Microfiber Vs. Leather Wallets

Choosing the right material, especially for your wallet, the thing you carry everywhere and the item that houses some of your most valued possessions, can be daunting. With so many options to choose from, it’s important that you zero-in on your precise needs. What are you looking for in a wallet? Performance? Durability? Fashion? All of these must-have wallet characteristics can be found in two of today’s most popular materials: leather and microfiber. Here are some comparisons of the two textiles and why you might prefer (or detest) one over the other.

Microfiber: Soft as Silk, Tough as Nails

Microfiber is a synthetic fiber that was invented in the late 1950s and was originally used for women’s sports apparel, specifically swimwear. Microfiber was considered a high-tech advancement thanks to its water repellency, toughness and ability to absorb liquids, and quickly gained traction among the textile industry. Now recognized as a staple in modern manufacturing, microfiber and its sister fabrics are found virtually everywhere - in clothing, cleaning products, upholstery and even in basketballs. The enormously thin, 1.3 denier thread count in microfiber is 1/20th the diameter of a strand of silk, which helps to contribute to its super soft-to-the-touch appeal.

What’s so impressive about microfiber is that it can be processed, dyed and altered using a variety of materials and fabric combinations, allowing for a huge range of possibility in terms of aesthetics and uses. The same fabric that is waterproof can also be made to be supremely water absorbent, meaning its uses span far beyond traditional textile possibilities. Constructed from thousands of microscopic “hooks” per square inch, the material has the ability to remove dust and grime without chemical or liquid solutions, making it a favorite in the cleaning industry.

Of course, one of the main selling points of microfiber is that it’s fully waterproof. Our nylon microfiber wallets, which are made from a scientifically precise construction of porous nylon microfiber material, are well-loved among people who are constantly exposed to the elements, since they can handle rain, snow and sleet without damage. Because of the closely woven hooks and threads, the material has the ability to seal out water while still being completely washable and even offers a built-in, stain-resistant finish. The fibers are configured in a three-directional axis, mimicking the structure of collagen in leather, and they actually have the ability to help dissipate excess heat in warm weather and retain warmth in the winter. Nylon microfiber wallets are also extremely durable. Because of the colorfast, stain-resistant makeup of the material, you can be sure the product you buy looks as good as new, even after thousands of uses.

Our huge selection of nylon microfiber wallets includes a size, style and shape that’s right for you. Of course, like all of Big Skinny’s wallets, these pocketbooks are enormously skinny and lightweight. The compact, compressed appeal of nylon microfiber means half the thickness of a traditional wallet, giving you unrivaled consolidation like never before.