Are your notebooks actually eco-friendly?
Paper is one of the most widely used materials on the planet. But not all notebooks are made equal when it comes to sustainability. So are your notebooks sustainably made?
What natural resources are used to make a notebook?
Let's talk paper, recycling, and design
Some paper is responsibly made, and some isn’t. If you’ve ever wondered what the most eco-friendly stationery options are, this guide is for you. We’re answering some of the most-asked questions about sustainable notebooks, the environment, and what’s inside your favourite writing tools
What is the most eco-friendly paper?
The most eco-friendly paper is made from renewable resources, sourced from responsibly managed forests. It’s produced using energy-efficient, low-water processes in carbon-neutral or net-zero paper mills.
Look for FSC® or PEFC® certified paper with recycled content and no chlorine bleaching. These certifications help you know that the paper has a minimal environmental impact.
What is a sustainable source of paper?
A sustainable paper source comes from forests that are protected, regenerated, and responsibly managed for long-term ecological balance. This means protecting biodiversity, replacing what’s used, and maintaining fair working conditions.
Our paper is sourced from certified forests, and we partner with mills that offer full fibre traceability from harvest to notebook. It's paper with a paper trail.
Read more about how paper is made with G F Smith.
Are notebooks non-biodegradable?
It depends. Not all notebooks are designed with end-of-life in mind. Some use plastic coatings, synthetic fabrics or glue-heavy bindings that make them tricky to recycle or biodegrade.
At Papersmiths, we do things differently. Our notebooks are designed to be disassembled and recycled.
Our Everyday Notebooks have fully recyclable pages and card covers. Just remove the small amount of glue first.
The Wirebound Notebooks include recyclable paper pages. The wire can be recycled at your local metal centre. The linen covers can often be recycled with textiles – just check with your local service.
And our Clifton Hardback Notebooks, have a Linen bookcloth and ribbons that can go to a textile recycling bank. The paper and card inners are widely recyclable
Are Moleskine notebooks recyclable?
Moleskine notebooks are partially recyclable. The internal paper is fine to recycle, but the coated covers, elastic bands and glue-heavy bindings may need to be separated or binned.
When in doubt, look for notebooks made without plastic lamination or elastic closures. Ours are made with FSC-certified paper, minimal glue, and no coatings, making them easier to recycle and lower in waste.
You can find Moleskine notebooks and planners at our Papersmiths store in Chelsea.
Natural resources used to make a notebook include:
- Wood fibres (for paper)
- Water and energy (for processing)
- Metals (e.g. spiral bindings)
- Natural textiles (linen or cotton covers and ribbons)
- Glues (plant- or synthetic-based adhesives)
At Papersmiths, we use recycled materials, FSC-certified fibres, and locally sourced components. Our notebooks are made to the highest standards for design and for the planet.
How do you recycle your notebooks?
Our notebooks are designed to be both a joy to use and easy to recycle. Here’s how to dispose of each type thoughtfully, when the time comes.
- How to recycle Paperback Everyday Notebooks
Remove the soft card cover and gently peel away the glue strip. Recycle both with paper. All pages are FSC-certified.
- How to recycle Bookcloth Hardcover Notebooks
Carefully peel the linen bookcloth from the card backing, a scalpel or craft knife helps if it’s firmly secured. The inner pages and board can be recycled with paper. The cotton ribbons and linen cloth can be recycled at your local textile recycling bank, many supermarkets have one.
- How to recycle Wirebound Notebooks
Unwind or clip off the wire and take it to a metal recycling centre. Paper pages and card covers go in the paper recycling. Linen covers can go with textiles.
All our notebooks are made to be as low-waste as possible, using light glues and no lamination.
Is using paper notebooks better or worse than laptops and screens for the environment?
It depends on how both are made and used, but paper can have the edge. Sustainably sourced notebooks are made from renewable materials, and use far less energy to produce than digital devices. Tablets and laptops rely on mining, rare materials, and high-energy manufacturing.
If your notebook is from a brand that regenerates what it uses, offsets emissions, and avoids unnecessary waste (like us), it’s a more planet-friendly choice.
Plus, paper’s good for your brain. Writing by hand boosts memory, focus and creativity. We wrote about it in more depth in our blog: Why pen and paper is better than digital.
Plus another bonus, notebooks don’t need charging so you’ll never run out of juice!
The Papersmiths Notebooks - Sustainably Made in The UK
Here’s a closer look at how each of our own-brand notebooks is made, right here in the UK.
The Wirebound Bookcloth Notebooks
Handmade at a 104-year-old bindery near our Chelsea shop. Some covers are made using Toile Ocean, a bookcloth created from recycled ocean plastic. Inside, you’ll find FSC-certified paper that’s fountain pen-friendly. British-made ribbons use recycled and organic textiles. They’re fully recyclable when you’re finished.
The Clifton Hardback Bookcloth Notebook
Made at the same heritage bindery as our wirebound notebooks. Bound in vegan bookcloth in rich, bold colours. Even the ribbons are UK-made. Designed to last, and designed to be kind to the planet.
The Paperback Everyday Notebook
Our original softcover. Printed with vegetable inks on 100% recycled, FSC-certified paper. Made at a family-run bindery in Buckinghamshire. Covers come from G . F Smith, who make their paper in the Lake District using sustainable forestry and offset their carbon emissions.
The Papersmiths Notepad
One of our first designs. Handmade in Bristol, where Papersmiths began. Made from 80% recycled fibres with FSC-certified, acid-free, chlorine-free paper. Clean, smooth pages for whatever you need to jot down.
Sustainable Brands
Our own notebooks are just the beginning of our range. Every brand we stock is chosen for its design credentials, story, and sustainability standards.
- Storigraphic – 100% recycled gift wrap
- WOUF – Pencil cases made using recycled materials
- The Completist – Notebooks made with G . F Smith paper and recycled music paper
- And many more…
Want to explore our full eco-friendly collection? Browse sustainable stationery here
Or learn more about our partnership with G . F Smith
