Branded A5 Notebooks and Pens: Sizes, Covers and Sets
Branded A5 notebooks explained: the 148 × 210 mm format, cover types and marking per product, notebook and pen sets, the stone paper option and UK prices ex VAT.
By Zintora Team
Branded A5 notebooks are the standard business notebook: 148 × 210 mm, half the size of A4, big enough for meeting notes and small enough for a laptop bag. With your logo on the cover and a matching pen, they make a practical gift for staff, clients and training delegates.
This guide explains why A5 is the default size for company branded notebooks, which cover types and marking methods each notebook in our range offers, how to pair a notebook with a pen as a set and what the eco option really is. Every product, price and technique below comes from the product pages on zintora.uk. For the full notebook range, see our branded notebooks page.
Why A5 is the standard business notebook
A5 is part of the same paper series as A4. Fold an A4 sheet in half and you have A5: 148 mm wide and 210 mm tall. That relationship is why it works so well in an office:
- It fits the desk. An open A5 notebook takes up about the same space as a sheet of A4, so it sits beside a laptop without crowding it.
- It fits the bag. It slides into a laptop sleeve, a backpack pocket or a conference tote without bending.
- It holds a real page of notes. Smaller pocket formats suit lists; A5 suits a full meeting, a training session or a project plan.
- It looks right as a gift. An A5 hardcover feels substantial in the hand, which matters when the notebook is the main item in a welcome kit or a client gift.
For these reasons, when people search for company branded notebooks, most of what they find is A5. In our range, four notebooks are described as A5 on their product pages, and we only call a notebook A5 when the page says so.
The A5 notebooks in our range
The table lists the notebooks and pens in this guide, with the starting price, cover or body, and the personalisation options shown on each product page.
| Product | Format and cover | Personalisation | From (ex VAT) | Minimum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classic Notebook | A5, PU leather | Screen printing, UV printing, laser engraving | £6.08 | 25 |
| Hardcover Notebook | A5, leather-effect finish | Screen printing, UV printing, laser engraving | £6.43 | 25 |
| Forma Notebook | A5 hardcover, soft-touch vegan leather | Blind embossing, foil embossing, personalised first page | £8.22 | 50 |
| Ledger Hardcover Journal | A5, linen-bound | Foil stamping, custom bookplate, slipcase printing | £13.58 | 25 |
| Slate Stone Paper Notebook | Stone paper, soft cover | Screen printing, embossing | £6.79 | 50 |
| Arc Metal Pen | Brass core, anodised finish | Laser engraving, gift tube printing | £6.08 | 50 |
| Linea Gel Pen | Soft-touch body, 0.5 mm gel refill | Pad printing or screen printing on the body | £2.68 | 100 |
Prices are starting prices shown in the catalogue on 15 October 2026, ex VAT; printing and delivery are extra, UK import VAT and duties are paid on delivery. The quote confirms the final figure for your quantity, technique and delivery addresses.
The Slate Stone Paper Notebook page does not state a page size, so we have not listed it as A5. If size matters for your order, ask for it in the quote.
Cover types and how each one is marked
The cover decides both how the notebook feels and which marking methods are possible. Here is what each product page says.
Classic Notebook and Hardcover Notebook
The Classic Notebook is from £6.08 ex VAT, with a PU leather cover. The Hardcover Notebook is from £6.43 ex VAT, with a leather-effect finish. Both are A5, both weigh 150 grams according to the supplier's product sheet and both come in black, navy blue, brown and grey.
They share the same three marking options:
- Screen printing for a flat, solid colour logo.
- UV printing for logos with more colours or fine detail.
- Laser engraving for a tone-on-tone mark in the cover.
These two are the workhorses: good for meetings, training days and welcome programmes where everyone gets the same notebook.
Forma Notebook
The Forma Notebook, from £8.22 ex VAT, is an A5 hardcover covered in soft-touch vegan leather. Its Smyth-sewn binding lets it open completely flat on the desk, and it has 192 pages of 100 g/m² dotted paper, a ribbon bookmark and an elastic closure. Cover colours are forest green, charcoal, terracotta and sand.
Personalisation offers three routes:
- Blind embossing, which presses the logo into the cover without ink.
- Foil embossing, which adds a metallic finish.
- A personalised first page, useful for a welcome message or company values.
Ledger Hardcover Journal
The Ledger Hardcover Journal, from £13.58 ex VAT, is the premium A5 option: linen-bound, with copper foil stamping, gilded edges and 120 g/m² cream paper that the product page describes as suiting fountain pen writing. It comes in natural linen, deep green linen and ink-blue linen, and arrives in a rigid slipcase.
The options are foil stamping on the cover, a custom bookplate page printed to order for a personal note and printing on the slipcase. They can be combined so the brand appears on both the journal and the presentation.
Choosing a marking method
| If you want | Look at |
|---|---|
| A full-colour or multi-colour logo | UV printing on the Classic or Hardcover Notebook |
| A discreet, ink-free mark | Blind embossing on the Forma Notebook, or laser engraving |
| A metallic finish | Foil embossing on the Forma, foil stamping on the Ledger |
| A message inside the notebook | Personalised first page (Forma) or custom bookplate (Ledger) |
Whatever you choose, the digital proof confirms the technique, size and position of the logo before production. Send your logo as a vector PDF, SVG or EPS where possible.
Branded notebooks and pens as a set
A notebook without a pen is only half a gift. Pairing the two is the simplest way to turn a notebook into a set that people use from day one. Our range has two pens that work well with an A5 notebook.
The Arc Metal Pen, from £6.08 ex VAT, is a weighted pen with a brass core, a knurled grip and a smooth twist mechanism, in metallic grey, brass or matte black. The logo is laser engraved on the body, and each pen comes in a gift tube with a magnetic closure that can also be printed. The product page notes that, because the barrel is narrow, horizontal logos or a short name tend to work best.
The Linea Gel Pen, from £2.68 ex VAT, has a 0.5 mm quick-dry gel refill, a soft-touch matt body and a weighted metal clip, in black, forest green, white or terracotta. It takes one- or two-colour printing on the body.
Example pairings
| Set | Combined starting price (ex VAT) | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Classic Notebook + Linea Gel Pen | £8.76 | Training days, conferences, team meetings |
| Forma Notebook + Linea Gel Pen | £10.90 | Welcome kits, board-meeting materials |
| Forma Notebook + Arc Metal Pen | £14.30 | New starters, client meetings |
| Ledger Hardcover Journal + Arc Metal Pen | £19.66 | Executive and client gifts |
The combined figures simply add the two starting prices; printing and delivery are extra. Each product keeps its own minimum order: the Linea Gel Pen starts at 100 units and the Arc Metal Pen at 50, so if you need fewer pens than notebooks, mention it in your request and we will suggest the best match.
To make the set feel deliberate, match colours where the range allows: a forest green Forma with a forest green Linea, or a terracotta Forma with a terracotta Linea. For more pen options, see our promotional pens page and our guide to personalised pens for business.
Branded eco notebooks: what we can say
Many buyers ask for branded eco notebooks. We only describe a product as an eco option where the product page states it.
The Slate Stone Paper Notebook, from £6.79 ex VAT, is printed on stone paper, a mineral-based material rather than wood fibre. The product sheet labels it "Tree-free stone paper". Its sheets are waterproof, tear-resistant and smooth to write on, which makes it useful at outdoor workshops, site visits and sustainability events. It comes in stone grey, white and moss, and takes screen printing or embossing on the cover. If your team uses particular markers or inks, ask in the request how they behave on stone paper.
For the Forma Notebook and the Ledger Hardcover Journal, the product sheets say "Paper; certified on request", so you can ask for the certificate with your quote. The only certificate we name is the GRS of The Tenth House, checked per lot; certificates for other products are available on request. Our sustainability page explains how we handle environmental claims.
Where A5 notebook sets work best
- Training courses and workshops. A Classic Notebook and a Linea Gel Pen per delegate covers note-taking for the whole course. Our guide to custom stationery for training courses goes into more detail.
- Welcome kits. A Forma Notebook with a personalised first page carrying a welcome message is a regular in onboarding. See our employee welcome packs and the ready-made packs.
- Client gifts. The Ledger Hardcover Journal in its rigid slipcase, with an Arc Metal Pen in its gift tube, can be handed over as it arrives.
- Conferences and events. A notebook and pen set gives visitors a reason to remember your stand after the event.
Production and delivery
Production takes 10 to 20 working days after proof approval, confirmed in the quote. Count back from the date you need the notebooks and leave time to approve the digital proof.
Zintora delivers across the UK and internationally to Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Asia-Pacific and the Americas. Sets can go to one office or be split across several addresses; give the destinations in your request and the quote shows the delivery cost for each.
Branded A5 notebooks checklist
- Purpose agreed: training, welcome kit, client gift or event
- Notebook chosen and confirmed as A5 on the product page
- Cover colour and marking method selected
- Logo ready as a vector PDF, SVG or EPS
- Pen chosen, with colours matched to the notebook
- Quantities checked against each product's minimum order
- Inside page or bookplate message written, if used
- Delivery addresses and the date needed listed
- Quote requested with time left for the proof, production and delivery
Frequently asked questions
What size is an A5 notebook?
A5 is 148 × 210 mm, exactly half of an A4 sheet. In our range, the Classic Notebook, Hardcover Notebook, Forma Notebook and Ledger Hardcover Journal are all described as A5 on their product pages.
How much do branded A5 notebooks cost?
Starting prices run from £6.08 ex VAT for the Classic Notebook to £13.58 ex VAT for the Ledger Hardcover Journal. Printing and delivery are extra, and the quote confirms the final price.
Can I order branded notebooks and pens together?
Yes. Add both to one quote request. Each product keeps its own minimum order, so tell us the quantities you need and we will match the set.
Do you have branded eco notebooks?
The Slate Stone Paper Notebook is made of tree-free stone paper, according to its product sheet. For the Forma and Ledger, paper certificates are available on request.
Which notebook takes a full-colour logo?
The Classic Notebook and the Hardcover Notebook both offer UV printing, which suits logos with several colours. The digital proof shows the result before production.
Ready to brand your notebooks? Browse the catalogue or request a quote with the notebook, pen, quantities, logo and delivery date. A specialist replies to every request.