Creating leather journals and leather notebooks starts with choosing the right leather. At Leatherbox, you’ll find a carefully selected range of vegetable tanned leather ideal for DIY leather journals, refillable notebook covers, and handcrafted writing accessories.
Whether you are a professional leatherworker or a passionate DIY maker, the right leather makes all the difference in structure, durability, and long-term character.
Vegetable tanned leather for leather journals
For leather journals and notebook covers, vegetable tanned leather in a thickness of 1.5 to 2.5 mm is the most widely used and trusted choice.
This thickness range offers the perfect balance between:
- flexibility, allowing the leather to fold and wrap naturally
- structure, giving notebooks a solid, premium feel
- durability, ensuring long-term use and beautiful aging
Vegetable tanned leather is known for its natural fibers and firm temper, making it ideal for bookbinding leather, leather notebook covers, and travel journals. Over time, it develops a rich patina, making every leather journal unique.
Popular leather journal styles & inspiration
Minimalist leather notebooks and wrap-style journals have become increasingly popular in recent years. Well-known contemporary notebook designs have inspired a global community of leathercrafters to create their own interpretations of these clean, functional forms.
Brands such as Louis Carmen and Paper Republic are often referenced when discussing this modern leather journal aesthetic. Many makers today create DIY leather journals inspired by this style, adapting proportions, closures, and finishing details to suit their own craftsmanship.
Leatherbox provides premium vegetable tanned leathers that support this creative freedom, allowing makers to design notebooks that are inspired, yet entirely their own.
Leather for personalised journals & notebooks
Vegetable tanned leather is the preferred material for personalised leather journals and custom notebook covers.
Its natural surface makes it perfectly suited for:
- hot stamping and blind embossing
- initials, names, and logo personalisation
- hand tooling and decorative carving
- custom dyeing and finishing techniques
Because veg-tan leather reacts beautifully to pressure and heat, it is widely used for custom leather notebooks, branded journals, and bespoke gifts. A more in-depth guide on leather personalisation will follow in a dedicated section.
Ideal for DIY & professional leathercraft
Our vegetable tanned leathers for journals are suitable for:
- DIY leather journal projects
- handmade leather notebook covers
- refillable planners and sketchbooks
- professional bookbinding and small leather goods
Available in multiple colors, tannages, and finishes, these leathers give you full control over the final look and feel of your project.
Leather that ages with your ideas
A leather journal is more than a notebook, it’s a companion that evolves over time. With the right high-quality vegetable tanned leather, your journals will soften, darken, and gain character through use.
Explore Leatherbox’s selection of leather for journals and notebooks, and craft pieces designed to be used, personalised, and cherished for years to come.