My Life, My Hemp Wallet

Oddly enough, I originally bought this wallet as a temporary solution. The "military-style" nylon wallet I had at the time was falling apart on me. I bought it soon after Basic Training and it hardly lasted a couple years.

My mom immediately promised me a super-slick Ralph Lauren leather wallet for my birthday--which was two months away. (Army moms are like that). All I had to do was wait until I visited my family back home.

Until then whenever I paid for something or showed my ID, a shower of cards, receipts and money sprinkled the floor. Not cool. The classy thing to do would be to hold everything together with a couple thick rubber bands. Instead, I went shopping.

I needed something cheap and slim. Durability would be a plus, too. Nylon was the last thing on my mind. No need for leather, either. Soon I was looking at the Bi-fold hemp wallet from Hempmania.

Hemp? Isn't that marijuana? No. Hemp is the cannabis plant that can do just about anything EXCEPT get someone high. On the other hand, marijuana is the cannabis plant with the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) that gets people high.

I didn't care. As long as my new wallet was legal and would do the job it was fine by me. A few dollars and a few days later, I was looking at my first hemp wallet. I was fascinated.

It was very strong for something made from a plant. The quality was impressive, too. I couldn't believe it. For the price I paid, it was the best deal I can remember. I gave my leather wallet to my brother (sorry Mom) and Hempmania is still with me.

Now I live in Japan . Unlike the United States, the locals here use a lot of cash and coins. This really puts the zipper change pocket to the test. More than that, the businesses here love to offer plastic point cards to encourage brand loyalty. That's what's really wearing my wallet down. Then again, this wallet isn't designed to hold so many cards.

My girlfriend saw the punishment my hemp wallet had taken through the years and couldn't stand it. Not long ago, she took me to Sannomiya in Kobe for a new wallet. The one she bought me is big and bulky. It's almost like a small purse!

It barely fits in my back pocket and when I sit down, I have to take it out and put it on my lap. So, whenever I leave Japan, it's back to hemp.