Paper Wallet, a Fashionable Earth Day Solution!

No one can deny that everyone is getting really serious about eco friendly style and something that goes hand in hand with eco-fashion these days, is simplicity. Just in time for earth day and in the spirit of saving money (only $9-$13.50 with my promo code streetfashion) and the planet, Paper Wallet is my choice for 2010.

Paper Wallet proves you don’t have to be a hippie to be eco friendly. I spent the last 10 years in Portland, Oregon. A place that although hip in ways, has given environmental fashion a bad name. Between hippie-wear, the overstock of olive and taupe outdoor gear, crocks, socks and sandals and worst of all TYE DYE – being eco became synonymous with ‘bleh’ for me for quite a while.

Even though the word eco makes many color loving people cringe, that’s rapidly changing around the world, Europe being a major part of this eco-stylish movement and Paris being one of the first cities to catch on to Paper Wallets (They were even featured at Paris Fashion Week earlier in March).

The catch (or the perk really)  is that they’re not really paper, but a 100% recyclable paper thin durable material (also tear-resistant, water resistant and elastic) and are about as simple as you can get while still having as much space as other wallets (but not looking overly busy or encouraging  ‘wallet stuffing’). I cant tell you how many times while traveling I wished for a thinner wallet while walking through a shady neighbourhood. I feel the most confident strolling through a Mexican ghetto or my current neighbourhood in New Orleans when I carry nothing or something so invisible, I know no one can see it.

Although simple in construction, they’re not over simple in style or function. When telling my boyfriend about them, I had to make it clear that just because they were thin, they had no less compartments than his current wallet (which is way overdue for a replacement). They hold 12+ credit cards, money, business cards etc – more than enough space.  So many companies are really getting the hint and stepping forward to give us eco-clothing and accessories we actually want to wear and are functional.

What really puts them at the peak of the eco style mountain is the product designer Elad Burko. He states that “From the beginning I knew I wanted a wide range of artists from all over the world to design wallets; the one-style-fits-all era is over.” At this point Burko is working with graphic designers, graffiti designers, vector artists, illustrators and character artist from around the globe to create their designer line due out soon. Besides the artists series they also come in a huge variety of colors that will bash any stereotype you may have about ‘eco’ being equal to ‘bland’.

Paper Wallet is one of few companies making eco-accessories for people who care about the planet but don’t wear socks and sandals in the rain.
My boyfriend’s wallet arrives soon and I’ll tell you more about how these great little wallets hold up against our traveling lifestyle! He’s getting the solid black one and when the designer wallets come out in a month or so, I’ll be all over those, adding a couple to my own collection of artist series accessories.

Use the promo code: Streetfashion to get 10% off at paperwallet.com ! Plus Free shipping worldwide! (making the wallets only $9-$13.50!!)

Check them out and find out more about their cool little wallets at their website www.paperwallet.com