Ekster Product Features
Like a fine wine, leather only gets better with time. The natural quality of our top-grain leather ensures that each handmade wallet is unique, gaining distinctive marks as the leather ages. Over time, these premium leather wallets form perfectly to the shape of whatever pocket they are put in, preventing the flap from opening up and slimming down the overall profile. That's why the premium leather we work with is naturally stiff when unboxed, aging beautifully over time. Where production is concerned, happy leather really is better leather; the quality of a cow's life directly impacts the value, smoothness and marks that appear on the finished leather product.
In the age of plastic and metal, why do we continue to use leather? Perhaps it's the unique quality of craftsmanship – there is something beautiful about a handcrafted leather wallet, something inimitable and special. Our products are marked by suppleness that highly-trained leather workers achieve with a precise tanning method. We also employ a two-toned finish to our leathers, giving them a distinctive look and color that will endure as the wallet softens, bends and forms to the way it is used, whether in pocket, purse or hand.
The tanning process is the most intrinsic part of producing luxury leather wallets. It's a method that can be traced back to the ancient Greeks, 3000 years ago. During this stage, the leather is dried and treated, permanently changing the structure of the proteins that make up the hide using tannins (hence the name tanning!). Leather craftsmen work meticulously in our factories to create genuine top-grain leather in a variety of colors and textures. Their craftsmanship is evident in the fusion of old-school leather work with modern techniques, through which we produce luxury leather wallets.
Our products are tanned under gold-rated LWG environmental protocols. This is the highest quality genuine leather available across the globe, and our tanneries serve only top-of-the-line luxury leather brands. It requires strength and precision to transform a hide into top-grain leather. While many assume that leather making is harmful to the animal kingdom, this is not necessarily true! All the bulls that provide our leather spend their lives disease-free and well-fed. All our leather is a waste product of the meat industry. We're dedicated to doing our part to reduce waste, and to lower the impact we have on the environment as much as possible.
But leather is only part of the story. How do you make the best handmade luxury men’s wallet? To us, modern craftsmanship means a nuanced mixing of old and new, fusing tradition and innovation. While one appreciates the stylish design and smooth texture of handcrafted wallets, it is the advanced technology packed inside that takes a premium men’s wallet from being a useful fashion accessory to a personalized, high-tech juggernaut of comfort and security. An appreciation for traditional methods, a commitment to sustainable practices, and an eye on the future of security: now that’s craftsmanship.
The beauty and allure of leather is not something new. It was revered by Pharaohs in ancient Egypt, and has been ubiquitously used over time as a versatile material as well as an undying sign of status and class. Its protective ability made it popular amongst foot soldiers of Ancient Greece and Rome; in medieval ages, it was used for its water resistance and ability to store perishables. In the past, wholly organic methods of tanning were improvised using whatever natural materials were at hand. People would even use bodily excrement like feces to tan their leathers! Fortunately, leather producers today aren’t subject to such desperate conditions, and are able to enjoy modern leather production that is safer (and less gross) for those who produce it as well as those who purchase it.
Nowadays, someone doesn’t have to steal your wallet to get at what’s inside of it… We're living in a time all our data is encrypted, everyday life now hinging on the invisible. As technological advances race ahead, the regulations and security available to protect all of our data still struggle to keep up. Most people aren’t even aware of all the complex ways in which their data can be stolen, and when it is stolen, it often goes undetected. One of the main culprits here is RFID skimming. Remember when you got your new debit card and it had a little chip in it? That's RFID, and it can be your friend as well as your enemy.
RFID technology, or ‘radio frequency identification’ is a method of data tracking. It’s what allows you to pay for things by holding your card near a card reader or ATM, often known as contactless payments. The chip holds all your card's data, using radio waves to send information and complete transactions. Cards are obviously a step-up, security-wise, from the days of stuffing bills in your mattress. But no matter how protected it is, wherever there’s money to be spent, there’s money to be stolen. Credit card fraud has been around almost as long as credit cards; in 2019 alone, it accounted for losses of over 16 billion dollars in the USA.
One of the most popular electronic pickpocket tactics is stealing data stored in your credit or debit cards' RFID chips. Once stolen, this data can be used to purchase things online, access bank accounts and even produce a clone of your card. Since this technology works remotely using radio waves, RFID skimming can happen in a second without your wallet or cards ever being touched, even if you have the most secure wallet. All it takes is for a small handheld device, or even a smartphone with the necessary adjustments to be held close to your card for a couple seconds and bam, your card data is stolen. Common places for this to happen can include; public transportation, nightlife, crowded malls, tourist attractions and airports.
You could stop bringing your cards with you in crowded public places, you could choose to only use cash from now on, or you could invest in a secure wallet. Radio waves can’t travel through every material, making specific kinds of metal act like a force field around your cards, not allowing the radio waves to come in or out. The metal that works best for producing an impenetrable faraday cage hidden inside a travel security wallet is good old basic aluminium. We aim for the best travel wallet security by using top grade aluminium to build the space where your cards fit in, so they are always protected. We designed the aluminium of the cardholder to be as thin as possible while still retaining its strength and ability to block RFID scans.
A quick push of the discreet button on the bottom of each wallet instantly releases the cards inside for easy, efficient access. This feature is designed to speed up your daily routine, eliminating the annoyance of fumbling through a bulky wallet. How many times have you stood in line with your hands full, just wishing for a more painless way to check out? This is your answer. We’ve crafted these features so discreetly that Ekster® wallets are still the thinnest on the market, a far cry from your grandad's old brick block.
We’ve all been guilty of shoving unnecessary receipts, cash, gift- or business cards in our wallets for 'safekeeping', only to never use them again. Switching to a more minimal, quick access wallet will help you determine which things are actually crucial on a daily basis, and which items simply hold you back. On top of that, the peace of mind that comes with an RFID-proof trackable wallet makes your whole life even easier. It may not seem like much, but these small changes will speed up your whole day in the long run.
At just 0.3 inches thick, we've officially created the slimmest cardholder to date. That means no more useless bulk in your pockets and bags. We've also upgraded our wallet button to perfection; it's now made of one solid piece of hardware, eliminating any chances of jamming (so your wallet won’t give out before you do). To top it all off, this RFID-blocking cardholder is made of fully-anodized aluminium for a sleeker look and smoother access. With easier card access and a fine-tuned mechanism, your cards are presented stylishly and efficiently every time.
The history of the cardholder actually goes back further thank the birth of Ekster®. In fact, it was first designed in 1987 by an Italian inventor who eventually withdrew his patent. Improving on some of his principles, we created our own version of the cardholder and continue to tweak it through new editions. The leather wallet has come a long way since its invention in the 1800s. Where we once used it as a common vessel to carry dried meats and tobacco, we now walk around with connected smart wallets which actually make our lives far easier. We're here to amplify that positive impact, contributing to the world's largest lost and found community in the process.
When was the last time you couldn't find your wallet? Even if it turned up a few minutes later, that one instant of panic was probably awful. What makes it worse is the growing importance of our everyday carry items; if you lose your phone, you lose all your data. You lose your wallet, you lose your access to banks, public transportation, the gym (and you're exposed to fraud, to boot). And while you can always back up your phone on the cloud, you can't do that to your wallet. Being only human, there's not a lot you can do to avoid losing your stuff; but you can make it easier to find. That's where Ekster® comes in.
We’ve made it our mission to design a tracker that isn’t just small enough to fit into anything, but also smart enough to take your voice commands. It allows you to track your valuables in long ranges through a global lost-and-found community, or close ranges through a vibrant ring that helps you locate it easily through an app. Our Key tracker includes an LED light which flashes once you ring it, allowing you to spot it even in the darkest of corners.
Thanks to our patented integration, our solar panels don't even require direct sunlight. This solar charging is so efficient that a simple three-hour charge lasts two months. In fact, this system works so well that it’s now being used by FedEx to track their own packages. We went back into the lab and created a battery that not only slims down the tracker but also lasts twice as long with use. Other trackers on the market require you to switch out the batteries each month; ours just uses the sun.
Being able to command your wallet by voice makes tracking even easier than flipping through different apps buried on your phone. Our products are compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, so you can speak a command into your phone and have your tracker pulled up on a map the instant you realize your wallet's missing. It's difficult to think clearly if you're panicking, and this feature is designed to mitigate that moment of anxiety. You don’t even need a smart speaker to use this feature; just use voice command on either of the two apps. Find your wallet without having to move from your cosy spot on the couch, completely hands-free.
