Product birth story
PRODUCT STORY
mini snap walletMini snap wallet
In 2017, before the keyword "mini wallet" had become so widespread.
This product was born when we started making samples, thinking, ``Can we make a small, compact, and easy-to-use wallet that can carry all banknotes, coins, and cards?''
“Search for the minimum limit value”
At the Brooklyn Museum, there is a product called bill pegs, which can hold bills, coins, and cards and is smaller than a bifold wallet. The base is a money clip. The coin pocket also doubles as a card holder, making it a long-selling item since 2004.
One day, when Kusagaya, the representative, was having a casual chat with a customer who was using the tag pins, he said, ``I use both long wallets and tag pins for different occasions, but I wonder if they could be made smaller?Recently, I've started to feel that even this size is a little big.''
Kusagaya himself used to use both a long wallet and a money clip (no coin purse), so when we suggested different ways to use them, he responded, ``If I carry a separate coin case, I'll probably lose it.I want to carry my coins with me.''
Kusagaya had long felt that the demand for "small wallets" was increasing little by little, so he decided to "pursue the smallest wallet" and proceeded with development.
“Coexistence of storage capacity, compactness, and smartness”
From 2017 to 2018, the reason why the word mini wallet was recognized.
It was Big Maison's ``trifold wallet.''
With the rise of smartphones and smartwatches, we are becoming cashless, and bags and belongings are becoming more minimalized. Naturally, my wallet has also changed. One thing that became apparent was the explosive penetration of tri-fold wallets.
It's the thickness.
Although it is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, it becomes thick when you put bills, cards, and coins in it and fold it into three layers. We created a sample tri-fold wallet and tried it out among our staff, but since it was larger than expected, we were concerned about how much space it would take up in the bag.
It was Big Maison's ``trifold wallet.''
With the rise of smartphones and smartwatches, we are becoming cashless, and bags and belongings are becoming more minimalized. Naturally, my wallet has also changed. One thing that became apparent was the explosive penetration of tri-fold wallets.
It's the thickness.
Although it is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, it becomes thick when you put bills, cards, and coins in it and fold it into three layers. We created a sample tri-fold wallet and tried it out among our staff, but since it was larger than expected, we were concerned about how much space it would take up in the bag.
Another point of concern is the condition of the bills given out at checkout.
"Smartness" is a must for adults to own a compact wallet.
As a result of prioritizing the compact appearance, I was really concerned about the fact that the most important bills were being paid in a curled state.
Therefore, we created a design that combines storage capacity and compactness with a smart design.
“Only a selection”
When I thought about what I absolutely wanted to have within the smallest size, I naturally decided on the overall vertical and horizontal dimensions.
The vertical size is the size of a 10,000 yen bill.
The horizontal size is credit card size.
The card pocket is limited to 3 cards and is designed to store only the best selections.
The definition of 3 is the minimum number of cards that was determined based on customer feedback that they always carry three types of cards: credit cards, cash cards, and cards that can be used as identification such as driver's licenses and insurance cards.
Furthermore, the coin pocket has a flap part called "Kabuse" that is attached irregularly. Normally, you would install it by curving it from the back to the front, but that would give the cover a lot of volume, which is not what we intended here.
Therefore, we sewed the flap parts along the body edge line and set the volume to a minimum. The coin pocket has a gusset, making it easy to see coins while still being compact and easy to use.
“Subtraction design”
The positioning of banknotes affects the usability of the wallet.
Belts, hooks, zippers, etc. are often used to prevent bills from falling out, but we are prioritizing compactness and reducing the number of these parts. Furthermore, if we were to be conscious of the smartness of adults, it was a must to set up the coin and card pockets in a separate room.
Therefore, a banknote pocket without a gusset was adopted.
The space between the card pocket and coin pocket is arranged as a storage space, the bottom 12mm of the pocket is sewn in, and the edges are polished and integrated.
This integration secures the banknotes at the bottom, eliminating the worry of them falling out even if there are no zippers or other parts to cover the banknotes.
“Wabi-Sabi Wallet”
Due to changes in lifestyle, the way we carry wallets has also changed.
That's why I feel like more and more people are not limiting themselves to ``it has to be this way'' and are using it wisely depending on the time and situation.
When you want to look crisp, use a long wallet.
A mini wallet when you want to go out easily.
Even with the same mini wallet, you can change your mood by changing the color.
This mini snap wallet is a wallet that allows you to enjoy the "luxury of not having one."
A product that tells you, "Why don't you go out as light as you can now?" instead of "I wish I could go in a little more."
Don't make any decorations, just snuggle close to your side.
It is an iconic product that is small but has a big meaning.
