What’s a good fountain pen-friendly paper and where to source them in the Philippines

If you’ve been following my blog for at least a year, you probably know by now that I primarily write with fountain pens. Over time, I’ve shared several posts about my collection, along with reviews and recommendations for those looking to get started without breaking the bank.

In this post, I’ll be diving into fountain pen-friendly papers. For those who share my love for fountain pens, you’re well aware that the magic of writing comes down to three key elements: the nib, the paper, and the ink. Today, we’ll explore what makes for great fountain pen paper, where to find it in the Philippines, and, as always, affordable options for beginners who aren’t quite ready to splurge just yet.

A good fountain pen-friendly paper has a few key qualities that ensure an enjoyable writing experience without issues like bleeding, feathering, or ghosting.

Key Qualities of Fountain Pen-Friendly Paper:

1. Smooth Texture: The paper should allow the nib to glide easily without dragging or creating too much friction. According to fellow FP-loving friends, gold nibs tend to glide like butter on good paper. In my personal experience, some steel nibs glide ike butter on good papers too. For smooth papers, my personal favorites are Tomoe River and Elias but more on these two later.
2. Proper Thickness (GSM): A higher GSM (grams per square meter) helps prevent ink from bleeding through the paper. A good range is typically 80-100 GSM or more.
3. Resistance to Feathering: The fibers of the paper should be tightly woven to prevent ink from spreading or “feathering,” where it blurs out of the lines you write.
4. No Ghosting or Bleeding: The paper should prevent ink from showing through on the reverse side (ghosting) or bleeding through to the next page. While the wetness of ink is one other factor that contributes to ghosting or bleed-throughs, good papers will show minimal to nil ghosting or bleeding.
5. Ink Drying Time: While fountain pen-friendly paper often slows down drying time due to its coating or smoothness, it should strike a balance between smoothness and absorbency so that ink doesn’t smear too easily. Matching paper to the wetness levels of ink is actually what makes traditional writing, particularly using fountain pen, challenging for some.

Recommended Papers:

Disclaimer: The following section mentions brands and stores, and includes links to their products. I do not receive any commission or compensation if you choose to click on these links or make a purchase. Please be aware that you are buying at your own discretion and assume all responsibility for any purchases made.

Tomoe River Paper: Famous for its ultra-thin sheets (52 GSM) and smooth finish that handles ink wonderfully without feathering or bleeding. I get them as loose sheets and DIY into notebook by punching holes on one side with a 6-hole puncher and puting the sheets in transparent PVC notebook binder. The loose sheets are available in cream and white color at Everything Calligraphy for only Php 489 for 100 sheets, sized A5. For the ring binder and puncher, you can easily source them from Shopee or Lazada. Tomoe River has long been recognized as one of the best papers out there. Personally I like that on this paper, my shading and shimmer inks show their wonderful properties. I recommend this paper for calligraphy enthusiasts!

Rhodia: Known for its smooth surface and resistance to feathering, this paper is a favorite among fountain pen users. The 80 GSM weight prevents bleed-through and they come in different sizes and designs. My personal preference are the stapled A5 sized notebooks just like in the photo below and the pad in size 11 (see photo collage) for my everyday carry. Everything Calligraphy online store carries Rhodia notebooks in various sizes and colors so do feel free to browse their online catalog.

Elias: Proudly Philippine-made fountain pen-friendly papers boasting of 100 GSM thickness. The paper is so thick that I was able to put down two washes of watercolors on it without bleed throughs. Not only that, the paper is so affordable at only Php 349 for a stack of 50 sheets, A4 size. You can then DIY your own notebook using a stapler or by using punchers and binders. You can get Elias papers from Everything Calligraphy, the brand’s distributor. When compared to Tomoe River, Elias paper exhibits slight tooth (or roughness), thicker, and more opaque. Just like Tomoe, shading and shimmer inks do show these properties on Elias papers so I do recommend the paper for those who like using these types of inks (or who likes watercolors for that matter). The photo collage below shows my Elias notebook in A5 size (currently out-of-stock at Everything Calligraphy).

Leuchtturm1917: Popular among bullet journalers and fountain pen users, Leuchtturm1917 notebooks feature 80 GSM paper that balances ink drying time and smoothness, with minimal bleed-through. What I love about their papers is that I get a little bit of feedback when I write on them even when I’m using my smoothest nibs. The notebooks are expensive though, as pricey as Moleskine notebooks! My personal favorite are the ones in size A7 (photo below) because the small size allows me to bring them in my pocket anywhere so that I could write whenever inspiration strikes me.

Maruman: Of the notebooks and papers I have mentioned so far, Maruman is what I use the most especially for my lecture/study notes. I have them in size B5 and in their refillable binders. The size B5 is just perfect for lengthy writing session. I also love that the binders are refillable and refills are readily available at any Fully Booked bookstores. I currently have 3 binders, 1 for each subject that I study now – Climate Change, Machine Learning, and Python. A packet of 100-sheet refills costs Php 199 at the Fully Booked for a size B5. They are also available in size A5 if you want a smaller size. The binders are also readily available at the same store but you can also get generic ones via Lazada and Shopee.

Moleskine: Most Moleskine notebooks (if not all) are not designed for fountain pens. However, I’m adding this brand here because I have been gifted with Moleskine notebooks and have tested fountain pens on them. When using Moleskine notebooks, I find that there is nil bleed throughs and ghosting only when using a dry ink such as my Rohrer and Klingner Sketch Ink or when I use an EF or F nib. What I constantly pair with my Moleskine notebooks are my Majohn A1s, 1 has EF nib while the other two have F nibs. If you use broader nibs, expect ghosting and feathering even with the driest inks! I like that these pens exhibit a bit of feedback and the notebooks are acid-free and archival. They’re expensive though! As mentioned, I only use them because I got them as gifts and don’t want them gathering dusts in my stash. Good thing I have pens in EF and F nibs that work fine on them!

Affordable Alternatives:

Although I have already mentioned Elias and Maruman notebooks as affordable alternatives, I am mentioning more affordable options especially for those who are just starting out and are not willing to splurge just yet.

• Muji Notebooks: These offer surprisingly good performance for the price. While they may not be as smooth as Tomoe River or Rhodia, they do fairly well with preventing bleed-through. It’s a good thing that we now have Muji stores in the country so do pay them a visit and see their wide selections of papers. I believe you can also test their papers before you purchase.
• Mica by Paperlink: Widely available and budget-friendly, they are surprisingly smooth and well-made. They are locally manufactured by Paperlink. I have them in lengthwise and intermediate pad papers (see slideshow below).
• Jianwu Mini Journal Paper Fillers (Shopee): If you’ve been following my blog then you’d know that I like mini journals. I’ve been getting my mini journal binder and papers from Jianwu Stationery Store in Shopee for a few years now. However, it was only this year that I found out that the mini papers I’ve been getting from them is fountain pen-friendly! The papers are similar to Elias! You can get the transparent mini binder for less than 100 pesos and the refills for less than 50 pesos. The paper refills also come in different designs. The photo below is a page of a blank Jianwu paper that I used to swatch my new ink – a Diamine Earl Gray. You can see that the ink shades nicely on the paper.

If you’re starting out, it’s best to experiment with different types to see what works best with your pens and ink combinations. If you know any other brands that worked for you, please let me know in the comments section!

Thank you for reading.

xoxo,