Notebooks

Eighty grams as a minimum. Below that, pen ink bleeds through and a marker ruins the next page. From ninety grams the notebook can be used on both sides, which is what makes it last.

Sewn binding opens flat and lasts for years, and it's the most expensive. Glued binding is the usual choice and does the job if the spine is flexible. Ring binding is handy for tearing out pages and the worst for fitting into a backpack.

It depends on the material. On fabric-covered hardback, blind embossing or foil stamping give an understated finish that ages well. Colour screen printing works on smooth covers. On cork and recycled materials, laser engraving produces a very clean toasted tone.

Good-quality recycled paper does: it writes just as well as virgin paper. Cheap recycled paper absorbs the ink and leaves it blurred. There's certified recycled paper available, if requested.

A5. An A4 notebook doesn't fit in a backpack and ends up in a drawer.