Upcycled Two-Way Wallet

For my upcycling project I am hoping to create a two-way wallet out of recycled leather. The inspiration for this project originally came from duct tape wallets that I used to make and sell in middle school. The type of wallets I made were able to open in 2 directions, where the geometry of the wallet kept the money/cards inside.

The cross in the middle does not overlap with the strips on the top and bottom, and so the money is kept in while allowing the wallet to open in either direction. The material that I would really like to use is leather for this project, however Im not sure if Im going to be able to find a piece of leather to use, so I might end up using some other materials (my current backup plan is denim). This is the aesthetic that I am hoping to achieve (but will likely fall short of).

The stain is going to depend on what piece of leather I am able to find, and obviously the stitching will not look nearly as clean. Upon my research I did find a commercially available version of this project. This is close, but does not quite achieve the aesthetic I am hoping for. I would like mine to use real leather, as opposed to this faux-leather.