It's important to find the notebook format that works best for you — this will depend on your personal preferences and what you plan to use it for. All Mark+Fold notebooks share the same marks of quality and attention to details (great quality paper, layflat binding), but we offer a range of formats to suit all sort of different projects.
Our two most popular notebook formats:
1. Classic Layflat Notebook
Our Classic Layflat Notebook distils many years of refinement into one great notebok for everyday. With 128 pages, this one will last you several months, even if you're quite a prolific note-taker! Available in a choice of cover colours and page layouts (plain, lined or dot grid, as well as its 'sister' the week-view Diary), you can select the format that works best for you. The Classic Layflat Notebook also works well with our Leather Covers, so you can protect your notebook and arrive at meetings looking super chic, with a bundle of refill notebooks waiting on your shelf when you need them.
Key details
- Size: A5 (half letter) — 6” × 8.5” / 210 × 148 mm
- Pages: 128
- Layouts: plain, lined or dotted
- Paper: 120gsm super-smooth pages, chosen for fountain pen and other specialist writing tools
- Binding: thread-sewn in sections with white thread and finished with a thin, air-dried cold glue for a soft, durable layflat
- Cover: softback 350gsm card with blind-debossed logo and foil thumbcut motif
2. Exercise Book or Slim Notebook
Slimmer and lighter than our Classic Layflat Notebook, the Exercise Book format is inspired by school books which we used as children. These were intended to be for more 'rough' work and although the paper we use in ours is very high quality, we still feel that the overall format feels more informal and encourages you to write and sketch more freely.
Many customers tell us that they like to buy a set of these in various colours, so that they can organise meeting notes or project plans by colour, with the ability to easily locate a particular notebook from the shelf. The slim format also makes these very portable so you can limit the weight in your bag and simply carry the notebook you need for today's actions.
Key details
- Sizes: A5 (6” × 8.3” / 210 × 148 mm) or A6 pocket (4” × 5.8” / 148 × 105 mm)
- Pages: 48
- Layouts: plain pages (we’re exploring lined and dotted options)
- Paper: 120gsm super-smooth pages, fountain-pen friendly
- Binding: thread-sewn (visible stitch on the centre-fold)
- Cover: softback 350gsm card with blind-debossed logo and foil thumbcut motif
What all Mark+Fold Notebooks have in common:
We believe that a new notebook can inspire you to do your best work, so all the details have to be just right. Small distractions (like poor quality paper or stiff binding that prevents the book from laying open flat) can really disrupt your flow and get in the way of you doing your best work. So we aim to create the perfect blank canvas, where all the details are just right, so you can focus on the important stuff and get lost in your thoughts as you put pen pleasingly down on paper.
Paper quality
We use a very high-quality 120gsm paper, which is sustainably sourced and chosen for its performance with fountain pens and other specialist tools. It has excellent opacity (to prevent bleed-through), resists feathering, and offers a smooth, warm-white surface that feels pleasing to write on. Our papers also work well with rollerball, ballpoint and pencil. Some customers have even used paints with care; while we don’t officially recommend painting on notebook pages, we’ve seen lovely examples of gouache and watercolour.
Layflat binding
We use several different binding techniques but they have one thing in common: they lay open flat. We always use thread-sewing, which means that the pages are held together well (as opposed to 'loose leaf' bindings where pages can fall out). We also use either no glue at all, or a very thin layer of cold glue which is allowed to air dry. This is the same approach as traditional bookbinding and it serves to preserve flexibility and strength, for a pleasingly 'floppy' layflat book. Cheaper alternatives use 'hot glue' as in magazine and paperback bindings, which dries no impact making it cheaper to make, but with an inferior finish. When you love notebooks as much as we do, only the best will do!
How to choose the right notebook for your next project
- Choose the Classic Layflat Notebook if you want a durable notebook to keep as a record, with a choice of plain, lined or dot grid pages.
- Choose the Exercise Book if you want something slimmer and more compact for note-taking on the go, in a choice of colours and formats (A5 or A6 sizes).
Of course, you can also use them in combination — all our stationery is designed to work together, so you can build a system that works for you. Here are some ideas:
- Classic Notebook for everyday notes + Exercise Book for special projects + Week Planner to live on your desk for at-a-glance planning.
- Week-view Diary and Exercise Book tucked into a Leather Cover, to take with you in your work bag and have at-hand in meetings, plus a Classic Layflat Notebook back on your desk for longer notes and idea development.
What will you include in your system?
