Wingback Card Wallet

An independent design studio founded in 2014 and based in the heart of London, Wingback stands for an alternative to mass production and disposable culture. Everything is designed to be a pleasure to use, to improve with age and become a cherished item passed down through generations.

Uniting the precision of modern manufacturing with the longevity of traditional handmade design, they create exceptional items in Great Britain designed for any journey, from commutes through the capital to adventures along the Jurassic Coast.

Wingback's full grain, vegetable tanned, environmentally certified Tuscan leather is firm and rugged, displaying natural markings that hint at stories of a past life. From the tannery to their London workshop, here’s everything you need to know about the leather used for every Wingback wallet.

THE GOLD STANDARD

Their full grain leather is sourced from a partner tannery in the Italian town of Santa Croce sull'Arno near Florence – a private family-run company since 1955 – where every hide is a byproduct of the meat industry and extra measures are taken to ensure wastage is minimised. Tuscan leather is the gold standard. It’s the best. Central Italy's enviable climate creates quality hides that age beautifully, yet slowly, without ever losing their shape, meaning your Wingback will gradually mature as you do.

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VEGETABLE TANNED

Wingback uses a process called vegetable tanning using extract from the quebracho tree to create different shades, such as our classic Chestnut and bold Chilli colours. Unlike chrome tanning, which often leaves a synthetic appearance, vegetable tanning harnesses the tannic acids naturally found in barks, branches and leaves. It takes skilled tanners around two months to finish the leather using this technique but it’s kinder on the environment and results in a beautiful, natural colour and finish that’s well worth the wait.

PUT TO THE TEST

Once vegetable tanned, the leather is sealed to protect it and left unlined to maintain the minimal raw look and feel of the material. When it arrives in their London workshop, it is put to the test. First, they visually inspect each hide for markings and subtle imperfections. Next they use their noses. The smell should be rich and natural, like when you walk into a quality Italian shoe shop. A hint of a chemical smell means the leather has likely been chrome tanned or is synthetic. They then work a small sample of the leather to make sure it creases but doesn’t crack.

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STAND THE HEAT

Fire is used as the final test. High quality leather will burn but should be difficult to set alight. It should deform slightly but not retract and warp like burning plastic. A coloured flame indicates traces of chemicals. The final tell comes when extinguishing the flame. Chemically tanned leather will give your nose a shock but quality vegetable tanned leather will smell like a good steak sizzling on the griddle pan.

A CUT ABOVE

Lasers are pretty cool. They’re also incredibly precise, which is why Wingback uses them rather than traditional processing to cut the hides into shape and etch highly detailed graphics into the wallets. Heat generated from the 0.1mm beam seals the leather for a sharp finish that will stand the test of time.

BEVELLING

One of the vital touches is to bevel the edges of the leather. This cuts away any loose fibres and smooths rough edges to give each Wingback a clean chamfered finish.
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HAND STITCHING

A signature of all their leather products is the coloured heavy gauge thread used to hold them together. Each one is hand sewn using a saddle stitch – a hallmark of exquisite quality – that simply isn’t possible with a sewing machine. It takes time, but so does anything worth holding onto.

LEATHER SEALING

Each side of the leather used is distinct from the other, providing a dual effect with our products. The inside is sealed to protect its surface while maintaining the natural qualities of the hide. We chose not to use linings to extend the lifetime of our products and so you can see the inside of the leather age over time.

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BURNISH BABY BURNISH

One of the final touches is to use an ebony tool, spun at 20,000 RPM, to align and polish the leather edges. This removes any remaining burrs and further finishes products by providing them a gentle shine.

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WELL WORN

Once in your hand, our wallets take on a life of their own. The leather might be firm and rugged, but like a decent pair of shoes, it needs to be broken in first, so expect to see the leather naturally soften and conform to hold its contents snugly. Over time every Wingback wallet will develop its own unique patina, collecting markings as trophies of the journeys you have shared together.