Creative TikTok Trends: DIY Altoids Mint Tin Wallets

• TikTokers are repurposing Altoids tins as stylish metal wallets.
• These tins are often decorated with photos, stickers, and mirrors.
• They are perfect for storing money, coins, lip gloss, and small items.

Forget Louis Vuitton wallets — TikTokers think you should be carrying your cash in Altoids tins this fall.

Since mid-August, people on the social-media platform have been sharing videos of themselves using empty mint containers to store their money, lip gloss, headphones, and other small items that they’d normally carry in larger pouches or wallets.

TikToker @bbkive was one of the first to create an “Altoid wallet.” Their video posted on August 15 has been viewed more than 1.9 million times as of Thursday.

While some have simply used Altoids containers to store their belongings, others have turned the idea into an art project.

TikToker @stainedhands shared in a video that she decorated her metal wallet with paper, photos, and other items. She first lined the tin with a Polaroid picture of her cats, and then used thin crafting paper to create a background inside the lid.

Finally, she added a small mirror and butterfly embellishment for extra flair.

It’s also become popular to include small toys, stuffed animals, and miniature trinkets in the tins. Though the items aren’t always functional, they’re often used as decoration.

Some people have participated in the trend by purchasing empty metal tins online, often because they dislike mint and want containers without a lingering scent.

But as many have pointed out, the trend originated from people who were looking for ways to reuse the popular containers so that the tins didn’t end up in landfills.

It’s unclear who the first person to share a video of their Altoids wallet was, but a search for the term on TikTok currently results in dozens of videos that collectively have been viewed more than 68.9 million times.