As a company that has been witness to every trend in sustainable goods over the 18 year history of Mighty Wallet I think it's important to define the values of sustainability as it relates to plastic goods.
When I first invented the Tyvek Wallet in 2005 I tried to market the product as a wallet that was recyclable but no one was interested in the idea of a recyclable wallet but over many years the trends in eco-friendly products went towards repurposed materials.
That's when I made public videos and instructions on converting Tyvek Envelopes into wallets with only a few cuts and some self stick tape. That was also what fascinated me about Tyvek, the fact that no one had developed any significantly durable products with the material when it had so much potential.
As the climate crisis has grasped the attention of more and more consumers there has been a push towards an overly simplistic approach to banning all plastic product. In this society of millions of "consumable products" there is little differentiation given to plastics that are disposed of vs those that last for years and years like Mighty Wallet.
Take the Mighty Wallet, for example. It's made of 100% HDPE in the form of spun-bonded olefin, which is a type of plastic. At first glance, this might seem like a product that's not particularly environmentally friendly. But when you consider the benefits that it offers, it's clear that it's a sustainable choice.
For example the Mighty Wallet is incredibly lightweight, averaging 10-12 grams. This means that it requires less carbon per unit to transport than other wallet materials like leather that are much heavier.
The actual production of the Mighty Wallet is incredibly minimal as a printed sheet of Tyvek that is die cut and folded it requires very little electricity for production. In fact, the environmental impact of producing a Mighty Wallet is far lower than that of producing a leather or fabric wallet.
Furthermore, the durability of the Mighty Wallet means that it has a much longer lifespan than other wallet materials. Leather wallets, for example, can be very detrimental to the environment as highlighted in a previous blog post. The Mighty Wallet, on the other hand, is tear-resistant, water-resistant, and designed to last for years. This means that fewer wallets need to be produced over time, reducing the overall environmental impact.
However, it's equally important to recognize that plastic products like the Mighty Wallet offer a sustainable and efficient alternative to other materials. When used responsibly and with care, plastic products can offer long-lasting benefits without compromising the environment.
Products like the Mighty Wallet are a prime example of how plastic can be used in a sustainable and responsible way. By choosing products that are designed to last and that have a minimal environmental impact, we can all do our part to reduce waste and protect the planet.
In the above illustration you can see how Mighty Wallet stacks up compared to the use of other HDPE plastic products like milk jugs, iced coffee cups and re-usable grocery bags.
How many of us have used any of these items in the past year? So many Mighty Wallet fans have made a better use of the 12-14 grams of HDPE in their Mighty Wallet than any of these common uses that end up in a landfill.
Where possible we should make every effort to recycle these HDPE plastics and if you ever want to recycle your Mighty Wallet you can send it back to us and we will send them back to DuPont to be converted into durable HDPE goods like park benches and decking materials.
Over the years Mighty Wallet has recycled over 4,500 wallets from consumers who know the difference between single-use plastics and the long-term value and benefits of using an eco-friendly Mighty Wallet.
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