Fabriano Ecoqua 3.5" X 5.5" Notebook Review

[Laike]

So I was going to the university bookstore intent on buying some 3.5" x 5.5" Clairefontaine notebooks, but alas, they were not in stock. Instead of hassling the salesperson to order some in from the other campus, these Fabriano EcoQua notebooks caught my eye. This is the first time I'm hearing about the company (though they claim they've been making paper since the 1200s, supposedly). So I figure I'd give it a shot. I present to you, my handwritten review! My apologies for my terrible handwriting, it's getting better. I swear.

 

Notes not covered in the review:

- The perforations are only on the second half of the notebook.

- Clairefontaine is usually cheaper per page at the U of T bookstore. I think it's about $0.04 per page for a similar sized notebook (except they are the 96 page ones)

 

http://25.media.tumblr.com/66799ecc6d717d965bc8c9aef29c93cc/tumblr_mwwuo0rV3Q1rd8nu4o1_1280.jpg

Edited November 27, 2013 by Laike

[Inkysloth]

I really like the EcoQua notebooks - glad they've made it to your neck of the woods!

 

"This is the first time I'm hearing about the company (though they claim they've been making paper since the 1200s, supposedly)"

 

They won't have been trading paper with Canada since the 13th century though, will they?!

[Laike]

Well, I guess the thought was more like are they claiming their paper has been used by da Vinci the way Moleskine claims Hemingway used them? They did have a nice pack in slip talking about the long history of the company and all the famous Italians who have used their paper. I wish I didn't throw it out now.

 

None the less, considering the alternatives at the UofT bookstore, this is probably the best. The fact it's cheaper than Field Notes had me sold.

[Inkysloth]

Well, I guess the thought was more like are they claiming their paper has been used by da Vinci the way Moleskine claims Hemingway used them? They did have a nice pack in slip talking about the long history of the company and all the famous Italians who have used their paper. I wish I didn't throw it out now.

 

Isn't it annoying when companies stretch the truth like that? TBH I don't know - I know they are an old manufacturer, not simply a new company buying up an extinct name & riding on their coattails, but I don't know how old.

[jimhughes]

I found some of the Pocket size Note books at Jerry's Artarama, stateside. They are soft, cahier like, covers and are available in Blank or Dot Page Lay out. No lined ones are available in this size I could find on Google. Are your hard cover? Happy Thanksgiving, Jim

[sarahfar]

i have some of them and the pads that are A5 size. Nice paper 85gr and dot grid. The paper isn't too heavy and isn't glassy but very nice.

[fraktur]

The paper on these is pretty amazing for the price. I pick mine up from a local Blick art supply shop but if you're in the states and dont have one close you can order online. Unfortunately the pages on the glued pads (which contain many more sheets than the stapled/spiral variants) come off very easily, so much so that even trying to fold them flat can separate them from the block. However, this happens to be a great benefit if you make your own journals, as I do, because you just have to pull away the glue (or cut it off) and you have perfectly cut sheets to fold into signatures.

[Laike]

Mines are soft cover, the grids come in more subdued colours while the blanks were in more colourful choices. I really like the material they used for the cover. It is very sturdy. I would definitely be more willing to pick these up as refills for my pocket journal cover if the prices were more in line with the Clairefontaine pocket notebooks.

[yogalarva]

I picked up a four pack of these notebooks (blank) in a local art supply store and I really like the paper inside. I just wish they came in a hardcover with more pages, since the paper covered, stapled notebook isn't really my scene...

[DanF]

The company is well known by artists as a producer of paper for fine art - watercolor, pastel, drawing, etc.

 

Dan

[Blade Runner]

 

Isn't it annoying when companies stretch the truth like that? TBH I don't know - I know they are an old manufacturer, not simply a new company buying up an extinct name & riding on their coattails, but I don't know how old.

Here are Fabriano links relating their history -

 

http://fabriano.com/p/en/11/fabriano_today

http://fabriano.com/p/en/111/

[MisterBoll]

Thank you Laike. I like these much better than the Field Notes I was using and in the process I discovered Jerry's Artarama which had them at a very good price.

[A. Peavey]

I think I'm going to try the Ecoqua instead of the Rhodia Dot Pad after reading this. Thanks, Laike.

[amongsttheleaves]

The city of Fabriano has a very long history of paper making and has a great little museum (http://www.museodellacarta.com/) where you can go and see traditional cotton paper being made and learn a bit watermarks and about how paper making developed, particularly how it became safer over time for the women working in the industry (it seems the dangerous jobs like coating the paper to ensure it didn't disintergrate were all done by women).

 

The modern paper company called Fabriano is still on the outskirts of the city, and does have links to companies who made paper centuries ago - companies who have amalgamated over the years and the like. There are no business links - to my knowledge - bewteen the museum and the company Fabriano, certainly the museum only sold paper made by the museum using traditional methods when I was there in May 2013.

 

I've been interested to hear how this notebook works out for you over time - I'm an academic who currently uses Rhodia side stapled notebooks for teaching related matters, but would like to use something a little more eco-friendly. I used to use Rhino recycled paper pads and notebooks, and they were great for a long time (coming to the end of my last 'old' pad), but they changed the paper and now it bleeds and feathers badly with every ink/pen combination I use on it. I'd be interested to hear of other experiences people have had with Fabriano notebooks.

[indigirl]

Chiming in a bit late to say I got a notebook from this line recently, & am pleasantly surprised at how fountain-pen-friendly it is.

 

This one is 40 pages, staple-bound, 5.8" x 8.25" & came in a variety of very nice colors, a good price at $3.79 here: http://rawmaterialsla.com/art-supplies/paper-board-and-films/sketch-books-and-journals/fabriano-ecoqua-notebooks

 

Although I usually don't like any branding on the outside of my notebooks, this one is subtle enough (a light gray on the dark purple cover) that I don't mind it; I suppose it also doesn't hurt that I have long, good associations w/ the brand, based on having used their watercolor papers.

 

Now that I've experienced how good it is, I'm going to get some of the 70-sheet spiral bound ones.

[Bookman]

Chiming in a bit late to say I got a notebook from this line recently, & am pleasantly surprised at how fountain-pen-friendly it is.

 

This one is 40 pages, staple-bound, 5.8" x 8.25" & came in a variety of very nice colors, a good price at $3.79 here: http://rawmaterialsla.com/art-supplies/paper-board-and-films/sketch-books-and-journals/fabriano-ecoqua-notebooks

 

Although I usually don't like any branding on the outside of my notebooks, this one is subtle enough (a light gray on the dark purple cover) that I don't mind it; I suppose it also doesn't hurt that I have long, good associations w/ the brand, based on having used their watercolor papers.

 

Now that I've experienced how good it is, I'm going to get some of the 70-sheet spiral bound ones.

 

I have Fabriano Ecoqua notebooks in all sizes, blank, grid, ruled. The paper is very good, textured and smooth at the same time. The A5s have replaced my A5 Clairefontaines.

[Bookman]

This thread seems to be missing some photos. Here are a few. I don't know whether these notebooks always come in a set of four. Mine did.

 

 

 

Each notebook has 32 leaves, 64 pages. The cover is typical Fabriano cardstock cover material, fairly stiff, and the notebook is staplebound. The last 16 leaves are perforated. That's half the notebook.

 

 

 

These are the only pen-ink combinations I have going at the moment.

 

 

 

I don't see any feathering.

 

 

 

 

The Bittner card was there for focusing. Show-through is minor enough that I wouldn't hesitate to use both sides.

 

Edited October 18, 2015 by Bookman

[CDunkle]

I have what I believe to be a Fabriano EcoQua notepad. It was distributed by IBM and my admin assistant got one and gave it to me. It is 24 pages (12 sheets) staple-bound with a light card stock cover with a green background and a stylized eye on it. The only markings on it are IBM stuff and one notation that just says Made in Italy. Dot grid paper, and very nice with all of my pens. It seems to work exceptionally well with the Shimmertastic inks.

[Fozziebear]

Very nice pics, @Bookman.

 

In general, I've been very happy with Fabriano. I have an Utrecht/Dick Blick around the corner from me and have picked up some of the dot-grid pads (4mm spacing, btw) when I can scrounge enough coin.

 

I had to return my most recent purchase, however. The "feel" of the paper was largely the same but, for some reason, the new pad had much more feathering and bleed-through. In the past, it's withstood my BSB test without so much as a hiccup. The new pad failed.

 

I've since moved on to the Seven Seas notebooks. Based on cost per page, the Tomoe River in the Seven Seas is pretty close to the Eco-qua, but, well, it's Tomoe River. And the binding is amazing. And it suits my purposes better, anyway. But I digress.

 

Back to our regularly scheduled thread: has anyone encountered variation between pads/notebooks of the Eco-qua? I'd be inclined to still pick up a pad or two (albeit less frequently), but I don't want to keep returning pads if the paper quality has tanked.

 

Thanks for starting/reviving this thread!

 

Cheers.

[cobalt]

Some firms are the real thing, and not hyped branding. Fabriano have a paper boutique on Neal St, Covent Garden, London. There is also a small Italian papeterie nearby with handmade writing paper, quills, etc.

 

Artists have used Fabriano paper longer than UofT has existed.