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Handcrafted leather wallets, the must-have leather accessory

Handcrafted leather products have always been part of our history. Indeed, leatherwork is an art in itself.

For Monpiel, the artisan work by our expert leather craftsmen reflects the brand's love for quality craftsmanship, attention to detail, and high quality as a priority. We create pieces optimized for our discerning customers, featuring original designs that result in unique products. We are proud of all our handcrafted items. Our handcrafted leather wallets are our best-sellers, along with our artisanal leather bags, belts, and other leather accessories made with care.

The handcrafted leather coin purses, for example—a large circle of soft leather with holes around its edge and a leather strap threaded through these holes—were widely used from Roman times (and possibly even earlier) until the Middle Ages to carry coins. These artisanal leather pouches with drawstrings were securely fastened to belts around the waist, and countless representations of this can be found in many carvings and paintings. Merchants and wealthy men of the period typically used these handcrafted bags.

All these personal items would have been crafted by saddlers, as the trade of the leatherworker (leather artisan) didn't yet exist as such. This is quite understandable, given that personal items were few and did not provide an opportunity for anyone to make a living that way. Handcrafted leather products as a commercial opportunity did not begin to evolve until people started traveling. Yes, people have always moved—armies marched, tribes migrated—but regular travel was uncommon. In early and late medieval times, most people spent their entire lives in their own village; visiting the nearest town would have been a significant event.

When people were forced to travel, it was typically to relocate, and they did so in carts carrying all their belongings. The first of the two branches of leatherworking developed in major maritime cities when people started traveling abroad and populating new developing colonies like America, Canada, and much later, Australia. Cabinet makers in these large ports around the coast of England began producing 'trunk suitcases,' ranging from simple trunks styled like large suitcases to more sophisticated, larger trunks designed to carry hanging clothes.

An entire emerging industry dedicated to trunk and wardrobe production shifted from furniture-making to exclusively creating these "mobile wardrobes" to meet growing demand. However, this solution for travelers was heavy and impractical. The trunks were made of wood using construction methods similar to furniture-making, with edges and corners reinforced by metal strips. They were heavy and had handles at each end, requiring two people to carry them. There are few records relating to this part of history, but we can trace it through the terminology used by cabinet makers.

To find the true beginning of leather goods as we know them today, we must go back to around the 17th century when wealthy merchants and their families began traveling between cities. In addition to maritime and canal transportation, horses were the most common mode of transport. As people started traveling more freely and quickly than before, they needed to carry a change of clothes and other personal belongings. Initially, wooden boxes similar in shape to those used on ships were adopted, but these were smaller and square-shaped to easily secure them to the roof of a carriage.

However, these boxes proved not to be durable, as, unlike their counterparts on ships, they needed to be unloaded at each nightly stop. At some point, an entrepreneur tackled this issue by creating a leather case with rigid sides and additional locks. This proved to be lighter and far more durable than wooden boxes, thanks to its flexibility. These lid-covered cases endured until the emergence of airlines, which required lighter luggage. This, coupled with the Industrial Revolution, led to an explosion of leather goods designed to meet all new needs—business bags and folders, writing cases, leather wallets, leather bags, and more.

As well as cases necessary to protect new gadgets such as binoculars, telescopes, cameras, and more. The production of leather goods was already a flourishing industry. Nowadays, many of these items are made of plastic, as leather remains a more expensive and exclusive product. However, just as throughout history, many consumers still prefer leather for their wallets, bags, and other accessories due to its greater durability and superior quality.

At Monpiel, we work with dedication and passion to bring our customers handcrafted leather products that are not only of the highest quality and carefully designed but also at unbeatable prices.

Have you discovered our line of Slim handcrafted leather wallets? Check them out here and pick your favorite color.

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