Looking for a practical sleeve for your iPhone 5 that also provides a great level of protection? Well, allow me introduce you to the beautiful iPhone 5 Wallet by Mujjo. This hand-crafted wallet sleeve is not only stylish and elegant, but its high-quality materials and practicality makes it a great companion for your iPhone 5.

Let me first say that because this item was backordered and shipped from Europe, it was a killer wait, but definitely a worthwhile wait! When I saw a USPS package from the Deutsche Post, I was thrilled.

Packaging

    • I can’t stress to you how beautiful the packaging is—it makes you want to open it but not tear the box apart. Comes neatly packaged in a sturdy, cardboard 2-piece box. The large cutout in the front makes it obvious Mujjo doesn’t want to hide any part of the iPhone 5 Wallet, and they also want you to see and feel the craftsmanship of the wallet. Can’t help but think Mujjo is extremely proud of their product, and they should be.

    Design and Form

    The iPhone 5 Wallet screams “elegance” and “style.” The wallet itself is primarily made of 100% wool felt, which is thick and sturdy enough to withstand daily wear-and-tear but soft and flexible enough where it won’t scratch your phone and feel comfortable in your pocket. The strap is made of top-grain leather, which also has a nice, subtle texture. The mixture of the black/light grey/tan colors allows it to match with most combinations of your apparel (if you’re into matching). The leather strap does kinda match the skeumorphism of Apple’s recent Find My Friends, but that won’t last long since Apple recently ousted Scott Forstall and made Jonathan Ive head of human interface (product design, hardware and software); however, I digress…

    The pieces of wool are neatly and tightly stitched together with dark-grey thread. I personally think if Mujjo had used thread that matched the color of the leather strap, it would have provided nice contrast and appeal, especially against the black wool, but just a personal thought.

    I will say that the Mujjo iPhone 5 Wallet is a tad bigger than I had expected it to be. I carried my money and cards around in a rather slim, wallet money clip. The iPhone 5 Wallet is 31/2“x53/8”

    Function

    The iPhone 5 fits nicely and snugly into the iPhone 5 Wallet; however, that’s if your iPhone is naked or has a full-body skin on it (I have a full-body Ghost Armor installed). Unfortunately, there’s not much room to work in the opening. A really slim, low-profile case may work (e.g. Spigen Ultra Thin Air series); however, anything thicker than that will most definitely not fit.

    The wallet is a little stiff out-of-the-box, but I’m sure in due time it’ll break in nicely.

    There’s also a useful storage pocket that’ll allow you to store items like credit cards, money, and business cards. However, for those who carry fat wallets, don’t expect to fit everything in that one pocket—you can only fit so much. I also suggest you try not to jam-pack it; I’d be afraid that if you try and stuff too much in, the stitching would pop.

    The strap has 2 functions. First, it serves to secure your iPhone 5 in place so it doesn’t accidentally slip out of the wallet with movement or a drop. Secondly, with your iPhone in the wallet, once you unbuckle the strap, pulling on it allows you to easily pull out your iPhone.

    I’ll be honest, though. It gets annoying having to always pull out my phone, considering I use my phone a lot (even it’s just to check the time or read a text). Therefore when I’m at work or at home, I tend to keep my phone out of the wallet; when I’m out and about, it goes back in the wallet. It may take a little getting used to or compromise, but we’ll see.

    Protection

    The Mujjo iPhone 5 Wallet is a wallet/sleeve, so as long as the iPhone remains inside of the wallet, it’s pretty safe. The wool is pretty thick and is likely to protect your phone from moderate drops. However, because it’s designed to snugly fit a naked iPhone, once it’s out of the wallet, there goes its protection. It’s really for those who understand and accept the potential consequences of having a naked iPhone, those with Apple Care+, those who can afford to replace unsubsidized iPhones, or those who just don’t care. If you have a history of dropping your phone or don’t trust yourself, the iPhone 5 Wallet is probably not the wisest of choices; however, it’s ultimately still your choice.

    The wool is water repellent, which should help in moderately rainy conditions outside to splashes of water, but the key word is repellent. Don’t expect a drop in a toilet to protect your iPhone.

    Summary

    4.0

    Not having owned the Mujjo iPhone 5 Wallet for very long, I can’t objectively say much about its longevity and durability; however, I am a huge fan of its design, style, construction, and functionality.

    The price tag is €29.95 (approx $38 USD), not including shipping. It’s not cheap, but I wouldn’t consider it expensive either. For anyone looking for a wallet/sleeve solution, I would suggest it.

    The iPhone 5 Wallet also comes in an alternative white color. In addition, there are wallets designed for the iPhone 4S/4 and the Galaxy S3. Head over to www.mujjo.com for more information or to order the iPhone 5 Wallet.