18 years ago, our CEO Robert Ettinger got himself one of Ettinger's bestselling Billfold Wallets, the Bridle Hide Billfold with 6 C/C & Purse.
After almost two decades of use, Robert sent his beloved wallet to our factory in Walsall for repair to give it a second lease of life.
The repair process for this wallet involved the expertise of four skilled individuals from our factory: Tracy, Michelle, Meg, and Gary.
Here's a detailed breakdown of all the operations this Billfold underwent:
1. The stitches were unpicked to remove the old leather from the inside lining.
Note: When repairing a wallet like so, only the outside leather is replaced, the inside parts are only cleaned, the best way possible.
2. Then, the new outer leather was cut using a press knife, as shown in the photo below.
The goal of a press knife is to cut the chosen fabric, in this case, leather, to the desired size. The press below is designed with the precise dimensions needed to create the outer leather piece for a billfold wallet. We use a hydraulic press machine to apply enough pressure to the press knife for cutting.
3. Once the outer leather was done, the inside lining was cut too.
4. The new outer leather was then split to the correct thickness and its four sides were skived to be attached on the inside.
5. After that, the inside lining and outer leather were assembled. Finally, the outside edges were turned before being stitched on the sewing machine and trimmed.
The wallet was then ready to be wrapped and sent back to our CEO Robert Ettinger for another 18 years!
Below is a beautiful "before and after" showcasing the Billfold's transformation through our repair process.
Repairing instead of buying contributes to the sustainability approach we always seek to be a part of here at Ettinger.
Therefore, if you wish to have your Ettinger item repaired by our experts, please email us at clientservices@ettinger.co.uk. Our team will review your request and get back to you with a feasibility assessment alongside a quotation.
Please keep in mind that not all products can be repaired but we will always try our best to help you.