Staples Filler Paper (Loose Sheets) Fall Of '12

[DanF]

I was pleasantly surprised by some paper I picked up yesterday at Staples. It's on sale this week only for a penny a pack of 120 sheets (5 pack max), if you buy at least $5 of other merchandise. After the 5 packs for a nickel, it's $1 a pack, down form $2 regular price. Well at that price, I couldn't resist, so got 3 packs of wide rule (made in Egypt), and 2 packs of college rule (made in Mexico). I wrote about this in the paper and paraphernalia forum last night, and someone replied that the stock at his Staples store was made in Brazil, so keep your eyes pealed, that might be even better.

 

 

This paper is pretty thin, and reminds me a lot of the bagesse Eco-Friendly filler paper (also known as sugar cane paper) that used to be available at Staples, but now only comes in notebooks. It is very smooth, sort of a crisp feel, a just slightly softer finish than the Eco Friendly. I wouldn't be at all surprised if there was some bagesse content in it, though there is no claim to that on the packaging. There is only the slightest hint of feathering, some see through, but virtually no bleed through with my broad cursive italic, my wettest nib. The pictures will tell the story. I included a pic of the old bagesse for comparison.

 

This would be a great option for high use individuals like students, who are on a budget. Both sides of the sheet can be used with most pen and ink combinations, though it's so cheap, you may want to stay with just one side, due to the thinness of the paper. keep in mind these photos are larger than life, and magnify any slight feathering that is present. At life size, it's hardly noticeable, and I'm a picky sob!

 

First the wide rule:

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l279/T-Caster/DSC_0853_2.jpg

 

College rule:

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l279/T-Caster/DSC_0852_2.jpg

 

Now some close ups:

Wide:

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l279/T-Caster/DSC_0849_2.jpg

 

college:

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l279/T-Caster/DSC_0848_2.jpg

 

And the old Eco Friendly:

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l279/T-Caster/DSC_0850_2.jpg

 

This is the back of a sheet to demonstrate show through/bleed through:

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l279/T-Caster/DSC_0854_2.jpg

 

Beware, there are also spiral notebooks from Mexico on sale that have paper that looks similar, but suffers more bleed through than the filler paper.

 

There could also be variations in the filler paper being reviewed, so proceed with caution if you are going to stock up. But at the 650 sheets for a nickel sale price, it's no risk to give this paper a try.

 

Dan

Edited August 9, 2012 by DanF

[ttakacs]

The Staples Eco-Easy composition books from a couple of years ago were made in Egypt, so your guess that the current batch contains some bagasse might be accurate.

[AlejoPlay]

I was surprised when I ordered some notebooks from Staples here at work (Item #849372 . . . although what I have here looks different than the website, for one the notebooks are bigger than 8 1/2 by 11), these notebooks take Fountain Pen ink like champs. No feathering or bleed. The paper is made in Egypt for what it's worth.

[dspeers58]

Thanks for the heads up! I just ordered 5 packs of each with some other stuff. I bought my kids a couple of fountain pens, and so my son and daughter will have, apparently, some nice paper for school, and all for $0.50. (i might have to try some of the paper)

[AlejoPlay]

I just picked up 3 packs of the college ruled (made in Brazil) and 2 packs of graph ruled (made in Epypt). The graph was a waste. The college ruled took the two wettest pens I had on me no problem. Great deal. Thanks for the heads up!

 

I'm taking my unopened graph to a Staples with the receipt and seeing if I can exchange it for lined college rule. I am so surprised how good this paper is.

Edited August 9, 2012 by AlejoPlay

[DanF]

I did a little more investigation ( and shopping) today, and here is the scoop. The wide rule can either be from Egypt or Mexico, the narrow from Egypt, Mexico, or Brazil. They might all be mixed together on the shelf, so you may have to do a little digging. While the others are still pretty good, the Brazilian is worth the extra effort searching for.

 

I found and bought a good supply of the Brazilian, and it is a slight step up from the others in quality. The biggest difference is that the Brazilian paper is more opaque, though still quite thin, so there is very little show through, making it perfectly acceptable for two sided writing. It shows no feathering or bleed through. The lines are a darker blue and a little sharper. The Mexican and Egyptian paper showed a slight bit of feathering, and a tiny bit of bleed through with my wettest nib.

 

I will be keeping an eye out for Brazilian wide ruled too, but there was none to be found today. I asked one of the employees who was stocking shelves, and he had no idea if wide ruled from Brazil was available.

 

Dan

[AlejoPlay]

Regular price, this paper is .99 a pack. I may grab another bunch of it. Now if I could find a really nice looking way to carry it around ...

[bphollin]

Dan, what are the product numbers for these items?

[bphollin]

Never mind, I saw it in the other thread:

 

The wide ruled paper #37426 is made in Egypt, and the college ruled, #37427 is made in Mexico.

[DanF]

Regular price, this paper is .99 a pack. I may grab another bunch of it. Now if I could find a really nice looking way to carry it around ...

 

The sign on the pile said regular price $2 --- on sale (last week) with the first 5 packs a penny each, $1 each there after. But now, they should be back to $2 each.

 

Dan

 

 

 

[bphollin]

A bit of ground-truthing: My Staples in SW Florida had the college rule packs (all Brazil!) at $0.99 as of yesterday.

[melissa59]

Mine had no college ruled packs, but I was able to pick up a couple of wide rule from Brazil. Not much left on the shelf and most of what was there was from Mexico.

[DanF]

Melissa --- Good to know there is at least some Brazilian wide rule out there, Will definitely keep my eyes open for it.

 

Bphollin --- Good new about the price too.

 

Dan

 

 

 

[AlejoPlay]

A bit of ground-truthing: My Staples in SW Florida had the college rule packs (all Brazil!) at $0.99 as of yesterday.

 

Yay! Awesome!

[AlejoPlay]

I grabbed some USA Made filler paper and it was horrible. Avoid at all costs (even $0.99!) So bad.

[DanF]

Checked out my other Local Staples today and found lots of Brazilian wide ruled filler, so stocked up. I think i'm set now for a LONG time. I posted a comparison to the old bagesse filler paper in the Staples paper thread in the other forum. Staples Brand Filler Paper - Check It Out!

 

Dan

[pencrazed]

 

I did a little more investigation ( and shopping) today, and here is the scoop. The wide rule can either be from Egypt or Mexico, the narrow from Egypt, Mexico, or Brazil. They might all be mixed together on the shelf, so you may have to do a little digging. While the others are still pretty good, the Brazilian is worth the extra effort searching for.

I found and bought a good supply of the Brazilian, and it is a slight step up from the others in quality. The biggest difference is that the Brazilian paper is more opaque, though still quite thin, so there is very little show through, making it perfectly acceptable for two sided writing. It shows no feathering or bleed through. The lines are a darker blue and a little sharper. The Mexican and Egyptian paper showed a slight bit of feathering, and a tiny bit of bleed through with my wettest nib.

I will be keeping an eye out for Brazilian wide ruled too, but there was none to be found today. I asked one of the employees who was stocking shelves, and he had no idea if wide ruled from Brazil was available.

Dan

 

Hi Dan, I haven't had a lot of luck searching for the Brazilian one - I've only seen ones from Mexico and Egypt. Out of those two, which one would you say is higher quality? Or are they pretty much comparable? Thanks!