The Best 7 Environmentally Friendly Notebooks

Best 7 Environmentally Friendly Notebooks

The paper industry is a heavy polluter. You might be aware of it, but this article will probably convince you of buying an environmentally friendly notebook. Don’t believe me?

Ok, let’s go. Give me a shot.

A notebook is one of those things that you probably look at and think: “Does that small thing really make much of an impact on the environment?”. And that is totally understandable.

However, several studies have shown that people tend to underestimate the carbon footprint relatede tosmall, everyday things. For instance, you might eat beef or other types of red meat three-four days per week. The same thing goes with your plastic toothbrush – you buy one every second month. How bad can that really be?

Well, the beef industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world. And 800,000,000 (eight hundred million) plastic toothbrushes end up in landfills in USA  every year. So it makes a difference.

And so does notebooks.

The Best 7 Environmentally Friendly Notebooks

Table of Contents

In a hurry? Here’s my top picks

PS! I promise you: all of these notebooks are very environmentally friendly. 🙂

But some are better than others.

Our favorite
Rocketbook Smart Reusable Notebook - Dot-Grid Eco-Friendly Notebook with 1 Pilot Frixion Pen & 1 Microfiber Cloth Included - Midnight Blue Cover, Letter Size (8.5" x 11")
Best package deal
Northbooks Graph Paper Notebook Journal | 5x8 Grid Notebooks | Soft Cover Eco-Friendly Premium Recycled Cream Color Paper 96-Pages | Made in USA | 5-Pack
Top student choice
PAPERAGE Lined Journal Notebook, (Red), 160 Pages, Medium 5.7 inches x 8 inches - 100 gsm Thick Paper, Hardcover
Rocketbook Smart Reusable Notebook - Dot-Grid Eco-Friendly Notebook with 1 Pilot Frixion Pen & 1 Microfiber Cloth Included - Midnight Blue Cover, Letter Size (8.5" x 11")
Northbooks Graph Paper Notebook Journal | 5x8 Grid Notebooks | Soft Cover Eco-Friendly Premium Recycled Cream Color Paper 96-Pages | Made in USA | 5-Pack
PAPERAGE Lined Journal Notebook, (Red), 160 Pages, Medium 5.7 inches x 8 inches - 100 gsm Thick Paper, Hardcover
$30.32
Price not available
$10.95
Our favorite
Rocketbook Smart Reusable Notebook - Dot-Grid Eco-Friendly Notebook with 1 Pilot Frixion Pen & 1 Microfiber Cloth Included - Midnight Blue Cover, Letter Size (8.5" x 11")
Rocketbook Smart Reusable Notebook - Dot-Grid Eco-Friendly Notebook with 1 Pilot Frixion Pen & 1 Microfiber Cloth Included - Midnight Blue Cover, Letter Size (8.5" x 11")
$30.32
Best package deal
Northbooks Graph Paper Notebook Journal | 5x8 Grid Notebooks | Soft Cover Eco-Friendly Premium Recycled Cream Color Paper 96-Pages | Made in USA | 5-Pack
Northbooks Graph Paper Notebook Journal | 5x8 Grid Notebooks | Soft Cover Eco-Friendly Premium Recycled Cream Color Paper 96-Pages | Made in USA | 5-Pack
Price not available
Top student choice
PAPERAGE Lined Journal Notebook, (Red), 160 Pages, Medium 5.7 inches x 8 inches - 100 gsm Thick Paper, Hardcover
PAPERAGE Lined Journal Notebook, (Red), 160 Pages, Medium 5.7 inches x 8 inches - 100 gsm Thick Paper, Hardcover
$10.95

As you might already notice, these three notebooks are all very different. They have different advantages, which means that further explanation might be needed.

Huge list: The 7 best eco-friendly notebooks on Amazon

Most of the product information can be found by clicking on the Amazon links in the table above. However, I would also like to give you some deeper insight after buying and testing all of the notebooks myself.

#1: Rocketbook – not your traditional notebook

Sale
Rocketbook Smart Reusable Notebook - Dot-Grid Eco-Friendly Notebook with 1 Pilot Frixion Pen & 1 Microfiber Cloth Included - Midnight Blue Cover, Letter Size (8.5' x 11')
62,709 Reviews
Rocketbook Smart Reusable Notebook - Dot-Grid Eco-Friendly Notebook with 1 Pilot Frixion Pen & 1 Microfiber Cloth Included - Midnight Blue Cover, Letter Size (8.5" x 11")
  • No more wasting paper - this environmentally-friendly 32 page dotted grid notebook can be used endlessly by wiping clean with a damp cloth
  • Blast your handwritten notes to popular cloud services like Google drive, Dropbox, Evernote, box, OneNote, Slack, iCloud, email and more using the free Rocketbook application for iOS and Android
  • Allow 15 seconds for ink from any Pilot Frixion pen, marker, or highlighter to dry in order for it to bond to our specialized pages
  • Sophisticated AI technology allows you to use Rocketbook’s smart titles, smart search, and email transcription for easier naming and searching of your notes
  • Includes 1 Rocketbook Core (formerly known as Everlast) Letter Size (8.5" x 11") Notebook, 1 Pilot Frixion Pen, and 1 Microfiber Cloth. Note package may reflect "Everlast”

This is more than a notebook.

Rocketbook is an extremely innovative product that has seriously disrupted the notebook market. If you haven’t heard about this concept, you are about to become surprised.

When a traditional notebook is filled out, you have to throw it away. After all – there are no more blank pages to write something on. Rocketbook is different. Once the book is filled out, you can microwave the book for about two minutes and….BOOM. All your pages are blank again!

It might sound like some black magic trick, but it’s absolutely true.

Say goodbye to wasting paper. Say hello to a more environmentally friendly lifestyle.

Extreme growth

According to GlobeNewsWire.com, Rocketbook was aquired in 2020 by the giant pen company BIC.

That happened at a valuation of 40 million USD.

I know that many people will reject to support big multinational companies for the sake of the environment. However, we are so extremely happy with Rocketbook that we don’t see why you would not want to buy this notebook.

It’s amazing. Believe us.

Product specifications

Brand nameRocketbook
Pen included?Yes
Number of pages32 pages

#2: Dotted Bullet Notebook

Dotted Bullet Notebook /Journal - Eco-Friendly Natural Cork Hardcover Dot Grid Notebook with Pen Loop - Premium Thick Paper - A5 (5x8In)Bound Notebook
3,597 Reviews
Dotted Bullet Notebook /Journal - Eco-Friendly Natural Cork Hardcover Dot Grid Notebook with Pen Loop - Premium Thick Paper - A5 (5x8In)Bound Notebook
  • ★ ECO FRIENDLY NOTEBOOK - Choose cork fabric as notebook cover, cork is such a versatile, natural and sustainable material. It feels soft and supple to the touch like leather, but its 100% cruelty free and so much better for the environment. Great GIFT for any VEGAN.
  • ★ LAY-FLAT 180° PERFORATED NOTEBOOK - Thread-bound lay-flat design make you reading more easy and note-taking efficiency, enjoy your writing by hand with no distractions. All of the classic notebook pages are micro-perforated, easily to tear off or archiving anytime.
  • ★ PREMIUM THICK PAPER FOR BULLET JOURNALING - Choose high quality acid free writing paper. Which is environmental, recyclable, pollution-free and has no fluorescer, can effectively protect your eyesight. The paper 20%-60% thicker and smoother than normal, suit for most pens.
  • ★ FUNCTIONAL & STYLISH NOTEBOOK - Sturdy Sewn Elastic PEN HOLDER + Expandable POCKET + Elastic Closure STRAP + 1 Ribbon BOOKMARK. Cool cork cover will give your journal a diistinctive look from standard journals. Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.7 in, great for your purpose & perfect size for on-the-go.
  • ★ SPECIAL GIFT - A special gift you can share with your friends and family. Perfect for Christmas gift, New Year gifts or Birthday presents.

Dotted Bullet Notebook is nowhere close to being as expensive as Rocketbook. The design already gives you a feeling of an environmentally friendly product. All the ingredients used to create this notebook has been sourced 100 % organically, which is important to me.

When I tried the notebook, I was not really blown away. I mean, it’s a nice product, but it’s nothing really special about it. If you want a decent eco-friendly notebook that will last for a while: this is a good option.

Pros

  • High quality.
  • Very affordable
  • Made out of 100 % organic materials

Cons

It’s nothing special about this notebook.

Product specifications

Brand nameLemome
MaterialCork (on the outside)
Paper96 sheets – 192 papers

#3: Lokta paper notebook

A5 Vintage Lokta Journal - Handmade A5 Blank Page Notebook Box Set With Ribbon - Eco-friendly Lokta Paper Writing Journals - Gift Ideas for Business People/Scrapbook/Travel Diary/Women/Men
17 Reviews
A5 Vintage Lokta Journal - Handmade A5 Blank Page Notebook Box Set With Ribbon - Eco-friendly Lokta Paper Writing Journals - Gift Ideas for Business People/Scrapbook/Travel Diary/Women/Men
  • HANDPAINTED A5 BODHI LOKTA PAPER JOURNAL: Weighing only 450 grams, every page of this 6x8 inch journal is made with tree-free Lokta paper, made from the Lokta bush grown in the high altitude of the Himalayan Mountains in Nepal. Each page contains natural flecks and texture unique to the art of hand-crafted Lokta paper. The covers are hand-coloured by vegetable-dyes made from natural fruits and vegetables and are decorated with a bodhi leaf.
  • PERFECT GIFT SET: Great as travel or trekking keepsake, scrapbook, recipe book, guestbook, sketchbook, prayer journal, and ideal for nature lovers, meditation practitioners, yogis and more. Each vintage journal is beautifully packed in a keepsake box made of Lokta paper pressed with mixed flowers. Each gift set is tied with black ribbon. This uniquely, special and beautiful package makes the perfect gift to to pamper your family member, friend, loved ones – men and women alike or self.
  • HAND-CRAFTED IN THE HIMALAYAS, NEPAL: The Handmade Lokta Paper has been sustainably created in the rural villages of Nepal. Grown in the high altitude of the Himalayan mountains, Lokta pulp is spread by hand over boxed screens and set to dry in the Himalayan sun, creating a soft yet tough paper. This natural writing paper is entirely handmade by local artisans of Nepal.
  • CONSCIOUS CONSUMERISM: Every Bodhi leaf journal is handmade with love and dedication from truly talented Nepalese artisans. Fair trade agreements are strictly followed, which means that with every purchase, you are not only promoting handmade, artisan craftsmanship, but you are also providing opportunities for and supporting incredibly underprivileged communities.
  • WE CARE ABOUT YOUR SATISFACTION: Each Bodhi Leaf Lokta Journals is distinctly unique and made with love, dedication and a passion for preserving ancient cultural practice. We hope you will love them as much as we do. If you are unhappy with your journal for any reason, you can simply return the item within 30 days after delivery for a prompt replacement or refund. No restocking charges, no hassle!

If you haven’t heard about Lokta paper: that’s fine. Only the eco-nerds among us have heard about that.

This is a special type of paper that is made by papers from trees on the Himalaya mountain. The whole notebook is actually handmade in Nepal, which makes it super cool and exotic. To me, this is more of a gift than anything else. If you have some friends that are in need of a notebook, this might very well be the perfect opportunity to buy one.

Pros

  • Very unique
  • Made out of materials that “no one else” have
  • The paper is very smooth

Cons

Price might be a bit steep for a “simple” notebook.

Product specifications

Weight0,45 kilos
Made inNepal

#4. Woodchuck Wood Journal – Premium quality & premium price

Yeah, I know. The price is quite steep on this one, but I had to include it in the article.

Woodchuck Wood Journal simply is the perfect example of how you can create an eco-friendly product. Let me summarize some of the attributes:

  • Neat, pretty, I would almost say magnificent design. Top notch.
  • The paper is 100 % recyclable, certified by FSC (Forest Stewardship Council).
  • You can choose between lined pages or blank pages. It comes down to what you want to use it for.
  • Handmade in the USA.
  • The cover is made by real wood.
  • As every product is handmade, it will have a unique touch that differs from the product picture on Amazon.

This is great.

If you think that it is a bit pricey to buy as a “normal” notebook that is totally understandable. But it could be perfect as a gift to a birthday, a wedding or a bachelor party?

Product specifications

Number of pages176
Brand nameWoodchuck
MaterialWood

#5. Night Owl Sunny Camp notebook – Perfect for kids

Maybe a bit “childish” design on this one? I don’t know. Anyway, it is an excellent choice if you rather want to buy something that is sustainable, but cheap. A great notebook that is made out of sustainably-harvested birch wood.

  • A design your kids will love
  • FSC-approved paper
  • Quite small (120 pages)

Maybe a bit “childish” design on this one? I don’t know. Anyway, it is an excellent choice if you rather want to buy something that is sustainable, but cheap. A great notebook that is made out of sustainably-harvested birch wood.

The paper is approved by FSC and the book got a total of 120 pages. This notebook is also made in USA, which is great. If you are an American, you should always try to support local businesses that are making an effort of saving the world.

I think all of these environmentally friendly notebooks look lovely.

If you want to invest in a good, solid, green and “Instagram-friendly” notebook, you have the chance. They are just as good to write in as those cheap notebooks being sold in every single bookstore.

Product specifications

BrandNight Owl
Made inThe USA
Number of pages120

#6. Northbooks Journal – Cheap & good 5-pack

If you need a lot of great recycled notebooks at once: buy this package from Northbooks.

  • 5 notebooks for the price of….1?
  • Loads of good reviews on Amazon
  • Minimalistic design
  • Sustainably sourced paper
  • Every single order on Amazon will plant a tree

One of the reasons why I would suggest that you buy these environmentally friendly notebooks from Northbooks Journal is because of their collaboration with Eden Projects.

Every time you purchase 5 books, you are giving life to a new tree.

Isn’t that amazing?

Cheap, but high quality

Planting a tree is not the only amazing thing about buying these books. They are also available in a variety of different sizes and types.

For instance, you can choose between purchasing hardcover or softcover. Many people have very clear preferences when it comes to the outside cover of their notebook. Northbooks know that – and that’s why they offer both types. 

Squares, dots or plain?

Also, the books are available in three different designs. I personally prefer a completely plain notebook, but many people (especially those who do mathematics?) would go for the squared version.

Regardless of your preferences: I am sure that Northbooks will have you covered.

Product specifications

Brand nameNorthbooks
Number of pages96

#7. Paperage Recycled Lined Notebook – Perfect for work or school

If you want a classic, neat, and lined notebook for school work: go for this one from the famous company Paperage.

  • Available in 7 different colors
  • Got a strap around the notebook to keep it stable in your backpack or purse
  • Very easy to bring back and forth from work/school without getting damaged
  • Made out of high-quality paper (recycled – obviously)
  • Good reviews on Amazon

Again: this is probably the best book if you want an actual environmentally friendly paper notebook that you can bring to school or work.

Currently, there are 7 colors available. I am 100 % sure that you will find one that matches your preferences.

Great features

These are just some of the amazing features that comes with The Paperage Recycled Notebook:

  • The binding lays 100 % flat so it’s easy to use on a desk or table
  • The inner pocket is actually expandable
  • Ribbon bookmark
  • Strap around the whole book to keep it closed while traveling

Can you ask for more? 🙂

It’s also worth mentioning that the book contains a total of 160 lined pages.

Product specifications

Number of pages160
Brand nameThe Paperage Recycled Notebook

How can a notebook be eco-friendly?

There are mainly two things that differs from an eco-friendly and a not-eco-friendly notebook.

The cover and the paper. Let me explain in depth. If you find a notebook that got the following attributes, you know that you are buying a green product:

1) The cover should be made out of some natural and biodegradable material. Wood is preferred.
2) Recycled paper.

There are several types of eco-friendly notebooks. Let us mention the most popular options out there:

  • Those who are made out of 100 % recycled paper
  • Those who have bindings that are not made out of plastic
  • Reusable notebooks
  • Notebooks that can be put in the micro oven in order for everything to be erased
  • Manufactured locally. Way too many companies ship recycled paper from China to Amazon USA and label their notebooks as “environmentally friendly”. They’re not. If you look at the whole process, shipping products from China to the US will pollute an awful lot.

As you can see: there is not only one way to Rome. That is why we have gathered a full list of great, eco-friendly alternatives in this post.

Higher price (slightly)

Needless to say, the production cost on these products are higher than on “normal” plastic-wrapped notebooks. But not only do they look cooler, they are also better for the environment. Please choose to buy eco-friendly products when you have the chance.

Have I convinced you yet? No?

Let us have a look at a couple of cool products and see if you get tempted.

Why is it important to buy eco-friendly notebooks?

It all goes down to the paper industry and how much that industry pollutes.

I don’t think most people understand how extremely energy intensive the paper industry is. Let’s have a look at some of the facts.

  • According to one study from 2015, the paper industry accounted for 5 % of the industrial pollutant releases. Five percent. That is a massive number. You can read the whole report by clicking here. PS! The numbers are related to the industries in the US.

  • …but let’s not be fooled into thinking that the American paper industry is worse than other countries. Not at all. According to Wikipedia, the global paper industry is so energy intensive that it accounts for about 4 % of the total energy usage in the whole world.

In other words: we should be happy that some companies have started to develop more environmentally friendly notebooks. We need them.

Things to consider when buying an environmentally friendly notebook

Ask yourself: what do you really look for in a notebook? In other words: what are your journaling habits?

Let’s have a look at some of the things you should consider when you go shopping for a new notebook.

Large og small pages?

Personally, I cannot stand the smallest notebooks on the market. The reason is because I write VERY LARGE CHARACTERS when I write by hand. 🙂

And that is also why I recommend Rocketbook as the best option on the market. Small pages also have a very clear advantage: the notebook itself becomes more compact and easier to carry around.

Hard or soft cover?

Hardcover notebooks will fit better in your purse if you constantly bring it back and forth to work or school.

Softcover works best if you don’t really plan to carry it with you.

Can it be erased?

Another reason that I choose Rocketbook over any other eco-friendly notebook is because you can “microwave” it.

And by that, I mean that you can put it in the microwave – and suddenly all your notes disappear. It’s like magic.

And it means that you can use the notebook again and again and again and again…

Final words

Buying an eco-friendly notebook is one of these things that will really show if you try to live as sustainable as possible. What I mean by that is that it is quite a small investment, but it shows that you are willing to change small, everyday things to minimize your carbon footprint on this planet.

That is actually a massive step.

Today it’s a new notebook. Once you have received it, get used to it and started to love it (I am not exaggerating?), you can go to level 2. That is to buy a bamboo toothbrush. And from that day on, you will always replace your toothbrush with a new made of bamboo. And once you are done with you notebook, you will buy a new one made out of recycled paper and wooden cover. Does that sound like a good idea?

Now, I give up. If I haven’t convinced you to buy an eco-friendly notebook by now, I will probably never be able to do so. Anyway, if you have any questions to me, feel free to ask them in the comment section below and I will make sure to answer them.

My review: notebook from recycled paper

I mean: a notebook is a notebook, isn’t it? Apart from the fact that you can make the world a better place by choosing to buy eco-friendly materials (recycled paper, for instance…), you don’t see much difference. I probably had 20 notebooks throughout my education and would not pick one single favorite based on how good it works or something like that.

That is just the truth.

However, I do always want to show my audience that my reviews aren’t fake. Writing that something is amazing just to push it through a sponsored link….I am not a big fan of that. So this is the beautiful notebook that I bought. It is built on recycled paper and had a cost of about 15 USD. Quite cheap – and beautiful. And eco-friendly. Everything you could wish for.

It looks good, doesn’t it?

Need a gift for Dad? How about these coffee mugs?

8 thoughts on “Best 7 Environmentally Friendly Notebooks”

  1. Avatar

    How sustainable and eco-friendly can you be when you’re partnering with Amazon (using referral links I’m assuming) and pushing people to buy items from their marketplace? Truly defeats the purpose like buying vegan meat from a beef company.

    1. Avatar

      Hi Jazmynn. Good and relevant question.

      1) I’m 100 % open about the fact that a fraction of my article contain Amazon referral links.

      2) 99,9 % of the traffic coming to this website is so-called organic traffic. Visitors are coming through Google/Bing after searching for highly relevant search terms. E.g. “Eco-friendly notebooks”. In other words: they are sitting ready with their credit card and would buy regardless of what my article said.

      3) Most of the “review websites” online contain fake reviews from people that haven’t actually tried the product they are pushing. I’m different. I have either tried them – or some of my friends have tried all the products I’m referring to.

      I really hope my articles don’t come out as trying to push people to purchase something they haven’t thought of buying. Without revealing anything: the sales numbers on Amazon are EXTREMELY low – it barely covers the cost of hosting/domain. 😉

  2. Avatar

    Nice list. As a semi-famous author (in an European country), I am using notebooks quite a lot. And it looks so satisfying to have a digital eco-friendly notebook. I don’t want to put it in the microwave and remove all my notes…I want them stored forever.

    So I can see that you recommend Rocketbook, but have you actually tried the one called Remarkable? I see that they’re advertising quite heavily on Amazon these days, and I am wondering whether or not it’s worth spending money on that? Quite a steep price tag haha

    1. Avatar

      Hello Frank,

      it’s funny that you mention Remarkable. I was actually until recently working in the same office area as them in Oslo. So I know the product very well. 🙂

      And you’re right: it’s all about the price. I was trying out Remarkable (and do agree with all the good reviews they get), but I would not be paying 400 USD for a digital notebook. Rocketbook is a very good alternative – and it’s 10 % of the total price compared to Remarkable! 🙂

  3. Avatar

    Carl: Eco-friendly notebooks actually DO make a difference.

    If you look at how much paper we waste every year, you know that this is the perfect place to start if you want to do something on your own.

    PS! It doesn’t have to be recycled paper though. It can also be digital notebooks, which I would say is even better.

  4. Avatar

    Of all the things we need to make eco-friendly, are notebooks really worth spending our time on?

    I am just curious.

    If we have to strive to make every single thing in our life eco-friendly, why don’t we just give up living?

  5. Avatar

    I like that you focus on stuff like notebooks. In fact, I noticed that people do take notes on physical notebooks when I sit in class. Most people might think that this is something that belongs to the past (as everyone now uses a Mac or computer), but they do not.

    If we could force every book store in the world to ONLY sell eco-friendly notebooks, imagine what great impact that would have on the world 🙂

    Rocketbook looks very interesting btw, but I heard that it might be difficult for the ink to dry on that,,, do you agree?

    1. Avatar

      Hello Carl Jenk, thanks for your comment and interest in eco-friendly notebooks.

      Forcing businesses to only sell eco-friendly products is utopia. That is not going to happen.

      What you can do as a consumer is to try to always source environmentally friendly products when they are available. In that way, businesses see that there’s a huge demand for such products. If most people share our mindset, the good old traditional plastic notebook should soon be history! 🙂

      In regards to Rocketbook: I did not have any problems with the ink being wet for a long time. In fact, I would say that the ink appears to be very much similar to what you can expect with a “normal” pen.

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