Identifying what’s essential in a product is the essence of Minimum Squared and integral to our design. Simplicity, quality and function are at the heart of everything we create, and incorporating this mindset into our thinking can lead to more streamlined lives.
]]>So, how exactly do we put this simple minimalist lifestyle into practice?
Set Yourself a Personal Goal
The important word here is ‘personal’ - deciding what it is exactly that you want to get out of living with minimalist values. In turn, that will help you know how to achieve it.
For different people this kind of living means different things. It could simply mean having fewer clothes or clearing your house and life of things you don’t really need. Think about your objective. If you’re looking for some home inspiration, we wrote about some minimalist architects whose approach we admire.
Declutter Your Life
Removing things from our lives is much easier said than done and it’s where the idea of becoming minimalist really comes into practice.
Start by looking at groups of items in your house: books, clothes, toys or whatever it may be. Ask yourself whether you’ve used the item in the last 3 months or if you’ll use it in the next. It’s a quick and simple way to identify what’s truly necessary.
Reduce your wardrobe by turning all your hangers in one direction and as you use an item, return the hanger the opposite way. During the course of 6 months you’ll see which clothes you use and you can get rid of the ones you don’t.
Take inspiration from this past blog and create a capsule wardrobe. Emptying your physical spaces will help clear your mental space.
Transition to Minimalism In Every Area of Your Life
Minimalism is about reducing in all areas of our lives and living a minimalist lifestyle can even apply to how we spend our money. Cutting down our regular, monthly outgoings can help simplify our lives by taking out some of the mental clutter and curbing our habit of accumulating.
Sit down and identify the extras which you might be able to live without; the morning coffees or the credit card you never use. Try stopping them for a month and work out what you need and what you don’t. You’ll soon be living a much lighter way of life.
Apply Minimalist Thinking Before You Buy
An important step in moving to a more minimalist lifestyle is thinking about how you buy. Before buying something, ask yourself ‘Do I really need this?’.
If possible, move from quantity to quality, investing in items which are built to last rather than just seasonal. Our Slim Leather Wallet embodies quality and durability and is the best minimalist wallet for anybody looking for a simple product to slip into their life.
Why a Slim Wallet is About More Than Just Looking Good
The obvious advantage of switching to a slimmer wallet is how it looks. There’s no way to make a bulky wallet look elegant in your pocket, no matter how smart your trousers.
But focusing on style only tells half the story. A chunky wallet carried in the back pocket prevents its wearer from sitting down evenly. This puts stress on the hips and lumbar region, pinching the sciatic nerves. Don’t believe us? This phenomenon is so common, it’s earned itself the nickname ‘wallet sciatica’.
Simply switching to the front pocket isn’t much better. This pinches the skin on the thighs, becoming particularly uncomfortable when you’re sitting down in the office or car.
Big wallets also seem to attract more clutter and you’ll quickly find yourself carrying around far more bits of paper and cards than you could ever need.
Engineering a Slimmer Wallet
We got so fed up with traditional wallets that we set out to design the slimmest wallet possible, without compromising on usability.
What started life as a quick sketch on a flight became an award-winning, rule-defying wallet. By engineering a clever origami folding technique and replacing bulky seams with saddle stitching, we’ve created a wallet much thinner than traditional types.
Our original wallet, the slim elastic wallet, has the largest capacity, despite its diminutive size. Holding ten cards, it features four pockets and a note sleeve big enough for international currencies. An elastic closure – with monochrome and contrast options – make it ideal for travelling loose in your bag.
This original design then inspired our slim leather wallet. We discovered that many of our customers kept their wallet in their pocket, so omitted the elastic for this design.
The even trimmer minimalist leather wallet is designed to be easily grabbable on the go. It carries up to seven cards and folded notes. And if that’s not slim enough for you, then try our slim card holder, which holds up to five cards.
Caring for Your Handmade Leather Wallet in Winter
With harsh Winter weather, looking after your wallet is important and a couple of simple habits will help your wallet to develop a pleasing patina.
Choosing the perfect slim leather wallet for yourself or a gift is an investment and if treated with respect you can find something that will last for many years to come. In classic Minimum Squared style, our simple flowchart helps you find the very best choice
Spanish Leather, Finest Coffee
Before getting down to the important business of leather goods we love a strong coffee. It has to be great quality and homemade because fresh beans and that delicious aroma get us through the day’s emails! We answer customers and work with our suppliers while we sip.
Once we’re fully awake we start to work on orders, packing, labelling and making sure everything is perfect to send out. Sometimes that’s the whole morning gone, depending on the time of year.
Working Together on Handmade Wallets
Once orders are packed and ready to go we turn to making. It’s always great to work on special colour combinations from custom orders or we’ll top up stock to make sure we can fulfill new orders quickly.
Adrian likes to choose the best leathers to hand-cut or take to the workshop to be thinned for folding. Some days mean a trip to one of our leather partners where patterns will be laser cut to the precise dimensions we need.
Sometimes Adrian might spend the whole morning or evening folding patterns or stamping the logo while I hand stitch wallets.
Inspiration and Ideas
During the day, as ideas come, we’ll write them down and maybe do a few quick sketches. We’ll often walk away, leaving an idea to rest, but if we feel like we want to return to it, we’ll do a bit more work on the specifics. We might hand-cut some patterns so we can see how the thickness of the leather will affect the folding, then we’ll probably walk away again and leave the idea to grow some more.
To build on an idea we like we’ll CAD another pattern on the computer and start paying attention to every little detail. We’ll ask ourselves questions about what each thickness, dimension and measurement should be and once we feel like we’ve got it right we’ll send the design to be made into a prototype.
Once we see the physical prototype we might sample again and we keep on going in this way until we’re totally satisfied. It’s more like a collaboration with the guy that cuts our prototypes and he understands that we like to take our time rather than rushing to follow fast fashions.
Our Approach to Slow Design
We’re all about function, design and durability for everyday items and the way we work and make is just a reflection of that. We feel like it’s better to take things slowly and make a timeless design that won’t age rather than something to be thrown away.
We surround ourselves with items like this every day and we know it’s something our customers really appreciate too. We don't cut corners and we strive to keep things at the high standard we’d want to see when we buy anything new.
The final step of our product is the packaging and it’s important that it’s not only stylish and functional, but as sustainable as possible. That’s why we go for Kraft paper rather than coloured or plastic packaging. We use boxes without glue and try to avoid adhesive as much as we can.
Taking Time Out
Later on in the day we might plan our production schedule, social media posts or talk about any changes we’d like to make to our website.
Since having a baby we’ve had to get used to a bit more flexibility in our working day. We love to go out and meet up with other artisans to share experiences and knowledge. We’ll come home for a quiet supper to relax, ready to do it all over again.
Go behind the scenes of the leathers we use for our wallets here.
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Simple shapes, straight lines, and plain but striking materials: initially, minimalism was revolutionary and even shocking with no room for decoration. Stripping back the design left more room to play with space and natural light and in doing so, the true essence of a place was revealed.
Come on a journey with us to discover some of our favourite examples of minimalist architecture and find out how it’s influenced our own minimalist wallets.
Bauhaus Berlin, Germany
Open for just 14 years between 1919 and 1933, Bauhaus sought to harmonise function and form. Having lived in Berlin before founding Minimum Squared, we’ve spent a lot of time exploring the city’s Bauhaus-inspired architecture.
The Nazis considered the style 'unpatriotic', so few examples from the era still exist, but the legacy lives on. There’s the Bauhaus-Archiv’s distinctive, shed-like roof, designed by Walter Gropius and evidence of the beginnings of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s philosophy in the AEG Turbine Factory’s utilitarian courtyard.
Farnsworth House, Illinois, USA
As Nazism rose, many of Bauhaus’ stars emigrated, including Mies van Der Rohe. In contrast to Germany, the United States offered new opportunities to influence modern architecture, the Farnsworth House in Illinois being a perfect example.
This 1950’s one-room weekend retreat was built with floor-to-ceiling windows and a futuristic, exposed steel structure. At the time you’d be forgiven it had come from outer space!
Villa Tugendhat, Brno, Czech Republic
Another Mies van Der Rohe masterpiece is Villa Tugendhat in the Czech Republic. With an iron framework, it’s without supporting walls and plays with space and light.
The original interiors were decorated sparingly with onyx and tropical woods and the mechanised glass façade made it a true building of the future. As Mies said, ‘God is in the details’.
Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts, Norwich, UK
Our final pick of minimalist architecture is the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts, designed by Norman Foster and filled with natural light.
The steel structure is clearly visible through one of the building's glazed faces and the lack of subdivided rooms means natural light shines through to play with the artificial light. We think it’s stunning.
How Minimalist Architecture Inspired Our Handmade Wallets
Mies' motto was ‘less is more’. In other words, by simplifying buildings we give maximum power to architectural space.
This perfectly sums up the philosophy of our minimalist wallets too. Less material and volume mean more space for what’s important – your cards and notes.
Design doesn’t need to be complicated. The simplicity of our designs showcases the quality of our materials and craftsmanship. Like minimalist architecture, our wallets are functional too. It’s hard to imagine another object you get so much use out of, day after day.
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Hand Cutting the Hides
Each wallet starts out as a high-quality leather hide before being hand-cut into smaller pieces with a trusty knife. Since leather is a natural product, a surface can contain defects. Hand cutting each piece and carefully choosing the best parts, we make sure of a beautiful finish.
Creating a Slim Silhouette
You might not think wallets and books have much in common, but once we’ve cut the hide to size, we move on to an old bookbinding workshop.
Here, we use a splitting machine to achieve our desired leather thickness, sandwiching the hide in the machine to reduce thickness down. The exact thickness depends on which wallet we’re making. This vital step helps us produce our slimmest minimalist wallets to sit unobtrusively in any pocket.
Cutting the Pattern Pieces
Whilst previous generations had no choice but to use hand leatherwork tools, today things are different. Where technology offers an advantage without compromising quality, we’ll take it.
After the leather is the right thickness, we use a laser in another workshop to meticulously cut each pattern piece. A laser is far more precise and accurate than the human hand or eye. It’s an essential step because our unique folding construction method means the dimensions need to be exactly right.
Making Perfect Folds
Once the piece of leather is cut, we then head back to our studio. There, we pick up a wooden leather folder and riveting hammer, both saddle making tools from the traditional French manufacturer Vergez Blanchard.
These help us fold the leather with neat creases and give our minimalist wallets their slim profile, even when folded and filled with cards and notes.
Branding Our Leather Wallets
The last tool we use before we stitch everything together is a custom-made bronze stamp. We brand each wallet with the distinctive Minimum Squared logo you’ll see on the bottom left-hand side.
Sewing Together
The last stage is where everything comes together and once again, we use traditional saddle making tools. We thread a saddler’s harness needle from British manufacturer John James with German Ritza 25 Tiger or French Fil au Chinois thread to create our special stitches.
Handmade Leather Wallets From Spain
And there you have it - an exquisite handmade leather wallet from start to finish. And the journey doesn’t stop there.
We use durable, high-quality materials for our wallets and guarantee them for three years.
And if the thread or elastic wears out you can send them back to us and we’ll make them as good as new again.
]]>At Minimum Squared we believe leisure time should be fuss-free and uncomplicated. Just like our wallets. Here are our ideas for fuss-free family Summer travel.
]]>At Minimum Squared we believe leisure time should be fuss-free and uncomplicated. Just like our wallets. Here are our ideas for fuss-free family Summer travel.
Perfect Family Summer Travel Destinations
Our homeland, Spain, has some of the best child-friendly beaches there are, making it one of Europe's best family holiday destinations.
For adult and child-friendly activities, you can’t beat Fuerteventura. With shallow water, and a laid-back vibe, this island is ideal for kids. Book a hotel with a babysitting service and enjoy a midnight dinner date – or relive your youth to Canary Islands beats.
Family-friendly festivals are also a great way to do what you want to do without children whining. Camp Bestival in the UK gives children of all ages a chance to let off steam while their folks enjoy classic artists. At Latvia’s Positivus Festival, funk, pop, electro, and theatre performances all play out among the pine forests. If folk’s more your thing, check out the Calgary Folk Festival in Canada while the kids go wild in the cardboard box city.
If you’ve always been the adventurous sort, there’s no reason to shun thrilling destinations now you’ve got little ones in tow. In Belize, you can safely explore tropical rainforests and stumble upon ancient pyramids. For older kids, a thrilling four-day hike along the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu will be an experience they’ll never forget.
How to Keep Safe and Stylish
While no one wants to think about what can go wrong, it’s never a good idea to ignore safety precautions. Check travel advice before you go, and that you’ve got travel insurance. It’s also a good idea to keep emergency contacts in your wallet – give a copy to the children too.
A bum bag can immediately mark you out as a tourist. They are undeniably useful, but you could be a target for unwanted trouble. Our Slim Wallets and Card Holders slip seamlessly into your jacket or trouser pocket, keeping your cards, notes, and important details safe. You’ll look pretty smart too.
Avoiding Annoying Currency Fees
Gone are the days of having to order holiday money in advance. Many banks offer no-fee bank cards so shop around to find the best deal. Avoid currency exchanges - especially at the airport. When withdrawing cash from an ATM or paying by card, choose to pay in the local currency and you'll avoid hefty fees. Transferwise and Revolut can also be used with their own credit cards, so that’s an option worth to be checked.
Packing for a Family Summer Holiday
Once you’ve chosen the best holiday destination for your family, packing presents its own set of problems. Space is limited, and you might have to compromise. Keep it simple and don’t overpack – you’ll need less than you think.
Check out previous journal entries on how to travel light for business and creating a minimalist men's capsule wardrobe. You’ll find some useful tips that are also helpful for leisure travel.
Just because your home is packed into a suitcase for a couple of weeks, there’s no need to sacrifice style in the name of space. Our handmade wallets will keep things dapper and hassle-free while you’re on your summer holiday.
]]>The 5 minimalist products we feature here were all designed in the last 35 years and some are having a radical effect on the world around us. We believe that they are all iconic, not only by design but in the thought process behind them.
]]>The 5 minimalist products we feature here were all designed in the last 35 years and some are having a radical effect on the world around us. We believe that they are all iconic, not only by design but in the thought process behind them.
1. The Stitch Chair by Adam Goodrum for Cappellini
This folding chair by Australian designer Adam Goodrum for Cappellini is made from laser cut aluminium. Once collapsed, it folds completely flat to less than an inch, using piano hinges along several sides.
We love the chair for its functionality, playful personality and clever use of materials. It’s ideal for modern minimalists who want to explore the world and are not attached to any one place or rigid way of living.
2. Max Bill Watch for Junghans
Based on the original design of Max Bill, this watch beautifully represents the fine balance between form and function.
Max Bill was a renowned Swiss designer, architect and student of the Bauhaus and began his collaboration with German watchmakers Junghans in 1956. Mixing clean lines and simple geometry the watch is a modern take on Bill’s original vision.
We love it for its precision, crispness and fine engineering.
3. Erco Lucy Desk Lamp by Franco Clivio
The Erco Lucy is the epitome of minimalist design when it comes to lighting. Taking a cue from the historic roots of Erco, established in Germany in 1934, we feel this light is incredibly relevant today as proven by it’s presence on many an architect’s desk.
Manufactured by Erco in 1995, Swiss designer Franco Clivio came up with this magnificent design, where two aluminum arms are connected together by a hinge and a visible connecting strut that, together with internal springs, provides stabilization. The integral cables that are only visible at the hinged joints is just an example of the detailed design of this desk lamp.
Impressive in its engineering, the Elise chassis is made by extruded aluminium sections joined by glue and rivets making an incredibly lightweight and rigid platform to build a car on top of.
Since it’s inception in the mid 90’s, the chassis has barely changed at all and still uses the bonded structure that made it so revolutionary in the first place.
With an interior design stripped back to the basics we think it’s a perfect example of iconic automotive design.
5. Mackintosh
The Mackintosh coat does, in fact, have a heritage of over 250 years, but during the last two decades has continued to be a truly iconic item, re-imagined for the present day.
Fusing master craftsmanship with clean lines and their signature rubberised cotton fabric, Mackintosh endures as a symbol of British minimalist design that’s known all over the world.
Of course, when it comes to an iconic minimalist wallet, that has to be our own : )
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From a high-end mechanical watch to a factory production line, find out how these influences have shaped the creation of the perfect minimalist wallet.
]]>From a high-end mechanical watch to a factory production line, find out how these influences have shaped the creation of the perfect minimalist wallet.
More Than a Wallet
“I see the wallets we make as a tool, rather than a fashion item. Most of the time your wallet is hidden in a pocket and I like that because it means that people don’t really notice it and they can’t put a tag on you because of it.
I see our product as something that customers can buy for themselves and get enjoyment from. There’s a friend of mine who tells me whenever I see him that when he puts his hand in his pocket and touches the wallet he just feels happy.
I’m assuming that's because it’s loaded with cash…! But actually this story makes a point. I hope that Minimum Squared wallets really mean something to our customers in terms of design, quality and function that it’s more than a changing fashion statement.”
On Craftsmanship
“Crafting something with your hands is good, but as an engineer I value things that function really well, whether they’re made by machine or by hand.
We choose to make our wallets by hand for two main reasons; the first being that we can make a much stronger, long-lasting item. We hand stitch with a saddle stitch and it makes a seam on leather that’s far more resistant than one made with a machine.
The second reason we work by hand is because of how much flexibility it gives us in the making process. It’s allowed us to make really narrow seams for the smallest wallet possible and you can see that especially on our card holder. None of our designs could be sewn with a machine and retain the kind of compact dimensions we’re striving for.
When it comes to actually putting the wallet together, accuracy is everything.
We use a leather thinning machine because our designs are folded and leather straight from the tannery is too thick for that. Each pattern and hole has to be precisely cut so that all the pieces align perfectly for the needle and thread to pass through.”
On Inspiration
“The things that inspire me have this in common; they are all precision designed, engineered and assembled with enormous skill.
I love USM Haller furniture. It’s a classic Swiss design and still made today. The different parts are manufactured precisely in a factory, but when it comes to assembly it’s all done by hand. Everything has to conform to the design, but it still has that handmade element.
High-end mechanical watches are an inspiration too. They are incredibly complicated pieces of engineering and the level of craftsmanship needed in construction is huge.
Race car engines are another example. They’re computer designed and manufactured with high precision machinery, but each motor is mounted by hand by a skilled technician.
There’s something about that mix of precision, technology and skill with hands that is always inspiring. It’s these kinds of basic engineering principles that we apply to the design of each wallet we make at Minimum Squared.”
For the perfect minimalist wallet, inspired by precision engineering and handmade with craftsmanship, just visit our shop here.
]]>What Exactly is a Minimalist Capsule Wardrobe?
A capsule wardrobe is essentially a curated collection of staple items you can easily pull together without much thought. Fewer pieces means you can afford to invest in higher-calibre products that will serve you year after year. It also makes packing for weekend breaks seriously straightforward.
Solid colours, simple shapes, and clean lines are the foundation of a versatile but minimalist men’s capsule wardrobe. Avoiding fussy logos and embellishments will keep the look tidy and sleek.
Pieces you can style multiple ways are particularly useful. Shirts perform double duty, either buttoned up or layered as a light open jacket over a basic crewneck tee.
The Colours of Spring
If you’re not always confident with colour, a complementary palette of neutrals will keep you looking polished without effort. Mix lighter neutrals like stone with navy or olive for a classic combination.
Spring’s also the perfect time to test drive an unexpected burst of colour. Choose a statement top, tie or scarf you really love that combines well with your newly-curated wardrobe.
Spring Wardrobe Essentials
With April showers on the horizon, you don’t want to be caught in a downpour without a good waterproof jacket. You can’t go wrong with Peter Manning’s Carnegie Raincoat which works just as well on your way to the office as it does on a weekend with family. It’s interior zip pocket will be a safe haven for your wallet during sudden storms.
Don’t be too hasty to abandon warmer layers either. Bluffworks Horizon Vest is a practical and stylish way to layer up on blustery days. Wear over a jumper or under a blazer for the work commute.
If you’re unexpectedly trudging through puddles, or breaking a sweat, you need shoes that are comfortable but breathable. Just like our minimalist leather wallets, Standard Fair’s simple range of casual handmade trainers develop a unique patina over time. They are also one of the few trainer brands that can be resoled.
Pay attention to fabric. Even on warmer days, it's likely you'll still need a bit of warmth for when the sun goes in. Banana Republic’s cotton cashmere polo combines classic summer cotton with warmer cashmere to keep you toasty when the sun goes down.
If you like long hikes and bike trips then investing in a backpack like Fuga Cargo’s Folder Sack is a smart move. Water resistant against Spring showers, it also doubles up as an everyday commuting backpack.
Of course no wardrobe is complete without the right accessories to go alongside it and our slim wallets are the perfect way to finish off your sleek, minimalist wardrobe.
Shop our collection of minimalist leather wallets here.
Minimum Squared is about handmade leather goods that last. We work with the highest quality leather because it’s one of the most durable materials around. We’re focused on making you the very best product that we can because we think life is better when it’s simple.
Here are three ways to keep your leather wallet working hard and looking good for years to come.
]]>Respect the History of Leather
We select the highest quality leathers for our wallets and over time they just get better, darkening into a beautiful patina.
When you remember that leather is a skin, it makes it easier to understand how it ages and how to care for it. Just as sunlight and extreme temperatures dry out and crack our own skin, you can expect the same to happen to leather.
Of course, the occasional scuff is going to happen over time, but for us that’s part of leather’s appeal. As the leather takes on the form of your own pocket or a tiny scratch, it starts to reflect your own personal stories of travel and adventure.
Treat Your Handmade Leather Goods Right
The best place to keep a leather wallet is somewhere cool and dark. Your jacket pocket or a bag made from breathable material is perfect. Stay away from plastic bags or pockets where you run the risk of encouraging mould to grow.
To make the leather shine, take a fine horsehair brush to your wallet, then clean with a damp cloth and brush again. If you’re just too busy for that, then a quick wipe down will get rid of the dust and particles which speed up wear and tear.
Whatever you do, don’t ever use soap. It strips away leather’s natural oils, causing dryness and cracking.
Regularly applying polish or Venetian Shoe Cream to your handmade leather wallet will bring back it’s luster too. If you’re not sure about what product to buy, then in general, the milder it is, the better for the leather.
Apply polish with your finger in circular motions to keep the leather soft and supple and if you think you’re going to forget, just set yourself a three-monthly reminder on your phone or calendar.
If you get caught in a downpour and your wallet gets wet, putting it on a radiator or other intense source of heat is a bad idea. When it’s really hot, leather will crack, stiffen and shrink.
If getting caught in the rain happens regularly (and umbrellas aren’t your style), you might want to use a waterproofing wax once a year.
Let Your Handmade Leather Wallet Simplify Your Life
If leather becomes stretched then you’ll never get it back to its shape, so be careful about stuffing too many bills and cards into your wallet. It’s a great excuse to declutter – after all, do you really need that doughnut shop loyalty card you picked up last year in New York?
Our wallet usage tips page features handy videos with suggestions on how to store your cards and notes, avoiding damage and getting the most from your wallet.
The Minimum Squared Guarantee
Although our leathers are incredibly durable, elastic or thread naturally wears over time. Because we believe in well-built goods and minimal consumption, every wallet we sell is covered by a 3-year warranty.
If your wallet ever needs a repair you can send it back to our workshop in Spain. We’ll restore it back to life for a small fee and you’ll have the wallet you love for more years to come.
]]>How to Travel Light for Business for a Week
If you want to travel light for a week’s business trip, you only really need to pack for three days. Be realistic and limit items that aren’t necessities. Are you really going to go swimming in the hotel pool?
Make use of pockets and compartments to keep yourself organised. It’s essential that you can reach straight for your wallet or tickets just when you need them without having to look through your luggage. If you have a bulkier item like a jacket, then wear or carry it with you onto the plane so that it doesn’t take up valuable space in your bag.
When it’s time to pack don’t just throw it all in the bag and hope for the best. Lay out items of similar sizes carefully across the width of your bag and be inventive with space. Could cables or a small washbag fit inside one of your shoes?
What to Take
Adrian, designer-in-chief at Minimum Squared, is a frequent traveller and has some great ideas on what to pack if you want to travel light for business.
He opts for mini versions of toiletries, like these miniature razors from Taylor of Old Bond Street, and because books and laptops can be so heavy, recommends you take as much as you can on a digital tablet or iPod.
Adrian loves his Bose Noise Cancelling In-ear headphones which take up so much less space than over-head versions.
Of course he never travels without the perfect minimalist wallet either. Every way that you can reduce bulk and make life easier when you travel will make for the best possible trip.
How to Pack Light and Look Good
Rolling shirts and packing them in layers not only helps to reduce creases, but it’s easy to see at a glance what you have. If you’re staying in a hotel, make use of the laundry service to reduce on the number of things you take along with you.
Think carefully about how you can mix and match your clothes and choose neutrals that are easily interchanged and will work well with one another.
The key item that will really keep your clothes in good shape is the bag you choose to travel with. There are so many options on the market, but at Minimum Squared, we think you won’t find better than the MEI Executive Overnighter Backpack.
Soft bags are easier to negotiate with an airline on size and measurements and there are no wheels to take up valuable space either. In particular the MEI backpack is superbly crafted, designed and a dream to travel with.
Finish off your packing with Vivobarefoot shoes which are supremely lightweight, super comfortable and take up barely any luggage space. You’re ready to go.
What do you take when you’re travelling light for business? Leave us a comment and let us know.
(Source: Horween)
The Horween Leather Company is based in Chicago and has been making the world’s best leather for over 100 years. From it’s beginning in 1905, the leathers were worked by hand, and that’s still the same today.
We love Horween Chromexcel because it’s one of the most versatile and durable leathers around. Over time, the leather develops patina and character in a beautiful way. It’s leather that’s built to last, supple and easy to work with, and just keeps on getting better as it ages.
It’s perfect for us as we strive to make the most long-lasting leather wallets that we can.
Making Chromexcel leather at Horween takes time and is a complicated process, but these guys don’t cut corners. Horween is the last word in old world craftmanship and time-honoured tanning, brought into the modern day with our superbly engineered and simple wallet.
Another of our favourite materials is Harmatan and Oakridge goat leather from Northamptonshire in the UK. The quality is exceptional, making it perfect for our slim elastic wallet.
The smoothness and durability of this leather is thanks to local, free-range goats and makes a product that gets even better with age.
For our Horween leather wallets, we hand stitch with German Ritza 25 polyester waxed thread. This is thread of superior construction that’s finely braided, strong and durable.
We don’t rely on sewing machines in our workshop, but use a saddle stitch technique and sew by hand. Apart from looking good, hand stitching makes much stronger, more durable seams and has been hugely important in us making one of the slimmest leather wallets on the market.
For hand stitching our goat leather, we choose Fil Au Chinois Lin Câblé waxed linen thread. For nearly 200 years, Au Chinois has become a symbol of French cultural and industrial heritage. We’re proud to use it on our wallets and to be a part of what it represents.
From Horween leather to our Kraft cardboard packaging, we want the wallets that we make and the materials that we use to be sustainable long term. We use renewable electricity in our workshop and we’re always looking for ways to reduce our impact on the world we live in.
We choose leathers and materials forged through craftmanship, then mix them with high-end laser technology. The result is a collection of wallets that are simple, functional and of exceptional quality.