TAD* These notebooks were gifted to me but all thoughts are my own.
If you have been following me for a while, you will know that stationery is a huge passion of mine. I will often share content on: bullet journaling, planning and productivity tips.
During this month, I have been sharing sustainable alternatives and stationery is another area in your life where you can make positive changes to both your carbon footprint and the environment. Using paper products allows you to keep the digitalised world and feel more connected with what you are planning or writing.
A new year for me always signals new stationery: a new planner, new notebooks and new ‘To Do List’ pads for example. When you are considering new stationery, what do you look for?
I will be purchasing sustainable and vegan options in the future, so that I know my passion isn’t negatively affecting the environment. I have been researching the best vegan stationery on the UK market this year and found 4 brands who offer a variety of products, which are all completely vegan and sustainable. You can shop with total confidence and feel guilt free! What could be better?
1. Dingbats Notebooks
Dingbats is an eco friendly brand but also the only notebook brand that has a vegan certification, how amazing is that? The notebooks are handmade with minimalistic motifs on the front. They have the environmental credentials including the mark of the Forest Stewardship Council. All materials used for their notebooks are vegan, recyclable and biodegradable. Their notebooks can be used for a variety of purposes including bullet journals, a diary, executive notebook or even a sketch book. You can find Dingbats on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest & YouTube.
Thread Bound Notebook With Whale Debossing
This notebook is pocket-sized (9.5cm x 14.5cm) with coated cream pages which are 100gsm. The cover is made from a vegan, degradable, faux leather material. The paper is acid free and suitable for the use of fountain pens. This notebook also features: a pen holder, a bookmark, an expandable pocket to store additional notes and it has an elastic, secure band around the cover. The pages are micro-perforated and the 192 pages open flat to write with ease.
I love that Dingbats are leading the way in vegan stationery and have been for so long. This notebook is part of Dingbats Wildlife Collection; they have a range of animals for you to choose from in so many colours. There is a design for everyones’ personality. I love the navy blue design as it is one of my favourite colours, so this notebook is perfect for me. I am really looking forward to using this notebook, it is the perfect size to put in my bag if I need to.
2. Yop & Tom
This brand was created in 2019, in London, by two friends who wanted to help people unlock their potential through intentionally designed paper products. Their products are specifically designed to aid people in disconnecting from the digital world and allow themselves to reconnect with what is really important to them. Yop & Tom want the products to help their customers be more productive and achieve their goals. You can find them on: Instagram.
Dotted Grid A5 Journal
This A5 dotted journal is the cloud design in the eggshell blue; the cloud is gold embossing. This journal has 160gsm paper which has lay-flat stitched binding. Inside the journal, there are allocated pages for a key, an index and even pen test pages! The cover is made from vegan leather and has a smooth finish.
I am so impressed by Yop & Tom! As you all know by now, I am an avid bullet journal user and have been using Archer & Olive products because I love the 160gsm paper and I hadn’t found a brand that had the cover designs I liked. Well, my search is over! Yop & Tom is a UK-based brand, so not only do they make the product I want, but they are more affordable as I don’t have to pay for international shipping!
This journal has many great features, but the biggest thing that caught my eye was the pen test pages. There are many bullet journals on the market, but none with this feature. This will be really beneficial for me as I love to swatch new fineliners and brush pens.
Also, I love the fact that there is no annoying pen loop; for many people who journal that extra feature can be frustrating as it is not something that they like to use. Bright, white pages make journal spreads look so much cleaner. This company is definitely doing to be my new ‘go to’ for my bullet journals in the future.
3. Glitter & Earth
This company is run by Jacqueline, who is based in Cornwall, where she lives in an old miner’s cottage on the edge of St Just. She shares her life with her husband and daughter Tabitha. Jaqueline learned to draw digitally with an iPad as her creative outlet whilst raising her daughter,
Whilst being a talented designer, Jacqueline always thought that she would be a writer. She took part in the 100 Day Project and created 100 fairies, which led to the book, ‘Glitter and Earth: Tales of Magic and Wonder’. If you couldn’t tell already, Jacqueline loves all things magical and whimsical. It is her hope that her work will inspire and make people smile. You can find her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and check out her shop on Etsy.
Each of these notebooks has thick, plain, white cartridge paper inside (140gsm) which feels really high quality. The paper is perfect for: pens, markers and even paints! All 3 notebooks are created by Jacqueline and I am always in awe of the beautiful creations which she shares.
The quote ‘Do Something That Feeds Your Soul Every Day’, I love and relevant to my focus this year. The fox design has a real autumnal feel to it. I love the moon and the quote inside it ‘Stay Wild, Moon Child’. In addition, I love the flower detail and the pops of colour it brings to the design. The bear design has a beautiful night sky full of stars and a constellation picked out in gold. The gold leaves and plants work so well in contrast with the black background. As well as the tree trunks adding great texture and depth.
4. Cesca
Cesca is a family-run business and extended family members make up the team. Using the most sustainable materials to create gifts that do not cause a negative impact on the environment! Their aim is to produce colourful, quality office, travel and home accessories, building on UK manufacturing, bringing skilled jobs back to Northamptonshire. Head Office is located here, but some of the team are located across Europe.
Clear Zipped Travel Pouch
The clear body of this pouch is PVC free, so it is not only soft to touch, but is kind to the environment. The decorative top and the zip are made of vegan material. These pouches are made in a range of 12 colours, so there is sure to be a colour for everyone, which best reflects your personality! This pouch can be used for a multitude of purposes from storing your pens to keeping products neatly in your bag.
Lifestyle A4 Casebound Notebook
This A4 vegan notebook has 96 pages of lined, cream paper. The notebook comes in a range of 12 colours, so you can match all your products or choose a different colour every time! The cover has a natural grain, but is made of vegan soft touch. I have already gifted this to my little sister to use for her online schooling as it is an idea size for taking notes.
Como Recycled A5 Notebook
The Como range has covers which are made from their unique Como material, which is vegan. The base of the material is rPET (recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate), headed for landfill. They recycle it into a new, tactile, soft and flexible material; isn’t science amazing?! The 96, white, lined pages are 80gsm and made from recycled waste that was also headed to the landfill!
The Como range is available in 5 colours; my favourites are the raspberry and the blue. I much prefer writing in the A5 size as I find it more comfortable especially as this notebook lies flat. I love the texture of the cover – it feels like leather, but I can enjoy it guilt free! This range has bright, white pages, which I am thrilled about. I cannot wait to start writing in it!
Deluxe Soft Touch A5 Notebook
This range of notebooks are block sewn bound. This is not only the strongest binding, but guarantees that the book lies completely flat when opened. The book has 96 pages of 80gsm, lined, 100% recycled paper, which feels like regular paper, only it’s better for our planet. The cover is made from durable, vegan material and has a soft texture. This range has a colour matching ribbon page marker and they come in a range of 12 colours. I am looking forward to using these products.
All these products, despite being vegan, definitely do not compromise on quality and design.
Have you bought from these brands before or have you discovered something new that you’re going to try? What is your favourite product which I have featured? I’d love to hear your comments.
All of these items are so cute! I am obsessed with stationary and I definitely have more than I need but I’ll need to look into these because it’s great that they are vegan! X
Thank you for reading and commenting. Can you link your blog?
You had me at stationary Lauren! What a lovely selection of products but the fact that they are vegan is brilliant. Honestly, I didn’t know that was a thing.
Yop and Tom is my favourite, I love the journals and they are great value as well x
Yop and Tom are a great archer and olive alternative in fact I believe better due to their ethics and quality and cheaper shipping.
This is such an informative post with some really great brands. I will definitely check some of these out but I’ve heard great things about Yop and Tom so they are first on my list.
Great post!
Thank you! Yop and Tom are a great archer and olive alternative. Link your blog so I can read.
I love how you’re writing a lot of posts including sustainable and eco-friendly products! All of this stationery is so beautiful and I now want every single notebook x
Because it is Veganuary, I am doing a Veganuary series on my blog. They are all super affordable! X
Great post! I didn’t realise any stationery wasn’t vegan- so this is a very enlightening and interesting post. I think these are some great choices, thank you for sharing x
I truly never realised the impact of stationery, to be honest, but thanks for this post! I love that there’s plenty of vegan and recycled choices! Will surely check them out when I need a new one, thanks for sharing x
Thank you for this post Lauren! I never knew stationery was not vegan by default. Now I do!
Such a great post. I never thoughts about vegan stationary, but it seems like there are lots of different options to choose from which is fantastic.
Steph | http://www.stephhannam.com
Wow, so many good options. I will look around to see what is available in the US. I did buy a new planner this year, but last year I repurposed a notebook I already owned to customize my own, didn’t work out as well as I planned but I saved it recycled the used pages and am using it for a notebook of writing ideas. Mine may not be as pretty but I need to use up what I have first.
That is so good and although buying new stationery that is vegan and recycled is great but you need to use up what you have first. Thank you for sharing. Can you link your blog so I can read? X
livingeveryday2017.wordpress.com
I love the notebook with a Whale on the front, it’s so simple but so adorable!
I’ve recently bought a vegan notebook, but until then, I’d never really considered vegan stationary before. Lots of fab recommendations, thanks for sharing! x
Sophie
Some really good options here. I’m such a sucker for stationery & notebooks. The Cesca ones look nice, professional yet colourful and simple, with lines which is what I tend to prefer for notebooks. What a lovely idea to gift it to your sister.
xx
Oh my goodness, I love how much choice there is here! I’ve had a focus on looking for small businesses for stationary lately, but this adds a whole new level to it. All of these look gorgeous. As if I needed any excuse to go stationary shopping. The idea of a pen test page is genius!
As a stationery lover and a plant-based person, I need these in my life. The whale motif notebook would be perfect for my poetry scribbles. I’ve been looking and looking and nothing seemed right so thank you for this — really great!
Glad you found something you will use. Thank you for reading.
Oh, I am a stationery addict so this post is just brill! I will be bookmarking when i need (another) new notebook. They all look so pretty, and winner that they are vegan and more eco friendly!
Thanks for sharing!
Aimsy xoxo
Aimsy’s Antics
That’s great you found this helpful Aimsy. Thank you for reading and commenting.
As a self confessed stationery lover, I am all over this post! It’s really good to know that there are such a variety of options out there, especially from an eco friendly and vegan point of view. Thanks for sharing <3
//teandtwousgars.blogspot.com xx
That’s great. So glad you enjoyed the post.
I haven’t bought from or even heard of these products before. I will be checking them out though when I next need a notebook! x
I love a new notebook and these look great! I’m happy as long as I can use a fountain pen with them.
Jacqueline’s designs are beautiful, she is super talented
I saw some of these over on your Instagram and was wowed. I had no idea vegan stationery was even a thing! My fave is the Thread Bound Notebook With Whale Debossing which I know Flora would LOVE – she’s got a birthday coming up in March so good timing! Thank you for sharing these picks, Lauren xx
That’s great! So glad you enjoyed reading it. That would be a lovely gift x
This is such a great post! I know my mother would love the whale notebook & I love the designs of Glitter & Earth!
The Glitter and Earth designs are absolutely beautiful! It’s funny, stationery isn’t something you usually think about when it comes to Veganism but of course it’s very much a part of it! I think this will definitely make me more cautious going forward to the stationery I’m buying to ensure I’m purchasing eco-friendly products! x
That’s great and I know you instantly think of food but it is all areas. Jacqueline has beauty designs doesn’t she? Thank you for reading Jenny!
This is a great post. I used to do a lot of journaling. That is my goal to get into it this year. I really like the designs and the different journals you have displayed.
Thanks for promoting our vegan, UK made sustainable notebooks & journals. We are passionate about making great gifts and stationery in the most sustainable vegan materials we can find. We look forward to continuing to extend our range and hope we can tempt you with lots more products in 2021.
The Team @ Cesca
Love stationery! Glitter and Earth has definitely caught my eye x
She is a great artist! Definitely check out her artist. Can you link your blog? X
What a great idea for a post. I have to admit I’ve never even thought about stationary being non-vegan. Will definitely be more mindful in the future.
Thank you for reading and commenting. Can you link your blog?
I love the glitter and earth series! They all look gorgeous but I’m particularly drawn to the illustrations on the front cover.
Jacqueline is a great artist. You should check out her store on Etsy – Glitter & Earth
Very nice idea these vegan products and so beautiful 😍😍😍