(Susan M. Pigott is a fountain pen collector, pen and paperholic, photographer, and professor. You can find more from Susan on her blog Scribalishess.)
Fabriano is an Italian company that has been making paper since 1264. Yes, you read that correctly: 1264! Greats like Michelangelo, Beethoven, and Francis Bacon used Fabriano paper--but, no worries. You needn't paint the Sistine Chapel or write a symphony or become a philosopher in order to enjoy this paper. It'll work for bullet journaling and shopping lists.
EcoQua Pocket Notebook covers are made with 290gsm Sirio Tela ecological paper. This paper is thick like card stock, but has a textured surface that resists scratching. The corners of the notebook are rounded off, giving them a clean, sophisticated look. Each notebook is staple bound with two staples and measures 3 by 5.5 inches.
The paper inside is Bioprima Book paper in ivory. This paper is 85gsm (i.e. much thicker than Tomoe River Paper, for example). In addition, it is eco-friendly. The pulp comes from forests that are managed in accordance with specifications established by the Forest Stewardship Council. The paper is also chlorine free.
My set of notebooks are dot grid patterned (4mm), but blank versions are available. The notebook has 32 pages, and the last 16 are perforated. Be aware that the perforation is 10mm from the inside margin, so if you aren't careful some of your writing might remain in the notebook.
I tested the paper with eight fountain pens and inks. The paper handled all of them quite well. I observed no bleeding even with the wettest nibs. There was no bleed through onto the back of the page either, although there was show through. Writing on this paper is enjoyable. It is smooth but offers just enough feedback that your nibs feel steady.
Next, I tested the paper with other writing instruments (pens and pencils), and, again, the paper worked well. Colors are bright and readable. I noticed that the Palomino Blackwing lead smudged when I ran my finger over it. Both Sharpies bled through to the other side, but no other bleed through occurred.
I swabbed eight inks on the paper. All the colors are brilliant, none bled through, and some exhibited a tiny bit of sheen. Had this been a sunny day, sheen may have been much more visible. I apologize for not knowing the name of the first ink. I'm pretty sure I reviewed it long ago for Pen Addict, but neither the box nor the bottle give the name in English.
I copied a Mary Oliver poem into the notebook using my Platinum fountain pen with a soft nib and Iroshizuku Yama Budo. The ink went down smoothly and dried quickly. I wasn't worried about smudging nor did I feel like the nib was skating over the surface.
I have no complaints whatsoever with the Fabriano EcoQua notebooks. They are well made and the paper is exquisite. You can purchase four-packs from JetPens for $11.00 in cool colors (Black, Grey, Plum, and Turquoise) or warm colors (Red, Orange, Yellow, and Green).
(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
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