How leather wallets are made

Each piece of wallet leather is split to a millimeter or less, or the finished stack would be far too thick.

stations: 10
things upstream: 52
raw sources: 15
steps from the ground: 8

The short version

A wallet holds more small parts than a handbag: inner and outer panels, linings, card slots, flaps, coin and bill pockets. At France's Ateliers Fourès, each is die-cut in a press, split to a millimeter or less, and thinned again at the edges so it can fold. Gluing and machine stitching then alternate, and the leather is rubbed to a shine.

Die-cut the pieces

Cutters read each skin for scars, insect bites and wrinkles, then place every part to dodge them or hide small flaws under a seam. A die in an arm press or bridge press stamps out the shape. Small parts are nested beside large ones, so only millimeters of scrap remain.

Goes in
Leather
Hot-stamp the logo

A heated stamp marks the brand on the leather. Each piece sits in a jig so the mark lands exactly in place.
Split to thickness

Whole pieces are shaved thinner. Leather that arrives at about one and a half millimeters comes down to a millimeter or less for a wallet.
Pare the edges

Now only the borders get thinned. A pared edge can fold over without building a thick ridge.
Fold the edges

Glue goes on the pared strip and the leather folds back on itself, leaving a clean, tough edge.

Goes in
Adhesive
Glue the parts

Leather, linings, reinforcements, card slots, flaps and zips are joined with glue or double-sided tape. So many small parts go into a wallet that this bench needs many assemblers.

Goes in
Adhesive
Machine-stitch the layers

Assembled work goes to the sewing machines in batches, then often returns for more gluing and more stitching. A wallet's seams are short, so it takes fewer stitchers than a bag.

Goes in
Sewing thread
Burn off thread ends

Loose threads left by the machines are cut away with a hot-tipped tool.
Buff the surface

A woolly sheepskin rubs the surface to a shine. On leather without a pigment coating, the heat and friction make small scratches disappear.
Label and box

Labels go on during a last quality check, and the wallet is boxed and wrapped.

End of the lineLeather wallet

Worth repeating

Before paper money, people kept coins in simple drawstring leather pouches.
Early wallets used cow or horse hide, with a little pocket for printed calling cards.
Leather is about 25% of the final cost of goods at one French workshop, which is why its cutters leave only millimeters of scrap.