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Article: Why is the bottom of Hitoe® L-zip L 10mm thick?

Design Journal

Why is the bottom of Hitoe® L-zip L 10mm thick?

なぜ Hitoe® L-zip L の底部は 10mm なのか

Hitoe® L-zip L has a bottom thickness of 10mm.
It's not just "designed to look thin."
This is the most rational value structurally and is the inevitable value with beautiful balance.

Redefining "thin wallet"

It's easy to just pursue thinness.
Anyone can make a "slim wallet" by using thin leather and reducing the number of cards that can be stored.
However, what we aim for is not just thinness, but thinness that combines the quality and practicality of a beloved item.

If you are carrying six cards or less, the Hitoe® Fold is excellent in both portability and convenience as it does not crease bills and does not use metal fittings.
Therefore, the thickness standard for Hitoe® L-zip L is based on the assumption that it can hold 7 cards.
At that time, we derived the most beautiful and rational dimensions from the structure.

Maximum length when storing 7 cards: 10mm

Hitoe® L-zip L has a "double card pocket" structure with two card pockets.
When storing 7 cards, the maximum number on each side is 4.
The standard thicknesses at that time were stacked as follows:

  • 4 cards: 0.76 mm x 4 = 3.04 mm
  • Total leather overlap (exterior and interior): 5.8 mm
  • 10 bills or receipts: 0.10 mm x 10 = 1.00 mm

Total: 3.04 + 5.8 + 1.0 = 9.84 mm ≒ 10 mm

In other words, the maximum thickness when storing seven cards is approximately 10 mm. This is the standard value for the bottom dimension of the Hitoe® L-zip L.

Minimum length when storing 16 cards: 10mm

So, how many cards can fit into this 10mm space?
When you stuff cards into the wallet, bills don't reach the bottom, but stay about 1cm above it. There are no internal parts near the bottom either.
In other words, the only things at the bottom are the card and the exterior.

  • Leather overlap at the base: 4 mm
  • Remaining allowable thickness: 10 mm − 4 mm = 6 mm
  • Thickness of a single card: 0.76 mm
  • 6 ÷ 0.76 ≒ 8 sheets (one side) → 16 sheets in total

In other words, even if you store 8 cards in each compartment, for a total of 16 cards, the thickness of the bottom will remain at 10mm.

The balance point of 10mm

It can hold up to 8 cards and maintains its beauty at approximately 10mm, and even with the maximum number of cards (16), the silhouette remains unchanged.
The number 10mm is not just a measurement, but a balance point where structural necessity and aesthetic beauty intersect.

Even each dimension has a meaning derived not from intuition, but from deep insight and logical thinking.
This 10mm symbolizes the "beauty as function" that SYRINX pursues.

(Text by Hironao Sato, CEO and designer of SYRINX)

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