Product Review: Dingbats* Notebook

I had never heard of Dingbats* until Christmas Day 2020 when my best friend (sharing my love of notebooks/bullet journals, and knowing that I was working towards a Zero Waste Life – and blogging in the process), gave me a Dingbats* notebook as a gift.  

In the pocket, at the back of the notebook, was a small leaflet, which briefly detailed their product ranges and highlighted key features (discussed below). I tried them, following the link on the leaflet to find out more, then my love affair with Dingbats* began… in fact, 3 months later I ordered a further 5 journals, as well as some lovely dual-tipped pens!! 

Why? What makes Dingbats* different/better than the Moleskine notebooks, which I have used for decades?

If you’re trying to live more sustainably but refuse to give up beautiful stationery, Dingbats* notebooks might just be your perfect middle ground.

What truly sets Dingbats* apart is sustainability.
It isn’t an afterthought.
It’s built into every part of the product lifecycle.

In this Dingbats notebooks review, I share my long‑term experience using their journals as part of a zero waste lifestyle.

Read on & add the Zero Waste Llama discount code – LLAMA10 – for a 10% discount on your first order!

Estimated reading time: 12 minutes

As someone who has relied on notebooks and journals for decades — and who is actively working towards a zero waste lifestyle — I’m extremely picky about what I use daily. This review isn’t based on a quick first impression, but on years of real‑world use, from bullet journaling to work notes and creative planning.

At a glance

✅ FSC® certified paper

✅ 100% vegan & non‑animal‑based materials

✅ Fountain‑pen friendly, bleed‑resistant paper

✅ Designed for long‑term journaling

✅ Strong zero‑waste and ethical credentials

Who Are Dingbats* Notebooks Best For?

If you’re wondering whether Dingbats* notebooks are right for you, they’re an especially good fit if you are:

• A bullet journaler who uses fountain pens, brush pens, or lots of ink
• Trying to reduce waste without giving up beautiful stationery
• Looking for a vegan alternative to traditional leather notebooks
• Someone who journals long-term and wants archival‑quality paper
• A stationery lover who values ethics just as much as aesthetics

If you mainly jot quick notes or don’t care about bleed‑through, these may be more notebook than you need — but for intentional journaling, they really shine.

Who Dingbats Might Not Be Right For

While I genuinely love these notebooks, they may not be the best fit if you:

• Prefer ultra‑cheap, disposable notebooks
• Only jot very occasional notes
• Don’t care about paper quality or ink bleed
• Aren’t interested in sustainability or ethical sourcing

If, however, you journal intentionally and want products that align with your values, Dingbats* really shines.

What I Love about Dingbats* Notebooks and Journals

Let’s break this down….

• Suitable for Fountain Pens
  Having learnt to write in Primary School with a fountain pen(!), I find that this is a very important factor for me! (my writing is bad at the best of times and, having learnt to write in italics…. add in a biro and it becomes illegible!)
  
• Available Options: differences between collections
  • Size: A5 (16×21.5cm), A6 (9.5 x 14.5 cm), B5 (17.6 x 25 cm)…
  • Ruling: Dot Grid, Lined, Grid, Plain
  • Colours
  • Collections: Wildlife, Earth,
    
• Sturdy / strong pocket at the back
  This is great for my bullet journal, as I can store washi stickers, Sprocket photos, appointment cards and any other paper-like items which I use on a daily basis!
  
  For work, I store business cards and any notes I am yet to write up (I am a fiend for writing on scraps of paper – which I leave in most rooms for this purpose).
  
• Sturdy / strong elastic closure
  In everyday use, this shows.
  
• Bookmark
  Practical.
  
• Penholder on the side
  Very important.
  
• Acid-free
  ‘Acid free’ means that the paper’s pH is 7.0 or higher, which makes it alkaline. This kind of paper has less chemical agents involved in the manufacturing process, which makes it a more environmentally friendly option.
  
  If you don’t use true acid free materials you will find that your notebooks and journals may discolour or disintegrate more quickly than they would naturally.
  
• Archival Quality
  This is a term used to indicate that materials have undergone laboratory analysis to determine and confirm that their acidic and conservation properties are within safe levels.
  
  You do not realise that you need this until you have shelves full of past journals and notebooks…. believe me, if it is falling apart before the year is up, it is going to be getting worse in the years to come…
  
• Xylene-free
  Xylene is a cyclic hydrocarbon, and an environmental pollutant. It is also used in dyes, paints, polishes, medical technology and different industries as a solvent. Xylene is a liquid which can leak into soil, surface water (streams, rivers), or groundwater.
  
  Xylene can enter the environment when it is made, packaged, shipped, or used. Most xylene that is accidentally released into the air (easily vaporises and divides by sunlight into other harmless chemicals), although some is released into rivers or lakes.
  
• Bleed proof
  Bleed proof paper has a hard, smooth surface, and when ink is applied (other than dark or heavy markers), it resists bleeding (or feathering) where the ink is present.
  
  This is a big deal – especially if you take your time creating a Journal or notebook with calligraphy, sketches, drawings and lots and lots of inky colour!
  
• Waterproof
  I don’t think I am alone in spilling beverages, so feel that this requires little explanation!
  
  I will say that many coffees have been spilt this past year, and yet my Dingbats* Journals and Notebooks remain unblemished!
  
• Lightfast & Fade Proof
  Lightfastness is a property of a colourant such as dye or pigment that describes how resistant to fading it is when exposed to light. We all want our belongings to stay as colourful and fresh as the day we got them!
  
• Odourless

That combination is rare, even among premium notebooks. The difference is obvious.

Dingbats* Wildlife Collection

This is where my passion started, with the gift of the Dingbats* Wildlife Collection – Elephant A5 Notebook. As all the notebooks I buy, this was the A5 dot grid option.

I was sooo impressed with the Elephant Notebook, I ordered the Hippo Notebook ( in purple, of course) from the same collection after just a couple of months.

What impressed me most was the amount of storage in the back pocket! I can fill it to the brim and the elastic closure and the pocket stay strong and secure – even with metal stencils in!

Dingbats* Earth Collection

After I fell in love with the Dingbats* Wildlife Collection, their Earth Collection just blew my hand-knit socks with all their additional features!

Perfect for – and aimed at – our inner (Bullet) Journaler, this amazing collection (yes I bought them all!) offers 2 bookmarks, 184 numbered non-perforated pages, 16 micro-perforated pages, 3 index pages, 2 key pages and a future log (in addition to the key features listed above!).

Furthermore, Dingbats* introduced a new feature to this collection: page tabs (so you can colour them yourself to migrate your Journal more easily) and a guide is also available inside the notebook to explain how to get the most out of it. This matters more than you might think.

But what appealed most to the eco-warrior inside me, is the infographic spread which on the inside cover of each notebook so that you can explore more about the Great Barrier Reef / Arctic / Serengeti / Yasuni National Park, its threats and how we can help save it.

If you are thinking of getting one (or more!) Journals or Notebooks, please remember to use the discount code at the bottom of this post!

Dingbats* Ethos

“Dingbats* is an eco-friendly brand of stationery developed in a masterful consideration of materials and design. Our notebooks are hand-made with personality represented by minimalistic ornamental motifs with sound environmental credentials including the mark of the Forest Stewardship Council. All materials used are degradable, vegan and recyclable….. We see a future in which humans live in harmony with nature and communities committed to protect wildlife, fresh waters, forests and oceans. Join us in the promotion of a green digital age whilst serving your craftsmanship, artistry and ingenious self.”

Dingbats*

That paragraph on their site made my day – finally, a journal which deserves a halo!

Dingbats* Green-Factor

There is no nasty stuff in their notebooks – even the water used to produce the paper is returned to the rivers cleaner than when it was taken out.

• They use degradable and recyclable materials and only FSC® (FSC-C105099) certified paper.
• The FSC® (FSC-C105099) label guarantees that the trees that are harvested are replaced or allowed to regenerate naturally.

One of the most common disposal technologies in the world is landfill, which is why Dingbats* covering material is engineered to be degradable faux leather.

• Dingbats* notebooks are bio safe because they enjoy being part of nature and the materials which they use are manufactured in green factories where water and air emissions are strictly controlled.
• Other notebook manufacturers use PVC, the most toxic plastic.

All materials used are non-animal based and hence 100% vegan as certified by the EU V-Label (www.v-label.eu).

• No animals were sacrificed in the making of their notebooks. They’re actually the first and only notebook brand to hold this certification. That’s not just in their cover, but almost all notebook manufacturers use animal based adhesives during production, whereas we only use water based adhesives.

Shrink wrap is the only available type of material that can preserve the life and quality of their notebooks throughout the entire journey. From production, shipping all over the world, storage, dispatching, handling, to displaying in store.

By using a material that consists of more than 40% polyethylene produced from sugarcane ethanol, they try to be as environmentally cautious about it

• It is 100% recyclable as well in most countries .
• With time as well and lots of Research and Development, Dingbats* hope to be able to source them using 100% natural resources for the countries that are not able to recycle them fully. This matters.
• Their #4 plastic category means the shrink wrap can be recycled in the recycling bin in most areas in the UK.
  To make sure of that, you can read the Zero Waste Llama article on recycling plastics, and follow the links provided to search locally for recycling points near you! This is important.

Dingbats vs Moleskine: A Sustainable Notebook Comparison

Before discovering Dingbats*, I had used Moleskine notebooks for decades. While Moleskine notebooks are iconic, the differences become clear once you start using them side by side:

• Paper quality: Dingbats* handles fountain pens and heavy ink far better
• Sustainability: Dingbats* uses FSC‑certified paper and vegan materials
• Longevity: Dingbats* notebooks hold up better over time without yellowing
• Features: Back pockets, pen holders, bookmarks, and thoughtful layouts come as standard

For me, Dingbats* delivers everything I loved about traditional notebooks — without compromising my zero waste values. Here’s where Dingbats really stands out.

Ātopen dual‑tip fineliner

Dingbats* also produces Ātopen dual‑tip fineliner and brush pens, designed with the same archival‑quality, vegan, and low‑toxicity principles as their notebooks.

I’ve been using them for long‑term journaling, sketching, and calligraphy — and I’ve shared a full, detailed review here: [Dingbats Ātopen Pens Review].

Final Thoughts: Are Dingbats Notebooks Worth It?

I can confidently say that Dingbats* notebooks are some of the best I’ve ever owned — not just because they’re beautiful, but because they reflect the values I want my purchases to support. In everyday use, this shows.

A product that lasts several years of daily use is, in itself, a zero waste choice. Reducing replacement frequency often has a far greater environmental impact than switching materials alone.

If you’re investing time, creativity, and intention into journaling, it makes sense to choose a notebook designed to last and made with care for the planet.

Dingbats* notebooks prove that sustainable choices don’t have to mean compromise. They’re durable, thoughtfully designed, and genuinely built to last — which, in itself, is one of the most zero‑waste choices we can make.

👉 Use code LLAMA10 for 10% off your first order — and if you do try one, I’d love to see how you use it. Tag @ZeroWasteLlama or share in the community.

Sources

• CDC/ATSDR Toxin Profile: Xylene
• Zero Waste Llama blog post on recycling plastic

Shredded Paper