 USD

– Delivery: October 2017