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Journaling has been studied as an art form in and of itself, so it’s no wonder many modern diarists are drawn to leather journals. These notebooks are arguably more attractive than, say, a spiral collegiate notebook, and there’s something about the leather binding that suggests it will outlive you. Scholars of the future might not consider your personal journals precious historical documents. But then again, they might.
What to Look for In a Leather Notebook
By definition, a journal is personal, which means that we can’t prescribe the best look and feel of the book for you. Quality, however, is more quantifiable, and there are a few indicators of a quality product you should take note of (no pun intended).
Leather: Whether genuine or vegan, high-quality leather should feel soft and supple, not stiff. Real leather is thicker and generally much more durable than its pleather counterparts. If you do choose to purchase vegan leather, we advise doing a little research into the chemical process, as vegan leather has been criticized for its negative impact on the economy.
Paper: The paper sheets in a good journal should be a great deal thicker than what you’d find in a spiral-bound notebook, for example. Thicker paper will prevent the ink from your pen from bleeding through to the other side, and will better withstand everyday mishaps like spilled coffee or long journeys in the bottom of your book bag. Other paper considerations, including color, or lined vs. unlined, are personal choices. We’ll only say that the blankness of an unlined page offers a range of possibilities from writing to doodling to diagramming.
Refillable: Eventually, if you’re doing it right, you’re going to run out of sheets in your journal. At this point you can purchase a replacement notebook or, if your current journal allows, replace the existing pages with fresh ones. Some notebooks make refilling pages easy, others are possible with a little creative gluing and finagling, and others do not allow for this at all.
