Notebook Review: Fabriano EcoQua

Hi everyone!

Today’s post will be a bit different than usual. I was recently gifted a Fabriano notebook and have used it for the past two weeks.

Background:

A5. Pen: Pilot 742 with Bokumondoh Urushi <WA>

Fabriano notebooks are manufactured in Italy and come in a variety of colors. This particular notebook is A5 sized and staplebound. It is quite sturdy as I was able to fold the cover back and use it without any warping issues. At the time of this writing, these notebooks are available to purchase through Amazon. They are offered in different sizes and with dot-grid, lined, or blank paper.

Paper:

This notebook had water damage when I received it. However, this did not affect the overall writing experience. It contains 40 sheets of 85 gsm, acid free paper. The paper felt smooth to write on; not as slippery as Clairefontaine, and between Tomoe River paper 52 gsm and Rhodia paper in terms of thickness.

Ink:

I was surprised to find out that this notebook handled ink swatches well. There was faint feathering but no bleeding when used with wet inks. There was also light ghosting which was visible on the back of the page. The paper did not show off shading very well so I wouldn’t recommend this notebook for testing shading and sheen. However, I felt that this notebook was great for jotting quick notes as I studied.

Overall:

I am usually a die-hard Rhodia fan but enjoyed this notebook quite a bit. It’s affordable, comes in different colors, and even has dot-grid paper. I don’t think I would use it for ink reviews, but could easily use it as a daily carry.