What are the cover and paper materials of notebooks?

The cover and paper materials of notebooks are varied, and different materials affect durability, touch, writing experience and aesthetics. The following are common classifications and characteristics:

I. Cover material

1. Leather

Genuine leather (cowhide, sheepskin)

Features: soft and wear-resistant, the more you use it, the more texture it has, suitable for business or high-end notebooks

Disadvantages: high price, need maintenance.

Imitation leather (PU leather)

Features: light, waterproof, cost-effective

Disadvantages: easy to crack after long-term use.

2. Paper

Cardboard + lamination

Features: simple and light, suitable for daily use.

Disadvantages: not waterproof, easy to break.

Art paper/special paper

Features: unique texture (such as cloth texture, relief), suitable for handbooks.

3. Cloth

Canvas/cotton cover

Features: literary and retro, soft touch.

Disadvantages: easy to get dirty, need to match with a protective cover.

Linen

Features: natural texture, breathable and durable.

4. Plastic/Silicone
PVC transparent cover

Features: waterproof, DIY inner pages (such as loose-leaf books).

Silicone soft shell

Features: anti-fall, suitable for students (such as some campus notebooks).

5. Metal/wood
Metal cover (aluminum, brass)

Features: minimalist industrial style, sturdy.

Wood cover

Features: natural texture, niche design.

2. Paper material
1. Ordinary writing paper
Dolin paper

Features: slightly yellow eye protection, smooth and does not bleed ink.

Coated paper

Features: smooth and thick, suitable for printing color pages, but not easy to write.

2. High-end writing paper
Acid-free paper

Features: anti-aging, no yellowing after decades of storage.

Tomoe River

Features: ultra-thin (52g) but anti-penetration, the favorite of fountain pen party.

3. Art paper
Watercolor paper
Features: thick (200g+), rough and absorbent, suitable for painting.

Sketch paper
Features: matte surface, strong expression of pencil and charcoal.

4. Special function paper
Waterproof paper (synthetic paper)
Features: can be used outdoors, does not rot when exposed to water.

Recycled paper
Features: environmentally friendly and rough, suitable for daily drafts.

5. Textured paper
Dot/graph paper: auxiliary typesetting, suitable for notes or design.

Blank paper: free writing, suitable for painting or mind mapping.

3. How to choose?
Cover:

Business chooses leather/hard cover, handbook chooses fabric/special paper, outdoor chooses waterproof material.

Paper:

For fountain pen, choose Bachuan paper/acid-free paper, students choose Daolin paper, painting chooses watercolor paper/sketch paper.

For example:

Travel notes: leather cover + Bachuan paper (light and durable).

Meeting minutes: hard cover + acid-free paper (professional and easy to preserve).

Watercolor notebook: fabric cover + 200g watercolor paper.

Only by matching the material according to your needs can you buy the most convenient notebook!