Custom Notebooks with Logo: Covers, Sizes and Branding Options Compared
Custom notebooks with your logo compared: which branding method suits PU leather, kraft, cloth and cork covers, what A5, B5 and A6 measure, and what FSC labels really mean.
A custom notebook works best when the cover material and branding method suit each other. Deboss or foil on PU leather looks like a gift, printing on card or kraft covers suits events, and laser engraving suits cork or wood. A5 is the most useful size for most offices, and the page ruling should match how people write.
Key takeaways
- Cover material decides the branding method. Pressed marks need a soft or textured cover, while full-colour artwork needs a printable surface.
- A5 (148 × 210 mm) suits meetings and desks, B5 suits people who write a lot, and A6 suits pockets and site work.
- Ruled, dot-grid and plain pages suit different users. Ask your audience before choosing for them.
- FSC labels mean different things: 100%, Mix and Recycled are not interchangeable claims.
- Approve a digital proof for every branding position, including the inside cover or a printed page if you add one.
Notebooks are one of many categories compared in our promotional products buyer’s guide, which also covers budgets, branding methods and ordering.
Why choose a branded notebook?
A notebook stays on a desk for weeks and is opened in meetings, so the cover is seen often by the owner and by the people sitting next to them. It also makes a good base for a larger pack: a notebook, a pen and a drink bottle make a complete new-starter or conference set. If you are building one, our guide to employee welcome kits covers what else to include.
The choices that make a notebook feel cheap or considered are the cover, the branding method, the size and the paper. They are covered below in the order you should decide them.
Cover materials and the branding that suits them
Start with the cover, because it rules out more branding options than anything else. Use this table to match the two.
| Cover material | Look and feel | Branding that suits it | Avoid | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PU leather (soft or hard cover) | Smooth, gift-like, wipeable | Deboss (pressed in, no colour), foil stamping (metallic or coloured foil pressed in), digital UV printing for full colour | Very fine detail in deboss; large solid areas of foil | Client gifts, executive packs, board meetings |
| Kraft card or recycled board | Natural, matte, casual | Screen printing in one or two colours; foil for a contrasting accent | Pale ink colours, which disappear on brown card | Conferences, eco-themed campaigns, schools |
| Laminated printed card | Bright, full-colour, smooth | Full-colour printing across the whole cover | Pressed methods, which crack the laminate | Events, campaigns with strong artwork, education |
| Cloth or linen-look cover | Textured, soft | Deboss, foil, screen printing | Small text, which the weave breaks up | Design-led brands, premium packs |
| Cork or wood veneer | Natural texture, varies piece to piece | Laser engraving | Exact colour matching | Sustainability messages, hospitality and tourism |
| PVC or polypropylene cover | Tough, water-resistant | Screen printing, digital UV printing | Deboss on thin covers | Site work, outdoor teams, students |
Deboss or foil: which reads as more premium?
Deboss presses the logo into the cover so it sits below the surface, with no ink. It is subtle and looks the same in any light. Foil stamping presses a thin layer of metallic or coloured foil into the cover, so the logo catches the light. A common combination is a debossed logo on the front with a small foil detail on the spine or back. Deboss works best with solid shapes and medium to bold lines. Very thin lines and small text can fill in.
When does full-colour printing make sense?
If your artwork has gradients, photographs or more than two or three colours, use a printable cover: laminated card, or PU leather with digital UV printing. Spot-colour methods such as screen printing need a separate screen for every colour, so they suit simple logos and longer runs. Our guide to choosing a branding method for your logo explains the trade-offs in more detail.
At Ethergifts the method is chosen from seven (screen printing, digital UV printing, UV transfer printing, laser engraving, deboss and emboss, heat transfer printing and foil stamping) to suit the cover and the artwork. You approve a digital proof of every branding position before production starts.
Notebook sizes explained: A5, B5, A6 and A4
Most notebook sizes follow the international A and B paper series in ISO 216, which sets trimmed sizes for writing paper (ISO 216:2007). In this system every size has the same proportions: height divided by width is the square root of two. Each A size is therefore half the area of the size above it (University of Cambridge, Markus Kuhn: international paper sizes).
| Size | Page size (mm) | Typical use | Branding notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| A4 | 210 × 297 | Desk pads, training workbooks, design teams | Large cover area, but heavy to carry and too big for most bags |
| B5 | 176 × 250 | People who take long notes, students, project leads | Room for a larger logo; check the actual millimetres, because some "B5" notebooks follow a different national standard |
| A5 | 148 × 210 | Meetings, conferences, new-starter packs | The most versatile size; fits in a tote or laptop bag |
| A6 | 105 × 148 | Pocket notes, site inspections, retail floors | Small cover, so keep the logo simple |
These are page sizes. A hardcover is usually a few millimetres larger than the pages it protects, so check the cover dimensions if the notebook must fit a particular folio, box or gift pack.
Inside the notebook: paper, ruling and features
Page ruling
- Ruled (lined): the safe default for office staff, meetings and minute-taking.
- Dot grid: popular with designers, engineers and planners, because it works for both writing and sketching.
- Plain: suits creative teams and people who draw diagrams.
- Squared (grid): useful for technical, maths and trade users.
Paper weight and pen bleed
Paper weight is given in grams per square metre (gsm). Heavier paper feels more substantial and is less likely to let gel ink or fineliner show through to the next page. Before approving a large order, write on a sample page with the pen you plan to include in the pack and check the reverse side for show-through. If you are pairing notebooks with pens, our guide to choosing branded pens explains how ballpoint and gel refills differ.
Features worth paying for
- Elastic closure: keeps loose papers in and the cover flat in a bag.
- Ribbon marker: small cost, used every day.
- Pen loop: keeps the matching pen with the notebook.
- Back pocket: holds business cards and receipts.
- Lay-flat binding: makes writing near the spine easier.
- Printed inside pages: a branded inside cover, a page of key contacts or a calendar adds value. Proof these pages too.
Recycled and FSC-certified paper: what the labels mean
If sustainability is part of your brief, ask exactly which certification the paper carries. FSC uses three labels with different meanings. FSC 100% means virgin material from FSC-certified forests. FSC Mix means a combination of FSC-certified virgin fibre, recycled material and/or controlled virgin fibre. FSC Recycled means 100 per cent recycled fibre (FSC: on-product labels).
Use the label that is actually on the product, and do not describe an FSC Mix notebook as recycled. The cover, elastic and packaging can be made of different materials from the paper, so word any claim carefully. Our sustainable corporate gifts checklist covers how to ask suppliers for evidence.
Notebook spec checklist for your quote request
Send these details in your quote request and you will get comparable quotes on the first round:
- Size (A5, B5, A6 or A4) and hardcover or softcover.
- Cover material and colour.
- Branding method preference and position (front, back, spine), or ask for a recommendation.
- Page ruling, approximate number of pages and paper preference.
- Features: elastic, ribbon, pen loop, pocket.
- Any printed inside pages.
- Quantity, delivery address or addresses, and the date you need them.
- Packaging: individual sleeves, gift boxes or bulk cartons.
- Vector artwork of your logo (see our artwork file checklist).
What affects the cost of custom notebooks?
- Cover material and construction: PU leather hardcovers cost more than card softcovers.
- Size and page count: more paper means more cost and more weight to ship.
- Branding: each method and each position has its own setup. Foil plus deboss costs more than a single deboss.
- Custom inside pages: printing custom pages adds setup and proofing.
- Features and packaging: elastic, pen loops and gift boxes add up across a large run.
- Quantity and delivery: setup is spread across the run, and delivery to several addresses costs more than one bulk delivery.
Frequently asked questions
How do you personalise a notebook with a logo?
Choose the cover material first, then a branding method that suits it. Deboss or foil stamping suits PU leather and cloth. Screen printing suits kraft card. Full-colour printing suits laminated card or PU leather. Laser engraving suits cork and wood. Send vector artwork, approve a digital proof for each position, and production starts only after you sign off.
Where can I get personalised notebooks in Australia?
Promotional product suppliers brand notebooks in bulk for businesses, schools and events and deliver them Australia-wide. Ethergifts has a range of custom notebooks in different covers and sizes, and can usually source a style that is not on the site. Include the size, cover, quantity and delivery date in your quote request.
What size notebook is best for corporate gifts?
A5 (148 × 210 mm) is the most practical size for most corporate gifts. It is big enough for meeting notes, fits in laptop bags and totes, and leaves room for a clear logo on the cover. Choose A6 for pocket or site use and B5 for people who write a lot. Check the cover dimensions if the notebook must fit a box.
Is debossing or foil stamping better on a notebook?
Deboss is subtle and understated: the logo is pressed into the cover with no colour, so it never fades or rubs off. Foil stamping adds a metallic or coloured finish that catches the light and looks more decorative. For client and executive gifts, deboss is a safe choice. Foil suits brands that want the logo to be noticed. They can be combined.
Planning a notebook order? Browse the custom notebook range, then request a free quote with your size, cover, quantity and date. We will recommend a branding method for the cover and send a digital proof before production.
