There are many notebook, journal, and planner manufacturers in the UK, and some of them focus a lot on quality over quantity.
I compiled a list of the top 10 notebook manufacturers in the UK, and they make some excellent notebooks with great designs and high functionality levels. Moreover, each can accommodate varying degrees of customization to suit your needs perfectly.
It took some time to dig them out. With my experience, I can assure you these companies are doing a good job.
Bookblock
- Founded: 2013
- Location: London, UK
- Company type: manufacturing, retail
- Products: stationery, office supplies, greeting cards, gift boxes
Bookblock makes it easy to personalize your gifts and promote your brand with its high-quality, customized products. They have a dedicated website for marketing notebooks, journals, and planners, business.bookblock.com, and a sub-company, Monsieur Notebook. They own a 9,000 sqft factory and use fine Italian leather material for custom leather notebooks and accessories.
I like the online 3D notebook customization builder from Bookblock that allows users to create their beautiful notebooks from scratch. They have thousands of options, from material and binding to inside printing. They also have classic and contemporary pens for custom with pen loop, and support Moleskine, Castelli, and Leuchtturm 1917 branded with your logo.
MOO
- Founded: 2006
- Location: London, UK
- Company type: manufacturing, wholesale, retail
- Products: business cards, postcards, marketing materials, stationery
MOO is a unique online printing supplier that sets the new standard for print. MOO brings excellent design to the web with remarkable new products and uncompromising, high standards.
They use Swedish Munken Kristall paper to print notebooks which mostly fountain pen friendly; if you can put up with minor feathering issues, most ink and nib width combos should perform well.
You can have more customization options if you order more than 500 pcs. Since MOO also has a branch in the US, I mentioned it in detail in my custom notebook manufacturer in the US article.
Earthworks Journals
- Founded: 2000
- Location: Northampton, UK
- Company type: manufacturing, retail
- Products: browse journals, browse binders
Earthworks Journals is a manufacturer that specializes in handmade leather notebooks, journals, and ring binders. They use the best quality leathers and 100% recycled paper in their products, and their cover and paper last a long time. I found some clients ordered from them 12 years ago, and the leather, bindings, and writing are still in good condition today.
They offer custom text and designs on their products and can add up to 5 letters to the cover for free. However, if you want to deboss more than 5 letters or a graphic design, there is an extra cost.
And they also have a few journals and binders in stock at all times, the sizes are A4, A5, A6, and A7. You can request a free quote if you need a special, handmade journal.
Filofax
- Founded: 1921
- Location: Dalkeith, Scotland, UK
- Company type: manufacturing, wholesale, retail
- Products: organisers, clipbooks, notebooks, notepads, folios, refills, related accessories, small lead goods
For many years, Filofax has been a popular choice for refillable organiser, notebooks, and planners. This allows users to customize the planner with any printed paper they like. If you make a mistake, you can tear the page off and throw it away without damaging your notebook. The refillable organisers come in a variety of sizes and styles. And the original paper is designed to work well with fountain pens, usually at 100 gsm.
Although Filofax offers various innovative designs, I think their organiser and notebook refills are expensive. Instead, I recommend you can buy and customize your inserts via Amazon, Etsy, or a custom manufacturer such as Agendio.
Juniper
- Founded: 2003
- Location: Wellingborough, Northants, UK
- Company type: manufacturing, wholesale, retail
- Products: card cases & wallets, travel & leisure, desktop & hospitality, tech accessories, notebooks & jotters, key rings, executive leather gifts, folders & organisers
Juniper is a supplier of promotional items, including notebooks made from PU and genuine leather. They have a 22000 sqft factory, office, and warehouse facility and offer customization options in thousands of combinations. Juniper manufactures over 70% of its products in the UK. If you have a particular order or need a lower price, they also support overseas manufacturing in China or India, but it takes 12-16 weeks by sea.
Juniper is committed to eco friendly practices, using only paper from managed forests or 100% recycled paper for their notebooks. And I see some of their notebooks use wood-free stone paper, which is waterproof. You can choose between leather or vegan material for the cover and different binding options, including case binding, wire o binding, Flexi, autograph, or jackets with replaceable book blocks.
Mixam
- Founded: 2007
- Location: Watford, UK
- Company type: manufacturing
- Products: Booklet Printing, Brochure Printing, Leaflet Printing, Business Printing, Magazines, Stationery & Flyer Printing
Mixam’s user-friendly ordering system makes exploring all the different options easy and gets a price instantly. And you can upload the artwork as well. They use eco-friendly certified and recycled papers and superior quality vegetables based inks. You can also take advantage of their free printed samples to get a real sense of their paper and print quality. Expert support is available throughout the printing process and with a free print file check. Their customization options are limitless, so no quantity is too small or too large.
You can personalize your notebook, journal, and diary with a unique printing or logo. I tried using their online systems and found can also choose multiple colours for bookmark bands and head/tail ends. They also can offer gloss, matt, or soft touch lamination on the cover, but I found that they could not provide leather or cloth covers.
Noted In Style
- Founded: 2012
- Location: Folkestone, UK
- Company type: manufacturing
- Products: notebooks, diaries, pens & pencils, packaging
Noted in Style is a custom stationery and packaging manufacturer specializing in corporate branding. Their team is hands-on, and they work with various materials to create unique, high-quality products. They offer prompt and accurate quoting, branding advice, and transparency so their clients always know what’s happening. Some of their main customization options include debossing/ blind embossing, hot foil printing, spot UV, screen printing, printed pages, belly bands, and gift packaging.
They also stock a range of notebooks, including the Moleskine, Leuchtturm1917, and Castelli notebooks. These branded notebooks can be customized by adding additional front or back pages, a bellyband, or hot stamping and debossed logo. The MOQ for producing full custom notebooks or diaries is 250-500 pcs.
Freestyle
- Founded: 2000
- Location: London, UK
- Company type: manufacturing
- Products: books & brochures, business cards, custom envelopes, presentation folders, greeting cards, invites, journals, planners, notebooks & diaries, lookbooks, stationery, packaging, branded products
Freestyle is a full-service printing and packaging supplier that can provide you with everything you need to get your product on the shelves. With their market-leading HP Indigo digital printing press, they can produce high-quality prints in any quantity. Freestyle also offers finishing services that can add unique and interesting touches to your products.
Freestyle offer a wide variety of options for inks and bindings, allowing you to create a notebook that perfectly suits your needs. The cover material are eco-friendly paperscoloured card or kraft board. They also provides a wide range of colours for ribbon markers and wire o binding as well as branded products such as Impress Branded, Festina, and Leuchtturm 1917 to compliment your notebook.
Spiegl Press
- Founded: 1950
- Location: Stamford, UK
- Company type: manufacturing, wholesale, retail
- Products: stationery, print & bookbinding, leather accessories, diaries, notebooks, refillable leather journals
Spiegl Press is a printing, publishing, and bookbinding manufacturer that creates elegant personal stationery. They are the creators of stamfordnotebooks.co.uk, which is dedicated to selling quality British notebooks, diaries, and journals. Their notebooks are made with superior British milled paper and feature beautiful leather or cloth covers.
Spiegl Press’s paper is both fountains pen friendly and opaque, making it an excellent choice for those who appreciate fine stationery. The leather is hand-dyed and vegetable tanned. The paper comes from James Cropper Plc.
They support even one pcs customization and can make notebooks by hand in customers’ fabric. I think their prices are also high in the industry as they tend to be more branded and luxury lines,
Deckard
- Founded: 1993
- Location: London, UK
- Company type: manufacturing, wholesale
- Products: promotional merchandise, clothing, notebooks
Deckard set up bespokenotebooks.uk for notebook marketing. The bespoke notebooks are made in an FSC-approved factory, and the factory supply a wide range of notebook cover materials and colours and a great selection of bookmark ribbons. They also provide online colour charts for customers to choose from leather and linen colours. The paper they use is either white, cream or ivory coloured and comes in different weights. Deckard also offers the option of having your notebook’s cover and text printed in any Pantone colour you like.
Because their leading supplier is from China, the bespoke notebooks MOQ need 500 pcs, with delivery time from 35 to 65 days. If you cannot reach MOQ, they also have stock PU leather cover notebooks locally in the four popular colours.
Conclusion
It’s not difficult to find a good notebook manufacturer in the UK. Many great ones focus on quality and design. With so many options, you’re sure to find the perfect one for your needs. Whether you need a custom journal or just want a great quality notebook, these manufacturers have you covered.
And you can visit our customization page to learn more if you would like to source notebooks oversea as Juniper and Deckard business.
