Guide For Portfolio and Padfolio

What is a Portfolio?

A leather portfolio is a nice, cool derivative of a briefcase. Some leather portfolios may hold handles making it appear like a mini or compact briefcase. A leather portfolio will normally have a zipper, are smaller in size than satchels, and like the padfolios, will contain many compartments or pockets for storage of essential documents or even products like small laptops or tablets.

What is the Padfolio?

A leather padfolio is insignificantly different from the portfolio in some ways. Padfolios do not typically have zippers, and instead, they may have buckles to help fasten or secure their contents. Padfolios will allow you to keep a good amount of papers and documents easily, as they are usually a little thinner than portfolios.

What are the Differences between a Padfolio and Portfolio?

Portfolios and padfolios have become staples in the business world. Leather portfolios have handles and zippers that run from top to bottom for easy access. Padfolios, on the other hand, do not have handles and come in either letter or legal size.

It's easy to know why some people think padfolios are the same as portfolios. Both are available in a variety of materials, though leather is the most common. They also both contain places to hold papers and/or a note pad, and both have space inside them for additional office supplies (such as pens, pencils, highlighters, calculators, maybe some candy, etc.). 

What You See is What You Get?

So what are the differences? Leather portfolios were designed for carrying by hand, and they generally don't have handles at the top. Portfolios also have a zipper that runs from the top to the bottom to allow easy access. 

Of course, some portfolios are a lot bigger than a briefcase. The larger variants have carrying straps or longer handles so that they can be carried over the arm like messenger bags or purses. Larger portfolios are often used by artists and models to show their artwork or ideas to potential clients. You've probably seen people carrying them around the city.

Padfolios are insignificantly different. For one, they lack the handles at the top because they're intended to be carried under the arm. Also, they're available in two sizes: letter size and legal size, which refers to the size of the leather padfolio when it's closed. The letter size fits standard-sized pieces of paper (8 1/2" x 11"), while the legal size holds a standard-sized legal pad (8 1/2" x 14").

Some leather padfolios have zippers and some do not. Many have a buckle-type closure on the front or are particularly fond of buckles.

What's on the Inside that Counts?

Portfolios are typically larger or thicker because they're designed to hold a multitude of items (remember, some are big enough to carry around artwork). Many of them open accordion-style to accommodate more than just papers. On one side of the leather portfolio, there is space for steno or a legal pad, and on the other side, there are zippered document holder with extra pockets used to store miscellaneous office items.

A leather padfolio is a kind of like the portfolio's younger sibling. Padfolios are thinner and more lightweight because they are designed to contain "flat" items like paper or notebooks. They have the same space on one side for a notepad or a legal pad, but instead of having extra pockets like portfolios, they usually have only one pocket. This pocket is large enough to store a thin file or several extra sheets of paper. However, some versions have small storage compartments for pens or pencils.

It is very easy to become confused when shopping for either a leather padfolio or a leather portfolio! It helps to know your clientele and anyone else who will be using your giveaways. If you need a quality promotional item for taking notes (or to encourage others to take notes) at a seminar, the leather padfolio zipper would probably be a good choice. Then again, if you're a salesperson whose office is the nearest place with free Wi-Fi, the leather portfolio would be the one to go with.

WHERE TO BUY A Portfolio and Padfolio? 

You can get your perfect Portfolio and Padfolio from online stores like Amazon or Walmart. Or you can buy it from us. Rustic Town Collection has a huge variety of Top-Grain Leather Portfolio and Leather Padfolio for men and women. We champion the cause to encourage the traditional technique of producing leather Portfolio and Padfolio. We have a wide range of sizes and variations in styles available for you to make a perfect choice for your specific needs.