Tyvek Wallet With ID Window

Intro: Tyvek Wallet With ID Window

Make a thin and stylish bi-fold Tyvek wallet with a USPS Priority Mail envelope, a sheet protector and a pair of scissors. No other materials needed! Not even glue.

And now you get to carry around your government property (money) in other government property (mail envelope).

This wallet is the DIY version of a designer wallet found here. Except for the ID window, of course. That was all me.

STEP 1: Materials

Here are the materials you will need:
1 large Tyvek envelope with peel n stick seal - I got mine from the post office for free
1 plastic sheet protector - make sure its translucent

Here are the tools:
1 scissors
1 ruler (optional)

As you can see, it's not going to be too complicated. If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodg....I mean, uh, make a wallet. Anyway, let's get started!

STEP 2: Dissecting the Envelope

Cut the sticky flap of the envelope off without peeling the wax paper off and set it aside (you'll need it later).

Cut away any part of the envelope that is glued to another part. This means cutting away the bottom edge where the other flap is already sealed and down the center in the back where the two sides meet.

STEP 3: Folding

This part is a bit tricky to describe but actually makes a lot more sense once you start doing it. By popular demand, I have added diagrams to my original pictures, I hope they help.

1) Lay out your envelope with the side you want as the outside of your wallet facing down. I wanted some colour on the outside so the white inside is facing up. (In the diagrams, this is the red side)

2) Fold down the big flap on one side along the envelope's pre-made creases. I chose the logo side for aesthetic reasons. This is Fold 1.

3) Use your preferred currency to mark out the necessary height of the wallet. In my case, poverty has forced me to choose Mr. Washington of the USA but you could use Euros, Rupees, Kronurs, Monopoly money, etc. If you will be using currency that have different heights (e.g. Euros), make sure to use the biggest bill for this step.

4) Fold up the envelope along this new line. This is Fold 2.

5) Use a credit card to mark the appropriate height from the bottom for the next fold. Fold this inwards. This is Fold 3 and will create the outside of the card holder pocket.

6) Fold 4 brings the paper back up and Fold 5 completes the inside lining of the card holder pocket. In the diagrams, length A corresponds to the width of a bill while length B is the height of a credit card.

Please note: You can repeat Folds 4 and 5 at this point with the flap at the end of Fold 5 to make as many additional pockets as you wish (or length of envelope material will allow). In this instructable, I'm going to keep it simple and stick with just two pockets - money and card.

7) Tuck the excess flap from Fold 1 under the remaining flap from Fold 5 -- I'm calling this Fold 6. Trim off anything that doesn't fit.

Your finished strip of folded wallet material should look like the last photo.

STEP 4: Sizing

Trim the folded strip to the length you want. A couple of things to keep in mind:
1) The length should be greater than two credit cards lengths
2) The length should also be greater than the length of the biggest bill you will put in this wallet
3) Keep in mind that when you go to seal the ends, about 2cm of length will be sealed off so adjust accordingly to make it a little longer.

Now is also a good time to think about how you want the back of the wallet to look. I like the "Priority" part of the envelope so I'll cut around that.

STEP 5: ID Window

This is an optional step but if you want to have an ID window, read on.

1) Mark out where your ID will sit. Mine's on the left side.

2) Cut out the window. Just cut through 2 layers of Tyvek that make up the front of the card holder pocket (see Folding steps). Don't make this cut too big, you want it be just slightly smaller than an ID card so that there will be some tyvek material around the edges of the ID.

3) Cut a piece of translucent sheet protector that is slightly bigger than the window and slide into the space between the two layers. I used a blue sheet protector here but I think a clear one would probably work best.

STEP 6: Seal Up the Ends

Remember that sticky flap, you put away earlier? Now's the time to find that thing and put it to use.

1) Trim it so that only the parts with glue remain (it'll turn out to be an inch wide strip).

2) Cut off a length about 2 cm longer than the height of the wallet and seal one end (see photos for my sealing method for a clean seal).

3) Cut off another length and seal the other end in a similar fashion

STEP 7: Finished Wallet

Voila! You are now the proud owner of a light and durable wallet that is uber-stylish and only cost about 50 cents.

This wallet had just two pockets (the money pocket and the credit card pocket). However, once you've made one of these you can do some variation and make multi-card compartment wallets. Basically you just repeat Folds 4 and 5 until you have the number of pockets you want.

I made one with two sets of card holders plus a money pocket and have posted some pictures.

Let me know what you think of the instructable -- it's my first one and I would love to hear feedback.

Now go and get busy folding!

Comments

[knakamoto]

Two sets of card holders is the max possible to be honest. :/

[imnevergoingtousethisaccountagain]

I am really having trouble understanding this. Can you specify if the folds are mountain or valley folds when you say "fold?"

[mason0190]

lol onthe dodgeball reference. If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball. WHAP! AHH!!MY FACE!!! WTF DUDE!!

[dynomighty]

Hey - Nice wallet.

Its great to see such enthusiasm around tyvek - that reminds me of a design I posted a couple years ago on instructibles if anyone is interested...
www.instructables.com/id/Express-Mail-Envelope-tyvek-Wallet/

This video demonstrates the instructions

Many years ago I was the original designer of the Tyvek Wallet called the "Mighty Wallet" which is now gaining popularity after years of marketing and hardwork. Its really cool to see this new trend in wallet design emerging into the limelight - THANKS!

You can see the Original Mighty Wallet on my website:
www.dynomighty.com

[rck_mtn_climber]

really, cause I have one of your wallets, its so awesome

[dynomighty]

Thanks rck_mtn_climber!
Get all the inside info and sneak peeks of new wallets when you fan us on Facebook!

Fan "DYNOMIGHTY" and get a discount code too!
http://su.pr/26Cf5D

[gregsayss]

make a video man. your pictures and diagrams dont help much

[octavecat]

actually, i think that in your diagrams 2 and forward, fold 1 and 2 might be reversed. is this possible?

[octavecat]

hey wisepig, the problem with these diagrams is that they are so far off scale that they don't really appear to support the photos. i really do appreciate your posting this instructable, and i want to make this wallet, but i'm lost at step 3 here. i'm using a USPS EP14 envelope, which it looks like you're using too. if fold 1 is the large precreased flap on the envelope, and fold 2 is just the height of our currency, how can fold 2 possibly have more area than fold 1? also, i'm not sure what "the bottom" i'm supposed to measure up from is. anyway, thanks a lot in advance.

[wenpherd]

there is two fold three's on the 9th pict

[FreshPineSent]

How would I make one where the credit card slots face inward, instead of upwards, so my cards don't fall out?

[wisepig]

I've been thinking about this one and I believe the best way (while still keeping to the one envelope premise) is to cut the credit card compartments down the middle of the fold so that the cards can slide in and out of pocket a cut makes. If you made multiple card compartments, you could stagger the cuts so that multiple levels of cards are visible. The one problem with this method is that the wallet would become more flimsy, structurally. It might need additional taping (from the sticky portion of other envelopes).

[FreshPineSent]

Ok and by the way, I ordered a $#!t load of envelopes and boxes from the usps, so I'll have plenty of adhesive.

[bubbytom]

i like this idea for a wallet,but im having a very hard time trying to get the folding right. is there any one that can explain the folding a little bit better or have a video of the folding. please help

[M4D-M9X]

hey, I like the idea of using tyvek for a wallet, but I also had quite a hard time trying to figure how the folding was made... but I think I made it ! so here is my attempt to clarify... step #3, pic #3 (with dollar bill) : don't we have to fold not the actual sheet you marked but the one right under it ? otherwise I don't understand how come we don't see a "priority mail" logo on pic #5 of same step... oh and also part #3 pic #9, there are two folds numbered 3 and no number 2... Other than that, great idea !

[mubichubelle]

This looks good but the folding instructions are still really confusing. Like you say bottom but never designate what the top is. I always end up with some really funky high part sticking up. I acknowledge I am spacially disfunctional but this instructions are still a bit hard. Thanks

[Streeks]

Awesome! I'll try working on my wallet again tomorrow and I'll let you know how it goes. _

[Streeks]

I love the outcome, but the instructions in the folding section are really bad. Seriously, it'd be great if you redid that entire section including your description of how to perform each fold, and new pictures of each step with better perspective views. At this point, I've been splicing information from different instructables to try and finish this. >_<

thanks :p

[wisepig]

From your prompting, I've finally added in all those folding diagrams I've been putting off. Hope it makes things clearer.

[Psychic]

sorry, new to commenting. Here is the image--just a clarified diagram that could replace picture six, step three.