exPENsivePhotography

2018

Travellers Factory Tan Leather Zipper case

I believe these leather zip cases are a new release for 2018.  There can be used both as inserts for the TF Regular and Passport TN’s, or as standalone wallets for travel or daily use.  I ordered mine from etsy- so much easier than using a forwarding service.

It comes so nicely packaged…

And I even got a free copy of Travellers Times…

Here is the wallet itself opened out…

Here is the inside.  As you can see it has one large pocket on the left, and a zip pocket on the right.  The pocket only goes as deep as the middle.  A perfect little wallet with coin purse.

I found the leather to be much thinner than I was expecting, and therefore much more suitable as an insert than as a wallet or purse.  The thinness and incredible light weight for a leather item makes it perfect for the TN, as these can get quite heavy.  The standard zip plastic insert I have for the TN is much bulkier than this leather one.  However, I may just try using it as a daily wallet and see how it goes…

Farruof in Sky Blue

As I was already ordering the TF Leather zipper case, I thought I’d add something else to my order for the shipping.  So I got this Farruof.  It is basically an insert for the TN, except made from an exceptionally light and thin canvas.  I don’t how, but Travellers Factory somehow manage to make ‘thin’ and ‘light’ items seem more expensive than ‘thick’, ‘heavy’ and ‘durable’ items.  Thats the genius of Japanese design I guess.

Anyway here is my Farruof for the standard TN.

As you can see it has 3 slots for cards on one side, and a zip pocket on the other side.  The zip pocket only goes as deep as the middle, I assume to keep the bulk down in your TN.

On the back on the zip pocket side, there is an additional flap to store stickers, ephemera etc.

I quite pleased with both of these inserts, and I may have to swap out some of the heavy plastic inserts I have in my current Blue Pan Am TN such as the clear plastic zip pocket, plus ones that I don’t use- such as the sticky note insert.

On instagram I spotted TF were releasing some navy blue leather inserts in the large and passport size, in the same style as my tan one.  As the navy blue matches my Pan Am TN so well, I couldn’t resist, and have ordered it in the standard size.

2017

Since writing my post on the Pan Am special edition Travellers Notebook, Midori Travellers Notebook (MTN), has since spun off into a whole other universe with Travellers Factory.

Here are some items I purchased under the new brand.

My The Superior Labour Travellers Notebook inserts for Passport and Regular.

All nicely packaged from Baum-Kuchen…

Here is the Regular Size…

Here is the Passport size…

And this is what they look like inside…

Lovely natural leather and canvas combination.  Very cool.

I love the little brass plate detail…

They won’t stay this pristine for long…

Some more Travellers Fractory (TFA) stuffs I ordered directly from their online store (which is in Japanese) but via forwarding service White Rabbit Express.  Here is my order…

Initially I was just after these Mr Softee washi tapes…

But then ended up also getting…

Well, I needed this flask, obviously.

Here is one of TFA large stamps I got, its says “Hello!  I am a Traveller”…

Travellers Factory Mr Softee inserts for Regular and Passport…

This cute coin purse in black leather, which doesn’t hold that many coins, but is nice and small and pocketable…

And this slightly larger but far more useful standard size purse in tan.  The tan leather is much softer and more supple than the black.  I also found this was the case with Saddleback Leather.  I use this everyday to keep my cards and notes…

And finally some Japanese coffee sweets (an acquired taste).

Here is the full list;

1. Orange ice cream van washi tape Mr softee
2. Product Name: TF Coffee Candy
3. Blue ice cream cone Mr Softee wash tape 15mm x 10mm
4. TF Coffee Bag <S> Light Brown
5. TF Coffee Bag <S> Dark Brown
6. TF Leather Card Case Camel
7. TF Traveler’s Note Refill Mister Softee
8. Travellers notebook refill- Regular size ice cream cone
9. TF Traveler’s Note Passport Size Refill
10. Ice cream cone passport size refill
11. TF masking tape, Black washi tape
12. TF Stamp with handle “Hello I am a Traveller”
13. TF Stainless Bottle Mat Black Coffee Table Trip Coffee thermos matt black
14. TF Leather Coin Case

I bought this separately on etsy, but here here is my super cute Log-on Travellers Factory Bear…

2014

Midori Traveller’s notebook; Pan Am edition

Midori Passport size notebook

Although I prefer the look of the larger Pan Am edition MTN, I actually find the passport size far more useful.  For one, I never forget where my passport is, I can stash Euro’s in there way in advance for those emergency airport taxi’s, i can keep tickets and other sundry items, and its very pocketable, much lighter, and mine has a leather pen loop too.  The great thing about these travellers notebooks is that you can add or takeaway as much as you want.  It doesn’t sound that useful, but once you have it, you find it becomes indispensable.  Those over- priced plastic inserts are especially useful.  I wouldn’t bother with the fake- midi incepts that people make at home and sell on easy.  They don’t look quite right and don’t fit quite right, so I wouldn’t bother.