Short answer: choose a leather journal by deciding four things in order: the cover material (genuine leather or PU vegan leather), the page size (A5, A6, B6 or a TN-style size), the paper weight you need for your pens, and whether you want a fixed notebook or a refillable cover. Get those four right and almost any journal you pick will get used instead of sitting on a shelf.
Key Takeaways
- Material: genuine leather changes with use and develops a patina; PU (vegan) leather is a polyurethane coating on a fabric base that stays more uniform and needs very little care.
- Size: A5 (148 x 210 mm) is the all-rounder, A6 (105 x 148 mm) is the pocket size, and B6 sits in between.
- Paper: gsm tells you how heavy the paper is. Everyday copy paper is about 80 gsm, so 100 to 120 gsm pages feel noticeably thicker.
- Refillable or fixed: a refillable cover lets you keep the same leather for years and swap the pages; a bound journal is simpler and feels like a finished book when it is full.
- Read the listing: the material, page size and paper weight on the product page matter more than the photos.
Step 1: Genuine leather or PU (vegan) leather?
Both are good choices; they simply age differently.
Genuine leather and cowhide
Natural leather is an animal hide, and it ages with you. Over time it softens, darkens where your hands touch it and picks up small marks from bags and desks. That aged surface is called patina, and how it develops depends on the type of leather, how often you use the item and what it is exposed to (Wikipedia: Patina). With finishes such as crazy horse leather, scuffs and color changes are part of the look.
Choose genuine leather if you want a cover that changes with use. Our Genuine Leather Travel Journal in crazy horse finish and Thick Cowhide Leather Journal are examples.
PU leather (vegan leather)
PU leather is a type of artificial leather: a polyurethane coating applied to a base fabric, often polyester, with a color coat and a textured surface added on top (Wikipedia: Artificial leather). It needs little maintenance, can be wiped clean, and keeps a more even color over time. Some PU surfaces can rub and wear at the edges after heavy use.
Choose PU if you want a lighter, lower-cost journal, a crisp embossed design, or a material that is not made from animal hide. The Embossed Knight Vintage Journal and the B5 Soft PU Leather Notebook are PU covers.
How to tell which one you are buying
Ignore words like "leather-look" in a photo caption and read the material line on the product page. At PageFrond, genuine leather and cowhide items are labeled as such, and vegan leather items are listed as PU, faux or vegan leather. You can browse both in our Leather Journals collection, and the FAQ explains how we label materials.
Leather grades in brief
Real leather is also sold by grade. Full-grain leather keeps the entire grain layer of the hide and is usually considered the highest quality. Top-grain leather includes the outer grain layer, corrected-grain leather is sanded or buffed and finished for a more even look, and split leather comes from the layer underneath. The term "genuine leather" does not describe a specific grade, and bonded leather is made from shredded scraps bonded to a backing with polyurethane or latex (Wikipedia: Leather, accessed October 22, 2026).
Several of our listings use the supplier's term "first-layer cowhide", which refers to leather from the top layer of the hide rather than a lower split. For a full comparison of grades and finishes, read types of leather explained, and if you are deciding between animal leather and PU, see real leather vs faux leather.
Step 2: Pick the right size
Size decides where the journal will live. Most journals use international paper sizes, which are based on halving: fold an A5 sheet in half and you get two A6 sheets (Wikipedia: Paper size).
| Size | Page size | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| A5 | 148 x 210 mm (about 5.8 x 8.3 in) | Daily journaling, bullet journals, meeting notes, sketching |
| B6 | 125 x 176 mm (ISO) or 128 x 182 mm (Japanese JIS) | A middle ground: roomier than A6, lighter than A5 |
| A6 | 105 x 148 mm (about 4.1 x 5.8 in) | Pocket notes, lists, travel logs, gratitude journals |
| TN-style sizes | Varies by cover; check the listing | Refillable traveler's notebook style setups |
Dimensions for A and B sizes are from the ISO 216 and JIS P 0138 standards as listed on Wikipedia: Paper size. Note that ISO B6 and JIS B6 are not identical, so if you are buying inserts for a B6 cover, check which one the listing uses.
Need a bigger page for desk planning? B5 measures 176 x 250 mm in the ISO series (Wikipedia: ISO 216, accessed October 22, 2026). Our full chart of A, B and TN-style sizes is in notebook sizes explained.
A quick way to decide
- If you will write at a table most days, start with A5.
- If the journal has to fit in a small bag or a coat pocket, choose A6 or a passport-size TN-style cover.
- If A5 feels too big to carry but A6 feels cramped, try B6.
Tall, narrow TN-style covers are their own family of sizes. Our Crazy Horse Leather Refillable Journal Cover, for example, comes in passport, pocket and regular sizes, with the exact dimensions listed on the product page. If you are curious about that format, read our guide on how to start a traveler's notebook style journal.
Step 3: Paper weight and paper type
Paper weight is shown in gsm, which stands for grams per square meter. It measures how heavy the paper is for its area, and everyday copy or printer paper is about 80 gsm (Wikipedia: Grammage). Heavier paper is generally thicker as well, so a 120 gsm page feels sturdier in the hand than a sheet from your printer.
For a deeper look at what the number means and which weights suit which pens, read what is gsm paper, and if you write with fountain pens, our guide to fountain pen friendly paper covers feathering, ghosting and bleed-through.
Match the paper to how you write
- Ballpoint and pencil: almost any paper works. Choose based on the feel you like.
- Gel pens, fountain pens and markers: look for heavier paper, such as 100 to 120 gsm, and try a test page in the back before you start. Ink behavior also depends on the paper's surface, not only its weight, so a quick test tells you more than the number.
- Watercolor, glue and collage: heavier and textured papers handle moisture and layering better. Kraft paper adds a warm, rustic background for collage.
Kraft, wood-free and coated paper
Many leather journals use kraft paper, a brown paper with a natural, slightly rough feel that suits vintage and travel styles. Wood-free paper is a smoother, lighter-colored paper for everyday writing. Some inserts use coated paper, which has a smoother surface. Product pages list the paper type and weight when the information is available; for example, our Cowhide Leather Sketchbook Journal lists 120 gsm wood-free or kraft paper.
Ruling: blank, lined, grid or dot grid
Blank suits sketching and collage, lined suits long writing, and dot grid sits in between for bullet journals and trackers. If unsure, choose dot grid.
Step 4: Refillable cover or bound journal?
Refillable covers and binders
A refillable journal is a cover that holds removable inner books or loose sheets, so you can keep the cover and swap the pages, or run separate inserts for a planner, a diary and a sketchbook. There are two common types:
- Elastic-band covers (TN-style): inserts are held by elastic cords running down the spine. Browse them in Notebook Covers & Inserts.
- Ring or loose-leaf binders: single sheets clip into rings, so you can rearrange pages. The Refillable A5 Genuine Leather Binder Journal and our A6 tri-fold covers work this way.
Bound journals
A bound journal has sewn or glued pages: nothing to set up, and one finished book when it is full. Our Notebooks & Planners collection includes A5 and B5 bound notebooks with faux leather, PU and linen covers.
Small details that make a big difference
- Closure: a wrap strap, elastic or snap keeps loose tickets and receipts inside.
- Pen loop: handy if you always lose your pen. The A5 Dot Grid & Lined Notebook has one built in.
- Bookmarks: ribbon markers or a slim strap bookmark save time when you return to a page. See Stamps & Journal Tools.
- Pockets: useful for travel journals and for keeping ephemera you will stick in later.
How much does a leather journal cost?
What you pay mostly follows three things: the cover material, the construction and the paper. Genuine cowhide costs more than PU leather, stitched bindings and refillable binders cost more than glued books, and thick, heavier pages add to the price. A refillable cover is the long-term saver, because you pay for the leather once and then only buy paper.
| Factor | Usually costs less | Usually costs more |
|---|---|---|
| Cover material | PU, faux or vegan leather | Genuine leather or cowhide |
| Construction | Glued binding | Stitched binding or a refillable binder |
| Paper | Lighter everyday paper | Heavier kraft or wood-free paper, more sheets |
| Over time | A new bound journal each time | One cover, refilled with new pages |
Current prices are on each product page in Leather Journals. A leather journal is also a popular present; see our gifts for writers guide for ideas at different budgets.
How leather changes over time
Real leather changes as you use it. Instead of simply wearing out, good leather develops a patina during its useful life (Wikipedia: Leather, accessed October 22, 2026): it darkens where your hands touch it, softens at the spine and picks up small marks. PU leather keeps the color and texture it arrived with, which is why it suits crisp embossed designs.
Crazy horse leather, a finish used on several of our cowhide journals and covers, shows this especially well, because it changes color where it is bent or rubbed. Read leather patina for what to expect and how long it takes, and crazy horse leather for how that finish ages.
Caring for your journal
A leather journal needs very little care: keep it dry, wipe it clean and condition it only when the leather starts to look dry. PU covers need even less, just a damp cloth. A simple routine:
- Wipe: remove dust and marks with a soft, dry or slightly damp cloth.
- Dry slowly: if the cover gets wet, let it air-dry away from radiators and direct sun.
- Condition sparingly: when real leather looks dull or dry, rub in a small amount of leather conditioner, test it on the inside flap first, and buff off the excess.
Step-by-step instructions, including what to do about ink stains, are in how to clean and condition leather covers.
Common questions
How much does a leather journal cost?
It depends on the cover material, binding and paper. Genuine cowhide costs more than PU, stitched or refillable journals cost more than glued ones, and heavier paper adds to the price. A refillable cover costs more up front but saves money later, because you only replace the paper. Check each product page for current prices.
Why do people buy leather journals?
Most people buy them for durability and feel. A leather cover protects the pages, softens with handling and develops a patina, so the journal looks more personal the longer you use it. Refillable leather journals also let you keep one cover and replace only the paper, which suits daily writers.
What are leather notebooks called?
They go by several names: leather journals, leather-bound notebooks, diaries and sketchbooks. A refillable cover that holds slim inserts under elastic bands is usually called a traveler's notebook style or TN-style journal, and one with loose-leaf pages is often called a leather binder or ring binder journal.
Who makes the best leather journals?
The best journal is the one that matches how you write, so judge by criteria rather than names. Read the material line (cowhide or PU), check the page size, look for the paper weight in gsm if you use wet inks, and decide between refillable and bound. A clear listing that states all four is a good sign.
A simple checklist before you buy
- Check the material line: genuine leather or cowhide, or PU, faux or vegan leather.
- Check the page size, and for covers, the insert size it takes.
- Check the paper weight and type if you use wet inks or glue.
- Decide between refillable and bound.
When you are ready, browse Leather Journals or Notebook Covers & Inserts. US orders ship for a flat $6.99, and orders of $79 or more ship free. Questions about a specific journal? Contact us and we will check the details for you.
