For students, travelers, writers, and professionals of all kinds, journals, and notebooks are essential for taking notes, describing their experiences, and staying organized. We’ve discovered all the companies that make beautiful and durable journals and notebooks right here in the USA. Let’s dig in!
Complete List of Notebooks Made in the USA
Decomposition’s notebooks feature a variety of beautiful designs and are eco-friendly. They are created with recycled paper and printed with soy ink. Decomposition has been family-owned for 75 years, so it has a lot of credibility behind it. The company’s small size also gives it an advantage when it comes to customer service.
Field Notes was inspired by the tradition of promotional memo books distributed to American farmers over the last hundred years by agricultural companies. True to the Chicago-based company’s origins, all of its products – which include pocket notebooks, calendars, and stationary – are made in the USA from paper sourced from Midwestern mills. But their notebooks aren’t just for farmers. Field Notes even has a line of journals for Dungeons and Dragons enthusiasts.
This company’s simple yet sophisticated notebooks are popular with students, educators, and professionals. Shoppers have their choice of blank or lined pages, so these notebooks can be used for sketching and doodling as well as writing. Nearly all Northbooks products are made in the USA.
Appointed is a woman-founded company that makes minimalist-style notebooks, planners, and journals from the highest quality materials using sustainable methods. Their paper is made with two-thirds renewable energy, more than half of which is made on-site with renewable biomass and zero-emission hydroelectric. Plus, it’s acid and chlorine-free, meaning it is safer for waterways. Appointed’s water-resistant cotton bookcloth is completely biodegradable, odor-free, and pH-neutral.
Hobby Journal Outlet specializes in making spiral-bound notebooks with designs that reflect a wide variety of interests, including cooking, crafts, and bird-watching. The husband-and-wife operation is run entirely in the USA, but some materials are sourced from Canada.
The Lifetime Leather Company makes full-grain American leather bags, belts, and wallets, as well as journals, steno pads, and legal pads. The journals come with a free 80-page paper insert, and paper refills can be ordered at a low price through the company.
Oberon Design’s handcrafted domestic leather journal, notebook, and portfolio covers are inspired by nature, animals, classic works of art, and more. They come in a variety of colors and are made to last for decades. Each product comes with a paper insert that can be replaced when all the pages are full.
This company’s full grain leather journals come in a variety of sizes. Some have an exterior pen holder and business card holder, giving them a unique design that’s perfect for professionals who are on the go. All the leather is sourced from a tannery in Chicago that’s been in business since 1905.
Write Notepads & Co. uses heavy paper for its notebooks so ink from your pen doesn’t bleed through to the other side of the page. Special collections include the Engineer Bundle, featuring their Engineer Notebook and Dot Grid Tear Pad, which are ideal for technical drawings. This company also makes a Landscape Notebook, whose wide format is perfect for those who need lots of space to express themselves fully and outline presentations and projects.
Mike’s YouTube Video on American Made Journals and Notebooks
How to Find Notebooks and Journals Made in the USA
A number of high-quality journals and notebooks are produced domestically, but the market is so huge that it can still take time to find them. However, the extra effort is worth it to support companies that keep their jobs stateside.
In addition to our recommendations above, here are our tips for shopping for journals and notebooks made in the United States.
What Does “Made In The USA” Mean?
First, let’s talk about the phrase “made in the USA” and what that entails. The Federal Trade Commission says it means “all or virtually all” components of a product were sourced in the United States and assembled domestically as well.
To learn more about this topic, see our detailed guide on FTC regulations.
Materials
Since the raw materials for a made in the USA product must be sourced from here, you will want to carefully consider the country of origin of those materials. Here are the most common materials used in producing journals and notebooks, and where they typically come from.
Paper
Naturally, paper is a key material for any notebook or journal because of the pages inside it. A product called cardstock, which is made of heavy paper, is also a popular choice for notebook covers.
China is the global leader in paper production, churning out nearly 100 million tons annually. However, the United States, which produces 75 million tons a year, ranks second. This means it’s fairly easy to find domestically made journals and notebooks.
Book Cloth
Book cloth is sometimes used for the covers of notebooks, journals, and regular books. Some of this fabric comes from countries such as Japan or Italy, but a fair amount of cotton book cloth is sourced domestically because the United States is the third-largest cotton producer in the world behind China and India.
Fortunately, library buckram, a thick and durable form of cotton book cloth, is quite popular. This material can also be dyed in a wide range of gorgeous hues.
Leather
Some shoppers, including those buying journals and notebooks, love leather products more than anything. Luckily, the United States is a leading producer of leather, so you should not have much trouble finding notebooks with domestically sourced leather covers. However, consumers should keep in mind that Italy is famous for its high-quality leather, and China manufactures a lot of affordable leather, so be sure to check the label.
Also, most US leather is cowhide, so if you want something more exotic, you probably won’t find it here. And, if you want the best quality, look specifically for full-grain leather.
Labeling
Now that we’ve explored the most common materials for journals and notebooks, let’s turn our attention to labeling. According to Title 19 Chapter 4 Section 1304 of the US Code, all products imported into the United States must state the country of origin on the label.
The FTC also protects the use of the phrase “Made in the USA” on product labels. Unfortunately, the commission doesn’t require brands to follow a pre-approval process to use that label, leaving manufacturers to their own devices when deciding if their products qualify for it.
Some companies also use tricky language on labels to mislead shoppers into thinking their products are made here rather than overseas. For example, the phrase “Assembled in the USA” could mean only some of the manufacturing process took place within US borders. Also, if you see the words “Made in America,” that’s a red flag that a journal or notebook was made in Mexico or Canada.
Speaking of flags, the appearance of the Stars and Stripes on a label is no guarantee that an item was made in the USA because the image of the American flag is not protected.
Final Tips
Here are some last-minute tips for finding notebooks and journals made in the USA:
Check the Brand’s Website
A good sign of an honest brand is its transparency about its production process and raw material sourcing. Be sure to check on the pages of a company’s website labeled “About Us” or “Our Story.” If a brand makes its products in the USA, it will likely state this outright—sometimes on the main page of its website—because it is eager to advertise this fact to consumers who make finding made in the USA goods a priority.
Some companies might make a few of their products in the USA but import the rest. A good way to determine which is which is to look at individual product pages on the brand’s website. If you don’t see the country of origin there, it’s best to assume the item was imported.
Look at Social Media
Facebook, Instagram, and other platforms might have information on where a company makes its products. You might even find photos or videos showing the production process.
Call the Company
Still not sure if a journal or notebook was made here? If so, give the company a call and ask a brand representative what countries they produce their products in. Don’t forget to also inquire about where raw materials are sourced from.
Journals and Notebooks Not Made in the USA
During our research, we found some brands that don’t make their notebooks and journals domestically. See the list below. Keep in mind that we are constantly researching what products are made in the USA and which are imported, so we will continuously update the list.
- Moleskine – designed in Italy, manufactured in the Far East.
- Baltic Club – made in Canada.
- Smythson – made in England.
- Montblanc – made in Italy.
