Looking for eco-friendly notebooks you can customise with your branding—without breaking the budget? This guide explains everything you need to know before placing a bulk order in India: paper types, sizes, binding, print options, lead times, and smart ways to keep costs sustainable.

Why Choose Recycled-Paper Notebooks

  • Planet-friendly: Made from post-consumer waste, reducing landfill and conserving water/energy vs virgin paper.

  • Brand value: Signals real commitment to sustainability in CSR, onboarding kits, trainings and events.

  • Great for gifting: Practical, gender-neutral, and appreciated by teams, clients, and students.

  • Highly customisable: From simple logo stamps to full-bleed covers, inserts, and QR-coded pages.

Popular Specs & Sizes (India)

  • Sizes:

    • A5 (148 × 210 mm): Most popular for giveaways and workshops.

    • A6 (105 × 148 mm): Budget-friendly pocket notebooks.

    • A4 (210 × 297 mm): Training manuals, journals, sketchbooks.

  • Cover options:

    • Kraft board (250–350 GSM) for a natural, earthy look.

    • Recycled card with matte/soft-touch lamination for premium feel.

    • Add-ons: foil accents, deboss/emboss, fabric spine, elastic band, pen loop.

  • Inner pages:

    • 70–80 GSM recycled paper for everyday writing.

    • 90–100 GSM for sketching or when using markers.

    • Layouts: ruled, dotted, plain, grid; custom page numbers; index pages.

  • Page count: 80, 96, 120 or 160 pages (choose in multiples of 8/16 for efficient production).

  • Binding styles:

    • Spiral/Wiro for lay-flat note-taking.

    • Perfect binding (glue) for a sleek, book-like spine.

    • Center-stapled (saddle-stitch) for thinner notebooks and handouts.

Branding & Print Options

  • Cover branding: One-color logo stamp, multi-color digital/offset print, or full-bleed artwork.

  • Inside pages: Custom watermark/logo footer, brand story, mission page, or QR link to a landing page.

  • Inserts: First-page welcome note, CSR message, workshop agenda, or calendar.

  • Accessories: Matching recycled-paper belly band, kraft slipcase, seed-paper bookmark, or paired bamboo pen.

  • Ink choices: Standard CMYK; soy/vegetable-based inks available on request (subject to feasibility).

Artwork Guidelines (Quick Checklist)

  • Preferred files: PDF/AI/CDR with fonts outlined; 300 DPI for rasters.

  • Safe margins: 3–5 mm inside; 3 mm bleed for edge-to-edge designs.

  • Colours: Provide Pantone refs if brand-critical; expect slight variation on kraft.

How to Estimate Costs (and Save)

Costs are driven by quantity, size, page count, binding, paper GSM, and print coverage. To optimise:

  • Choose A5 and 80–96 pages for best value in corporate gifting.

  • Limit cover to 1–2 colours on kraft, or use a single-colour foil/deboss for premium impact at lower ink usage.

  • Consolidate designs: one master artwork across teams reduces setup charges.

  • Order in standard MOQs (e.g., 100/250/500/1000) to benefit from tiered pricing.

  • Ship flat-packed cartons; avoid oversized sets to reduce freight.

(Tip: If you plan multiple events this quarter, combine quantities into one production batch and call-off dispatches as needed.)

Lead Times & Logistics (India)

  • Sampling: 3–7 working days depending on customisations.

  • Production: 7–15 working days after artwork approval & advance.

  • Dispatch: PAN-India via ground couriers; bulk pallets for metros/industrial parks.

  • Tax invoicing: GST bill provided; e-way bill where applicable.

Quality Checklist Before You Approve

  • Paper shade & texture match across cover and inner pages.

  • Binding strength (flip test; no page pull-outs).

  • Print alignment, spine glue, and trimmed edges.

  • Smudge/ghosting check on inside pages with your preferred pens/markers.

  • Carton labels: item name, size, page count, quantity per box, and handling marks.

Use Cases & Pack Ideas

  • Corporate workshops & trainings: A5 ruled with logo + agenda insert.

  • Employee onboarding kits: Notebook + bamboo pen + seed-paper bookmark in a kraft box.

  • Events & conferences: A6 pocket notebooks with event schedule on the first page.

  • Schools & NGOs: Grid/dotted notebooks with motivational quotes and study trackers.

  • Client gifting: Soft-touch cover, debossed logo, elastic band, and foil-stamped year.

Sustainability Add-Ons

  • Seed-paper band or bookmark with “Plant Me” instructions.

  • “This notebook saved ___ litres of water / ___ trees” style impact panel (use credible, conservative estimates).

  • Printed “Recycle Me” icon and disposal guidance on the back cover.

Ordering Workflow (Step-by-Step)

  1. Share size, pages, binding and quantity.

  2. Send brand assets (logo, colours) and cover/inside content.

  3. Receive mockups & print proof for sign-off.

  4. Approve sample (optional for repeat orders).

  5. Production & QC.

  6. Dispatch with GST invoice and tracking.

FAQs

What is the MOQ?
Typical MOQs start at 100–250 units depending on print method. Smaller pilots can be explored for simple one-colour branding.

Can I mix names or team variants?
Yes—variable data (names, QR codes, employee IDs) is feasible with digital print; batching helps control cost.

Are recycled papers smooth enough for gel pens?
Choose 80–90 GSM inner pages; we can share pen-tests during sampling.

Do you offer gift-ready packaging?
Yes—kraft sleeves, belly bands, and custom printed boxes. Kitting with bamboo pens available.

Ready to create your custom recycled-paper notebooks?

Tell us your size, pages, binding, and quantity, and we’ll share mockups plus a fast quote. Prefer WhatsApp? Use the chat button on our website to get started.