Review: Blank Ecosystem Journal

March 2, 2010

Click here to see the full review with pictures

From the Ecosystem website: "With a mandate to protect the environment, ecosystem journals, planners, and notebooks were developed with only 100% post-consumer recycled paper." Read more about Ecosystem's commitment to the environment here.

Large: 7 3/8" x 9 7/8" Medium: 5 1/4" x 8 1/4" Small: 3 5/8" x 5 5/8"

Ecosystem products utilize both hard cover and flexible cover options. A variety of colors are available such as, Onyx, Watermelon, Lagoon, Clementine and Kiwi.

Several paper versions are available including: Advisor, (planner layout) Architect, (Grid) Artist, (Blank) and Author. (Lined)

Available inserts fit in the back pocket of the journal or planner to add an additional functionality and include:

Calendar: A month at a glance - save the date!

Grid: Great for diagrams and planning.

Personal Info: Keep track of friends and colleagues.

Ruled: Write a little something, from haikus to inspirations.

To-do List: Keep yourself organized.

Blank: Sketch

All but the exception of the calender are sold in a set of three.

Top to bottom - Large Rhodia Webnotebook 192 pages 90g ($20), Large Moleskine 240 pages approx 70g ($13-$18), Medium Eco System 240 pages *60lb ($17). I bought the plain Artist version for full price ($16.99) at Barnes & Noble. (Which were located at the front of the store right next to the Moleskines which were conveniently on sale at 20% off...)

*Note - I don't know the type of paper being used (bond/text etc) of the Ecosystem paper to convert it to gram weight. I'm guessing it to be in the vicinity of 90g.

Nice tight elastic band. Journal has round corners on both the cover and the paper. Square edged paper digs into my hand as I reach the bottom of the page and I much prefer and appreciate the rounded edging. This is the blank Artist model, and it has bright white paper. Every page is micro perforated and if you fold the page back on the perf before you remove it, it comes out fairly neat.

Cloth ribbon (like a thin flat shoestring) bookmark is too short to be useful - barely sticks out of the bottom of the book.

The cover has a really nice feel to it, but it's difficult to describe. The cover itself is very firm.. a huge plus in my book, (because I often like to write on my knee) and the material allows for a nice grip. It's almost sort of skin-like. Slight imperfections give it an interesting leathery look.

Inside the front cover - romanticized blurb about the product and place to put your name & contact info.

Nice sturdy pocket in back cover for holding ephemera. A pocket in a journal is not a deal breaker for me as I never use them but I know lots of people that do.

Book includes a tracking ID that you can register on the EcoSystem website should your book ever go missing. Took me 6 times to enter my registration code because it was impossible to discern between the O's and the 0's.... (Letter "O" and the number zero.)

To me, this seems to be more of a convenience than a key selling point. I wonder if they removed this option if it would cause any reduction in price....

The one thing I noticed right away about the paper in this book is that it has two different surfaces. One side is smoother, the other is toothier. It's a slight different but to a fine/extra fine nibbed fountain user, it will be fairly noticeable. I found it to be quite bothersome.

Tested a number of different fountain pen inks and while they did not feather, they spread just a slight bit on the toothier side of the paper. By spreading I mean that if you look closely, the lines aren't quite as crisp and are a little wider as they would be on other more fountain pen friendly papers. On the smoother side of the paper, the pens wrote more true to their nib width.

Most of the inks behaved well, but there was some noticeable bleeding/see-through with some of the more saturated blue inks.

I find the smoother side of the paper to be way too glassy for use with a pencil - the toothier side is better.

Prismacolor pencils - a chore to fill them in on the smooth side of the paper. Wasn't a pleasant experience for me.

Pitt artist brush pens - these and all markers I tested worked fabulously on this paper (either side) and the colors just pop! The book opens and lies almost completely flat.

Artist grade watercolors- come out very vibrant, but hard to apply. Much warping.

In closing, I appreciate this company's dedication to making an eco-friendly product here in the US but I have to be honest when I say that I would not choose a product solely on that merit. I am more concerned that the paper and the overall product suit my needs for that effortless writing experience. While this journal might not work for me, I am certain that others will find it quite satisfactory. I enjoy the product's design and think the only real necessary structural improvement would be to lengthen the bookmark.

See these books being made here.

March 13, 2010

In closing, I appreciate this company's dedication to making an eco-friendly product here in the US but I have to be honest when I say that I would not choose a product solely on that merit. I am more concerned that the paper and the overall product suit my needs for that effortless writing experience. While this journal might not work for me, I am certain that others will find it quite satisfactory. I enjoy the product's design and think the only real necessary structural improvement would be to lengthen the bookmark.
See these books being made here.

Well done, thanks.

I've got a couple of the ruled notebooks. I have not noticed the difference in surface treatment but I can see how that could happen with recycled paper manufacturing. The calendering process can be dicey according to other research I've done. I'll have to dig one of my notebooks out of the closet and try my Sheaffer fountains again—on both sides this time.

I don't think you and I are the demographic these folks are trying to attract. None of the local booksellers have picked them up but they do show up at a couple of scrapbook shops and stationers. Ecosystem's large spinning display cabinet is right next to the Rack-o-Molies and some other, weirder notebooks at Barnes and Noble. To me, the marketing is directed at the casual and impulse notebook buyer. A customer looks at the Molie rack and sees a hip product but a mind-numbing variety of selections, how to choose? They look at the weirdo-beardo notebooks and see only the trendy, designer-ish cover. They don't care abut the paper, do they? They look at the Ecosystem display and see "100% recycled material, 100% made in the USA" and maybe they look more carefully. Hopefully, they buy one of the cheery colors.

I hope Ecosystems will survive long enough to evolve into a supplier of notebooks with premium quality that reflects the premium price. That price is required by capitalists to fund a commitment to post-consumer recycling.

david boise ID

March 15, 2010

David - I pretty much agree with you all the way around. I could be wrong, but I think the Eco-System journals are a B&N exclusive.... I think they are trying to grab a share of the Mole market. When I bought mine, they were also right next to the Moles which were conveniently 20% off....

Well done, thanks.
I've got a couple of the ruled notebooks. I have not noticed the difference in surface treatment but I can see how that could happen with recycled paper manufacturing. The calendering process can be dicey according to other research I've done. I'll have to dig one of my notebooks out of the closet and try my Sheaffer fountains again—on both sides this time.

I don't think you and I are the demographic these folks are trying to attract. None of the local booksellers have picked them up but they do show up at a couple of scrapbook shops and stationers. Ecosystem's large spinning display cabinet is right next to the Rack-o-Molies and some other, weirder notebooks at Barnes and Noble. To me, the marketing is directed at the casual and impulse notebook buyer. A customer looks at the Molie rack and sees a hip product but a mind-numbing variety of selections, how to choose? They look at the weirdo-beardo notebooks and see only the trendy, designer-ish cover. They don't care abut the paper, do they? They look at the Ecosystem display and see "100% recycled material, 100% made in the USA" and maybe they look more carefully. Hopefully, they buy one of the cheery colors.

I hope Ecosystems will survive long enough to evolve into a supplier of notebooks with premium quality that reflects the premium price. That price is required by capitalists to fund a commitment to post-consumer recycling.

david boise ID

March 30, 2010

I bought one of these a few weeks (the larger one with unlined paper).

While I found the paper to be a huge improvement over a Mole, some other things lead me to take it out of service.

It's hard to keep the pages flat, especially when writing on the back side of a page. The pages are all perforated and by trying to smooth them down so that they wouldn't come popping up, I caused every page I'd written on to separate from the book, at least at the page bottoms. Very annoying and makes for a sloppy and short-lived notebook. Some pages (ones containing notes I had to refer back to) are only just barely still attached to the binding.

I spent some time this evening copying my notes into a new Quo Vadis Habana and in my opinion, the QV is a much better journal. I wish they were available unlined, but I guess one can't have it all, even in a notebook.

John

March 31, 2010

John - blank Habanas are coming soon... and I can't wait!

I bought one of these a few weeks (the larger one with unlined paper).

While I found the paper to be a huge improvement over a Mole, some other things lead me to take it out of service.

It's hard to keep the pages flat, especially when writing on the back side of a page. The pages are all perforated and by trying to smooth them down so that they wouldn't come popping up, I caused every page I'd written on to separate from the book, at least at the page bottoms. Very annoying and makes for a sloppy and short-lived notebook. Some pages (ones containing notes I had to refer back to) are only just barely still attached to the binding.

I spent some time this evening copying my notes into a new Quo Vadis Habana and in my opinion, the QV is a much better journal. I wish they were available unlined, but I guess one can't have it all, even in a notebook.

John

April 16, 2010

Sounds good -- I need more notebooks like I need another hole in my head.

The Ecosystem journal is not a B&N exclusive. I saw a (tempting) display at my university bookstore. Perhaps they are just now gaining wider distribution.