Quick Guide to Paper Types

Wondering about the difference between the various paper types on offer at Bat & Boo? Here's a quick breakdown of what each of our favourite papers has to offer!

 

Sakae Tomoe River Paper (52gsm)

An old favourite in the fountain pen community, this cult Japanese paper is known for being ultra-thin but still resistant to bleed-through and feathering. The smooth, sleek paper allows pens to glide over the page and shows off ink sheen and colour nicely.

This paper has a distinctive light, crisp & crinkly feel. Being so light, you can get loads more Tomoe River Paper pages in the same size notebook as our other papers - great for serial notetakers!

The lightest paper we stock, at 52gsm, you can expect considerable ghosting (text showing through the page). This is one of those Marmite things - you either love it or you hate it. For some, it is an absolute deal-breaker, but plenty of people feel ghosting adds to the character of their notebook, as long as there is no actual bleed-through (ink seeping through the paper fibres).

Despite being so thin, it is surprisingly durable and can even handle watercolour paint! Acid-free and PH neutral, Tomoe River Paper is suitable for long-term archival writing, journaling and drawing.

In a nutshell:

• Thin, light paper with a lovely sensory crinkle
• Fountain pen friendly
• More pages per notebook

 

Sakae Iroful (75gsm)

Fast catching up to TRP in the popularity stakes, Iroful is a buttery smooth, toothless paper with plenty going for it. A slow-drying paper, ink sits on the surface for longer, resulting in beautiful shading, shimmer & sheen as well as super vibrant colours. (Bear in mind that the slower drying times can lead to smudging if you aren't careful!)

Writing on this with fountain pens is an utter dream! (It is also lovely with felt tip pens, which I discovered quite by accident when I let a friend's child draw some pictures in my own notebook - the colours were gorgeous!)

In a nutshell:

• Gorgeous colours
• Shows off ink sheen & shading
• Less ghosting than TRP

Clairefontaine Sketch Paper (90 gsm)

This paper is designed for drawing and sketching with pencil, felt-tip pen, charcoal or chalk, it's acid-free and pH-neutral, for preservation of your art over time.

I tested it with the same pens as the 'writing' papers for reference, just to see how it held up, and it was actually quite nice! The paper has a light grain and pleasing texture.

In a nutshell:

• Suitable for a range of media
• pH neutral, acid-free
• Medium weight

 

Miquelrius (90 gsm)

Miquelrius paper is our go-to for affordability without sacrificing quality. Smooth and pleasing to write on, with little ghosting and quick drying for smudge-free writing. A great choice for day-to-day lists and on-the-go notes.

This paper is also FSC certified, ensuring that the wood is sourced from environmentally sustainable forests. 

In a nutshell:

• Excellent value for money
• Environmentally sourced, FSC certified
• Quick drying time

Wearinguel Reservoir Paper (140 gsm)

She thiiiick! At 140gsm, this is our heaviest paper, almost card-like actually, and oh-so pleasing to write on.

No bleed through, ghosting or feathering, just pristine, crisp lines! Great for fountain or dip pens.

In a nutshell:

• Little to no ghosting
• Heavy-weight paper
• Fountain pen friendly

 

Junk Journal Paper

This is the one place here you won't find the fancy premium papers - junk journals are just that - JUNK! That being said, I still do enjoy hunting for the most interesting papers I can find to provide the perfect backdrop for your junk journalling and scrap-collecting endeavours. I use magazine, book and colouring book pages, wrapping paper, tissue paper and assorted ephemera, all thifted, gifted or sifted! I search through all my supplies, get offered things from others and go rummaging in car boot sales and charity shops for interesting pieces, as well as including some new pages - no two junk journals are the same! 

(Don't worry, I don't like to destroy a good book needlessly, so any book pages I use come from previously damaged items!)

In a nutshell:

• Mix of recycled, upcycled and new papers
• Each one unique!
• Just so much fun!