“Hey Filip, which notebook should I buy for my fountain pen?”

And honestly—I didn’t have a clear answer. My personal favorite had always been the Cartier notebook because of its exceptional paper, but with a price tag of around 250€ or more, it almost felt too precious to actually write in. As I thought more about it, I realized that even the notebooks I liked had their downsides. One had lines that were too wide, another had thin pages that let ink show through. Some would cause feathering, others wouldn’t absorb ink properly, leading to smudging—and the list went on.

Then one day it hit me: Filip, why not make your own notebook for fountain pens?

One that truly works for you, that’s designed specifically with fountain pens in mind—and maybe, just maybe, one that the whole fountain pen community would love, too.

Right from the start, I knew this would take a great deal of effort—especially when it came to choosing the paper. There are so many types of paper out there that it’s nearly impossible to test them all. So, to get a sense of what was available, I began by buying almost every kind of notebook I had ever seen.

When my wife saw the growing stack, she nearly kicked me out of the house—but I needed to feel each type of paper and, most importantly, test them with a fountain pen. I was particularly interested in Japanese papers, which are highly praised by many. But to my surprise, they were very thin and let ink show through to the other side. That was a deal-breaker for me. However, testing them made me realize I needed a paper that was extremely smooth—so that the nib would glide effortlessly across the surface.

I won’t even tell you how much money I spent on all this—but the experience was invaluable.

The next step was testing the papers themselves. I reached out to all the major paper manufacturers and requested sample books of their white papers. I was genuinely surprised by just how many paper types and variations exist. From the beginning, I focused only on papers with FSC certification, because it was important to me that the final product be environmentally responsible. And so the whole testing process began. I started by taking two fountain pens—one with an M nib and one with a B nib. I filled one with black Montblanc ink and the other with dark blue Iroshizuku ink, which served as my benchmark in the first round of selection—or more accurately, elimination. In total, I tested 864 types of paper, each in multiple grammages (thicknesses), so the actual number of samples was even higher. I know the exact number because I labeled every test sheet individually. After this first round, 18 papers made it onto my initial shortlist. I then eliminated 6 of those, leaving me with 12.

I requested larger-format samples of these remaining 12 papers in various weights so I could begin a more in-depth round of testing—with different inks, pens, and nibs. Even though there were fewer papers at this stage, the process was just as demanding as when I had the full stack of sample books in front of me. At times, I felt like Don Quijote fighting windmills—some inks would perform terribly on papers where others behaved beautifully. But in the end, that actually helped speed up the selection process, as I was constantly searching for the golden middle ground.

The most difficult decision was probably choosing the absorbency level of the paper. Paper that absorbs too quickly can cause feathering, while less absorbent paper takes a long time to dry. In the end, I decided that drying time is crucial—to prevent ink from smudging by hand or when folding the page. So, I chose a more absorbent paper from the final shortlist of three.

The winner was a 140gsm paper made in Italy. Yes, it’s slightly heavier than what we’re typically used to, which also means it’s more expensive—but I was aiming for the highest possible quality.

Lines

For the first notebook, labeled No.1, I wanted it to be lined—because for those of us who write with fountain pens, lines are incredibly useful. From personal experience, I knew that line spacing is a crucial factor. Some notebooks have lines spaced too far apart, while others are too tight. So, I created test pages with line spacing ranging from 6 to 9 mm, increasing in 0.01 cm increments, and began testing with different nib sizes. I also considered that everyone’s handwriting is different, so I asked other people to test the lines as well, to observe their writing styles—some more expressive, some more compact.

In the end, I found the golden middle ground, and this notebook features 0.815 cm spacing, printed in a soft Pantone gray, carefully chosen to make the lines subtle, fluid, and thin enough not to interfere with writing. I wanted the lines to be as fine as possible, but quickly learned that there are technical limitations in print line thickness. I selected the thinnest possible line that current printing technology could achieve. Yes, it increased the production cost—but quality comes at a price.

Cover

At first, I wanted the notebook cover to be white. During my research, I bought several notebooks with white covers and quickly discovered how easily they get dirty. Even if you’re careful with ink, simply carrying the notebook around or using it regularly causes natural, untreated white paper to become visibly soiled. That’s why I moved away from white and started looking for something more natural, uncoated, and environmentally friendly. As a result, I had to let go of popular choices like black or gray, since they require artificial coloring. I focused solely on naturally colored paper, without any additional dyes or treatments. What I eventually chose—you can now see in the photos. And I’m truly satisfied with how it turned out.

Binding

From the very beginning, I knew I wanted to use an exposed spine binding—the perfect solution for keeping every single page open without the notebook snapping shut while writing or reading. Each page lies completely flat when opened, allowing you to write comfortably from edge to edge, all the way through the notebook.

Minimalism

Once all the technical aspects were finalized, I turned my focus to the overall design of the notebook. I’ve always been a strong advocate of minimalism, and my goal was to create a design that would be just as suitable for a student as for a top-level executive. In other words, a notebook that no one would hesitate to use in any setting.

From the beginning, I deliberately avoided bold or extravagant designs, flashy colors, metallic finishes, or any other form of visual embellishment. Blind embossing was a clear choice for me. However, the cover design itself went through three or four iterations—each time becoming more and more minimal. It eventually felt natural to let the cover reflect the content inside. Printing a few simple lines using blind embossing felt like the perfect expression. So simple, yet it took me a while to realize it.

I also wanted to include my logo and the full notebook name—but to keep the front cover clean, I placed that information using traditional printing on the back side of the notebook, hidden and nearly invisible to the naked eye. In the end, I believe the design came together just as I envisioned it from the start.

Sustainability

Sustainability has always been a key priority for me in creating this product. The paper I selected is FSC-certified, and choosing the A5 format allowed for minimal waste during the printing process. But then the question came: how can I package the notebook in a way that’s both presentable and sustainable? If I truly want to be environmentally conscious, then the answer is simple—add nothing unnecessary.

Unlike many other notebooks that come wrapped in plastic film with additional promotional papers that are usually discarded immediately, you won’t find any of that here. This is just a notebook—nothing more, nothing less—and it doesn’t generate any waste. I also carefully considered the packaging for shipping. The notebooks are sent in envelopes made of recycled paper, tailored to the exact size needed to protect the notebook from damage without adding unnecessary bulk or material.

Bookmarks

I deeply regret that the first 15 notebooks were shipped without bookmarks — they simply arrived later than expected. I wanted to include a bookmark that would reflect the same minimalist aesthetic as the notebook itself, while also staying true to the spirit of fountain pens. After all, this notebook was created specifically for fountain pen users. Eventually, I found a beautifully simple solution — a sleek, minimalist bookmark that fits almost invisibly within the notebook. It doesn’t create unnecessary page separation, yet serves its purpose perfectly. The bookmarks are available in three different colors, and I’ll include one at random with each order.

Why is the price what it is?

I tried to keep the price as low as possible. But the reality is — the production costs are high. Premium certified paper, a complex exposed binding that few manufacturers are willing to do, Pantone ink printing, blind embossing, and a relatively small production batch — all of these factors quickly added up. At one point, the projected cost nearly overwhelmed me, and I seriously considered abandoning the idea altogether. But thanks to income from my graphic design work, I had some funds to invest — and I added some of my own savings as well — just to bring this passion project to life. It took me more than a year, and now, seeing it completed, it still feels almost unreal.

No, this notebook isn’t the cheapest. I can’t compete on price with large corporations. But I believe wholeheartedly that those who buy it will recognize the value of a high-quality product — one created with care, without compromise, and without cutting corners.