8 Card Classic Bifold Wallet in Black in Togo Calf Leather

In our modern digital era, a wallet remains an indispensable accessory for carrying cash and cards on a daily basis. This timeless bifold wallet design from Fort Belvedere stands out for its classic appeal and adaptability, effortlessly fitting into trouser pockets as well as in jackets or coats. Constructed from premium leather and meticulously pieced together by skilled European craftsmen, this wallet distinguishes itself as an extraordinary item of heirloom-grade significance, promising prolonged utility while becoming increasingly attractive with each passing year and frequent use.

This wallet is crafted in the classic bifold style. At its center, you'll find a pocket running the length of the wallet, divided into two distinct parts by a divider made entirely of leather. This design provides organizational ease for different currencies while journeying, or for neatly separating receipts, tickets, and assorted paper items from your money. Both halves of the wallet are equipped with a panel containing four card slots each, summing up to eight card slots for safe and easy storage of credit cards, IDs, and various other cards. Additionally, the space behind these panels serves as extra storage room.

Prefer the ultimate in slim design? Shop our Four Card Cardholders

In the creation of this wallet, our aim was to craft a classic bifold design prioritizing optimum storage within the slimmest feasible dimensions. We utilized premium full-grain leather extensively to ensure durability and longevity.

Each detail in the assembly process was meticulously chosen for quality, from attentive thinning of joint areas to minimize thickness to the precise selection of materials for the core structure and lining. Our innovative redesign of the central compartment contributes to a remarkably slender silhouette while still maintaining generous capacity.   

With eight dedicated card slots and a divided central pocket, you can easily hold everything that you require when out and about without adding meaningful bulk. Other brands achieve this by shrinking the size of their cardholders, moving the slots closer together, or by using synthetic lining in the central compartment, but thanks to our intentional design schema, we’ve achieved remarkable thinness without compromising on any of the functional features of the wallet.

Boasting eight individual card slots and a split main compartment, this wallet maintains a slim profile while accommodating all your essentials when you're on the go. Unlike other brands, which often downsize their cardholders, crowd the card slots, or utilize synthetic inner linings to minimize bulk, our careful design approach ensures substantial thinness without sacrificing the wallet's practical attributes.

Please note, habitual stacking of two cards in a single slot may lead to the natural stretching of the leather over time, potentially causing a fit that is too loose for only one card. You can readily address this by continuing to store two cards in any affected slot.

1. Quality Leather: The wallet is crafted from unaltered full-grain leather, sourced solely from young cattle that graze in the elevated meadows of the Alpine region.

Why is this significant?

The Alpine climate is cooler, resulting in a reduced number of insects. A lower incidence of insects leads to fewer bites on the animals, which can otherwise damage the leather, causing imperfections. Additionally, while the hides of calves are more expensive than those of larger cows and bulls due to their size, the exceptional characteristics of calfskin—its resilience paired with softness—justify the cost.

a. Artisanal Tannery: These hides have undergone tanning and preparation at a historic German tannery with centuries of operation under its belt. This esteemed tannery is committed to crafting the most exquisite open-pored leathers, upholding the venerable legacy of German artisanry. In serving not only Fort Belvedere but also numerous elite and luxury fashion brands, it secures its reputation as a purveyor of premium leathers.

b. All-Natural Shrunken Calf Pebbled Surface: The textured pebbled appearance common in leather products is often the result of artificial embossing, aimed at producing a consistent pattern. However, this is not how we achieve the distinctive pebble or grain effect on our Togo leather. Instead, it's through a natural process where the leather is shrunken down, causing the surface to tighten and accentuate the grain, thus making it more pronounced.

Given that leather is a natural substance, each pebble pattern is unique. There is variation even within the same piece of leather, guaranteeing that each item is genuinely one-of-a-kind.

This process of shrinking not only enhances the pebble detail but also marginally increases the thickness of the leather, enhancing its durability without sacrificing any of the material's inherent softness or flexibility. Every single cut of leather has been meticulously chosen to best represent the stunning impact of the deep-pebbled grain.

c. Dry Hand & Scratch Resistance: In contrast to our other bullhide leathers, the calf leather we offer is crafted with scratch-resistant features. For those who prefer their leather without the natural markings and wear that open-pore leather acquires over time, our Togo leather is an ideal choice. Day-to-day use or minor scuffs will not alter its look or finish.

The Togo leather also boasts a dry feel and enhances water resistance, though it does not reach the point of being waterproof. Open-pore aniline leathers are inherently permeable by water. Inferior leathers are often coated with a synthetic layer that grants them water-repellent properties, but at the cost of breathability. Our Togo leather offers you better resistance while maintaining the desirable qualities of an open-pore leather.

d. Formal Black Dye: This elegant bifold wallet, crafted from Togo leather, features a deep black hue achieved through our aniline dyeing technique. The color is thoroughly permeated into the leather for enduring vibrancy that resists fading. Boasting a luxurious texture and sophisticated shade, this slender wallet is perfect for dress events yet versatile enough to complement multiple styles.

2. Ultra-slim Profile: An excessively large wallet can severely disrupt the silhouette and flow of your outfit. Every aspect of this wallet is deliberately crafted, implemented, and tested to maintain a slender profile that preserves the elegance of your attire. 

When fully loaded with one card in each slot, the thickness changes from just under 14 mm to 23 mm or from 0.55” to 0.90” 

3. Proudly Made in Europe: Europe is renowned for its rich heritage in craftsmanship, adherence to strict quality standards, and commitment to environmental and fair labor practices. This region boasts a wealth of skilled artisans, contributing to the production of some of the world's most exquisite menswear items. Crafted with precision and care by masters of their craft, this black Togo leather bifold wallet exemplifies the artistry that has been honed over many years. 

4. 2.5x More Leather than Other Wallets.  Our wallet is meticulously made, boasting not one but five layers of the finest leather, extending even to the card slots. This dedication to premium leather throughout distinguishes our product from others that typically feature a single outer layer. It's an investment in materials that far exceeds the norm, driven by our commitment to superior quality.

While this approach does incur greater material costs than those of our competitors' wallets, we firmly believe in delivering excellence. The reward is twofold: the assurance of our wallet's lasting durability and the pleasure of its aesthetic appeal. Imagine the satisfaction as you reveal the rich sheen of top-tier leather every time it's opened – it's a testament to our unwavering standards.

Might such a wallet be too thick, you wonder? Not at all. We skillfully split the leather to an ultra-thin degree, effectively eliminating any potential for unwieldy bulk without sacrificing the integrity of the leather.

5. Thinned Folded Edges: The longevity of leather products is greatly influenced by how their edges are treated. Commonly, wallets have edges that are simply trimmed and then treated with paint or burnishing. However, this finishing can peel and fracture as the wallet ages. At Fort Belvedere, we take extra care to carefully taper the edges at a slant prior to folding them over and stitching them in place. This technique ensures an even edge thickness and significantly minimizes edge wear. Consequently, our wallets with folded edges prove to be far more durable—often outlasting those with merely painted or burnished edges by a factor of two.

a.Folded External Edges. Both pieces of leather along the edges of the wallet have been carefully folded. Whereas our competitors may fold only one piece, if they fold their edges at all, we have folded both to ensure the neatess possible look and the most durable construction.

b.Smoothed Corner Radius: Overly pointed edges on wallets catch on your clothes and become crumpled with use and age. Each exterior edge of this wallet has been rounded, ensuring smooth access and a subtle, organic appearance.

6. Tone-on-Tone Stitching: Our black thread melds into the black of this wallet, contributing to its rugged and utilitarian appearance. Nevertheless, each thread has been meticulously stitched in a back-and-forth pattern that ensures longevity and durability. The workmanship is even more impressive when you realize that the artisans can only see one side as they are working, so it requires extra care and skill to sew these together. This contrast stitching is done near the end of the production cycle, and so the artisans work extremely carefully: if they make a mistake, the entire wallet has to be scrapped.

7. Eight Card Slots hold up to Sixteen Cards: The dedicated slots of this wallet were designed to hold eight cards, but each slot can hold an additional card if desired. Be aware that the leather of that slot will conform to hold two cards and will become too loose to securely hold a single card if “double stacked” for a few days. That being said, we do not recommend double stacking, as it makes your wallet quite thick.

a. Folded Edges on Card Slots: Many wallets feature card slots with edges that are just cut straight, which may leave an uneven edge prone to fraying or snagging, leading to wear and tear over time. In contrast, our leather wallet's card slots have been meticulously folded to ensure durability and a refined look. The folded edge is accentuated by an embossed horizontal line for added style. The slots are reinforced with strong stitching, ensuring your cards remain securely in place over long periods while still allowing easy card removal. 

8. Divided Central Pocket. The wallet features a long central pocket perfectly suited for keeping cash, receipts, tickets, and various small paper items. It is equipped with an all-leather partition that divides the space into two sections, offering a neat way to separate your bills—perhaps by denomination or currency type. Alternatively, you can designate one side for money and the other for miscellaneous documents.

9. Quality Backing and Lining for Slimness and Ease of Use: The leather panels of this bifold wallet have been secured with a viscose fabric backing and lining made in Italy that has been specially selected to function as the ideal complement to our chosen leather. 

Why fabric and not all leather?

While we tested an all-leather variety, it proved too bulky, especially when considering that the Togo leather cannot be split as thinly as smooth leathers because of its deep valley grain structure. The viscose fabric, however, allows for unparalleled slimness without compromising durability.   

In addition to its slimness and ensuring structural stability that contributes to better longevity, this special fabric also facilitates the smooth removal of cards from their pockets thanks to its slippery surface. This material was also specifically chosen to not degrade the leather, allowing for the thinnest possible leather slim wallet.    

This viscose fabric has also been treated so that it does not fray when being cut, ensuring superior endurance and a neat, beautiful appearance at the seams with no tattered edges. We specifically selected adhesives that ensure a strong bonding to the leather to further improve durability and a clean look.

10. Tastefully Debossed: The name and crest of Fort Belvedere are debossed on the left inside panel of the wallet, discreetly identifying the maker of this fine product in a refined and unobtrusive way.

11. Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) Blocking: To protect you in an ever-changing world, the exterior of this wallet has been specially treated to block RFID signals that could be used to access your cards and steal your money or information. This treatment has been carefully applied between the leather and the moire on the outside layer so that it does not adversely affect the appearance or hand of the leather.

12. Spared No Expense: This wallet boasts a robust construction featuring five leather layers, providing approximately 250% more leather than our rivals' offerings. We've packed in an optimal amount of leather to ensure the wallet remains sleek and functional.

The dimensions of this wallet have been meticulously selected to offer a comfortable, bulk-minimizing fit in your pocket. Unlike other manufacturers who base their product sizes on optimizing material cut from standard hides, we tailor our wallet size exclusively to suit your needs.

Craftsmanship is at the heart of this wallet's creation, with precision and care infused into every stage of its craftsmanship, making it a paragon of artisanal quality. 

13. Extensively Tested: We subjected this wallet to over a year of extensive field testing and accelerated stress testing: every issue and fault has been identified through hands-on experimentation by our team and fully resolved. Like every Fort Belvedere product, it exceeds our own high standards, and we cannot wait to hear about your experiences with this wallet.