If you look at the bifold wallets available on the market, they can be broadly categorized into two types: “vertical” and “horizontal.”
The difference lies in whether the long edge is vertical or horizontal when the wallet is folded in half horizontally, and this makes a significant difference in practical usability—more so than one might expect based on appearance alone. Let me clarify from the start: this isn’t a matter of one being better or worse than the other; it’s simply a matter of personal preference based on the user’s lifestyle.
Vertical-style wallets are narrower when opened, making them relatively easy to hold with one hand, and they tend to hold bills more deeply. They also have the advantage of requiring less movement from the hand not holding the wallet.
On the other hand, horizontal-style wallets are easier to fit larger bills into and allow for quick insertion and removal of bills. As you can see, each style has its own distinct advantages.
At present, most of the wallets SOLAHANPU offers are classified as vertical-style. However, this wasn’t a conscious decision from the start to make vertical-style wallets. It was a shape we naturally arrived at as we eliminated structural waste and pursued design efficiency to the utmost.
During the design process, we did consider horizontal designs for some products.
In particular, with larger wallets designed to hold items like passports, there is a significant difference in how they feel when held in portrait versus landscape orientation, so preferences are likely to vary.In fact, while SOLAHANPU’s travel wallet, “VOLARE,” is vertical, some other manufacturers opt for a horizontal design. Depending on future product developments, SOLAHANPU may also release a horizontal bifold wallet.
Moving forward, we plan to continue developing practical wallets in various shapes, not limited to men’s styles but also including options for women.
In recent years, many minimalist wallets have been designed with aspect ratios that are nearly square—with the width and height almost equal—so please be sure to consider the shape when choosing a wallet.
Tenuis Zipper Type (*Formerly 3rd-generation Tenuis) Canvas Version (Scheduled to be brought back soon)
https://solahanpu.com/products/tenuis-zipper-canvas
Tenuis Zipper Type (*Formerly 3rd-generation Tenuis)
https://solahanpu.com/products/tenuis-zipper
Tenuis Flap Type (*Formerly Tenuis 4th Generation)
https://solahanpu.com/products/tenuis-flap
