Six paper brands that every pen enthusiast should get to know.
Primary school, high school, college years – since I attended my schools during the PC era, all my notes during these years were handwritten, made in notebooks. The long-standing habit became so ingrained in me that even in the age of working on computers and emailing, I bought myself a few higher quality notebooks and diaries every year. The manufacturer was typically Bomo Art: I encountered the brand's products at Christmas markets back then.
In meetings and discussions, I like to write by hand, and I often draw a lot for explanation, much to the dismay of my colleagues. Over the years, I developed the need to use quality writing instruments and papers for this – that's why ten years ago, I also acquired a Montblanc filofax alongside my Montblanc Starwalker fountain pen.
I felt that the experience was not the “real” one yet, so I continued searching. Two things caught my attention: a silky, thicker white paper sheet similar to photo paper, which was great for drawing with black markers, and the “legal pad” featured in the Suits series.
The search began: I was looking for a good quality, yellow-lined A4 notepad. The LeColor brand had a product like this sold in Hungary for a year or two, but then I couldn't find that either.
I was left with the sawdust-quality, poorly bound and glued cheap papers.
This was the point when I decided that if I couldn't find decent paper in Hungary, I would search the wider world. The research (which lasted a maximum of a few days) yielded quick results: the factory name echoed back from several places, Tomoe River so I found a site and ordered quite a few papers from them.
During this period, I also started collecting fountain pens and inks, and it was good that both „mania” started at the same time. In my opinion, a good writing experience requires four things: the person writing, the pen, and the ink – but it all means nothing without good paper. You simply cannot write well on paper designed for printers; the paper is just not made for that. A weak analogy: it's like the world's best pianist playing the best Liszt piece in front of a music-savvy audience – on a out-of-tune, lousy piano.
What makes a paper good?
Papers are designed and made for different purposes. Printer paper can be printed with a lot of text cheaply and lasts relatively long. Photos are printed on special paper.
Similarly, special papers are made for handwriting – and within that, for writing with a fountain pen, which have the following characteristics:
- the thickness of the paper: if you write a lot, you need many pages in a notebook – but obviously, you wouldn't want to carry around a book the thickness of a Bible. In this (too), the Japanese have perfected their technique: Tomoe River produces its famously lightweight paper at 52 g/m2. Some people prefer heavier papers, and such options are widely available, but I think this is an important property.
- ink does not bleed through: no matter how thin the paper is, the ink does not bleed through it.
- “feathering”: the phenomenon known as “feathering” in English-speaking areas is characteristic of low-quality paper – the ink spreads along the fibers. However, a good quality paper cannot exhibit such a phenomenon.
- I also include the color of the paper here: I think it's important that the paper is pleasant to look at. We like the warm effect: some papers with a grayish-blue, cold color take away the joy of life from a person, let alone long writing (printer papers are typically like this).
Tomoe River
The factory was founded in 1914, initially producing paper products for industrial use. Later, they began specifically manufacturing papers for writing with fountain pens on this truly special „Bible paper.” Tomoe River papers are incredibly lightweight, producing papers at 52gr/m2. I sadly learned that they closed in 2021, but then production restarted. Today, 68 gr/m2 papers are available in stores – the quality is almost the same, by the way, it's worth trying these out.
The Tomoe River papers became world-famous with the Hobonichi Techo (手帳 – “Almost Daily – Planner” in Hungarian) products. The 4mm grid annual calendar is super thin, very manageable, and the Japanese have perfected it for everyday use.
In addition to the Japanese version, there are also English daily (A5 or A6), weekly planner (B5), and 3-year versions. The weekly planner has 240 pages, is 9mm thick, and weighs only 140g…
Hobonichi ships to Hungary, the order arrives within a week with a little customs paperwork – the 1101.com can be easily ordered from, you just need to pay the price shown there and that's it.
Several manufacturers also use Tomoe River paper for making notebooks, Galen Leather, Pebble Inc. – I can only recommend it to everyone.
Maruman
Also a 100-year-old Japanese factory, they started with the production of sketchbooks. Named after the Greek goddess of memory, the Mnemosyne line has been produced since 2004. Maruman's quality writing pads are extremely popular in business circles, available in many sizes and versions.
They are also available in Hungary (of course, only a few types), but it's worth hunting for, as they are truly very reliable quality.
Midori
We are still on Japanese brands, but now “only” a 50-year-old brand follows. Midori's paper products feel thick to me, but some people like this. In addition to notepads, they sell many other accessories (paper clips, sticky notes, etc.).
One or two products are also available in Hungary.
Rhodia
The most well-known European brand traces its business back 150 years. The first Rhodia pad was produced in 1934 in Lyon (the name Rhodia also comes from here: the locals are called Rhodanien). The classic orange and black collection is the traditional product, which we encounter most frequently.
I find the 80g paper a bit heavy and slightly rough, but it is an excellent choice for everyday use.
They are also developing other products: themed books, hard and leather-bound diaries are also included in the range.
Pineider
The company founded in 1774 is one of the biggest names. The Florentine Pinerider they truly manufacture fantastic products, they have also started development in the pen sector. I think they produce better than Montblanc quality, with better design but at a more affordable price.
The Pineider store in Florence was one of my best shopping experiences...
Moleskine
Despite the catchy marketing, this is a brand founded in 1997 Italian brand. They market cleverly, they have placed their products everywhere, it has practically become an industry standard for the general public: it has become the Montblanc of papers...
I used to buy a lot, their accessories are quite good too, but the paper itself – looking back – is not that great (about the same as Leuchtturm). Today they are developing apps, they also produce notebooks connected to Evernote – a well-known, successful, and innovative brand, that's for sure.
There are still many manufacturers that have been unjustly left out of the list: Clairefontaine, Cosmo, and Life also have a premium product range.
The world of papers is at least as colorful as the world of pens and inks, it's worth trying as many types as possible. Perhaps this is the least capital-intensive part of our hobby, but it can bring just as much joy.
Zsolt's further articles in the Budapest Pen Show community magazine here.
