How to Make a Duct Tape Wallet

Duct tape wallets are popular not just with youth but with adults as well. In fact, there are several successful businesses that sell unique duct tape wallets. You may not know that duct tape comes in about 20 different colors and patterns. Of course you are probably most familiar with the classic grey look of duct tape, but believe it or not, “designer” duct tape wallets are diverse, and the demand for them is high.

There are several different ways that you can make your own duct tape wallet besides the one you will read about below. Feel free to make alterations and to add or remove pockets as you see fit. Also experiment with different colors and patterns to make your duct tape wallet truly unique. More ideas on how you can personalize your wallet can be found following the duct tape wallet assembly instructions.

How to make a duct tape wallet:

Step #1

Create the shell of the duct tape wallet by creating a large sheet of duct tape (approximately 8.5 inches by 7 inches). Do this by following this pattern: take a piece of tape about 8.5 inches in length and place sticky side up. Take a second piece of duct tape (of equal length) and place it sticky side down half-way over the first strip. Fold the rest of the strip facing up over the second strip so that eventually you will have covered all of the exposed adhesive part of the tape. Continue placing strips sticky side up and down, covering the remaining sticky part of the second strip, until you have reached the desired size of your wallet (keeping in mind that you will be folding this in half to get the size that you will actually be putting in your pocket).

Step #2

Clean up any uneven edges and fold the duct tape sheet in half. Tape the sides. This makes the largest pocket of the wallet where you will be able to keep your bills.

Step #3

To create pockets for the inside of your wallet you will repeat the directions found in step #1 with the exception that you will need to create smaller sheets to fit your desired items. For example, a 4 inch by 3.5 inch sheet, when folded in half, will make a good pocket for business cards and credit cards. Place consecutive pockets a little lower in the wallet with the largest pockets lying behind the smaller pockets. Make sure that all of the folded sides are taped.

Step #4

If you would like to create a pocket and window for your ID, follow the instructions in step one, making a sheet that is slightly larger than your ID card. Cut out the inside of the sheet so that you are left with a window slightly smaller than your ID card. Tape all three sides to the wallet leaving the top part opened so that you can have a place to slide your card in and out of the wallet. This part of the assembly of your duct tape wallet may be the trickiest so do not be discouraged if you do not get all the measurements right on the first try.

Some other ideas for personalizing your duct tape wallet are to add coin pockets within the large bill pocket or to place flaps on the credit card holders so business cards don’t fall out when the wallet gets dropped. You can also use a cut-out piece of a sheet protector or some clear packing tape to make a clear window for your ID. If you would like for the shell of your duct tape wallet to be more sturdy, index cards can be used to improve the structure.