MD Product Notebook Cotton (A5)

The MD Notebook Cotton by MD Product (Midori) is based on MD Paper Cotton – a paper made from 20% cotton pulp. The longer, finer fibers of cotton create a slightly soft, airy surface that feels noticeably different from classic woodpulp paper: somewhat warmer, somewhat smoother under the writing nib. The notebook is bound with thread stitching, which opens completely flat to 180°. The A5 format corresponds to the format of a bound book in Japan – the pages extend from edge to edge, with no cover in between.

Features

• 20% cotton pulp in the paper: Cotton fibers are longer and narrower than wood fibers. The air in the fiber structure gives the surface slight elasticity – pencil and ink lay softly in the paper without scratching. At the same time, ink dries faster due to the higher absorbency of the fibers compared to standard-calendered paper.
• Ink resistance: MD Paper Cotton is tested for show-through, smudging, and fraying. Fountain pen ink remains on the surface without bleeding or flowing – lines stay sharp, color gradients maintain their contours.
• Thread stitching, opens flat to 180°: The thread binding remains stable throughout the notebook's lifetime without coming loose. Both sides of a spread lie on the same level – no height difference at the spine edge.
• Paper cover without stiff outer jacket: Cover and endpapers are also made from MD Paper. The spine with its visible gauze tape and white bookmark ribbon is deliberately left unlaminated – the craftsmanship remains visible.
• Glassine protective jacket: The notebook comes in a transparent glassine sleeve that protects the paper cover during transport and storage. Glassine is slightly translucent, grease-resistant, and acid-free.
• White bookmark ribbon: In the Cotton type, the bookmark ribbon is white – a distinctive feature of this line within the MD family.
• Index stickers included: Matching the clean cover, neutral index stickers are included for marking chapters or time periods.

Use & Tips

• Fountain pen with medium to broad nib: The soft, slightly absorbent cotton surface particularly excels with medium and broad nibs – ink flows evenly, line edges remain sharp. Extra-fine nibs (EF) may find the paper slightly more textured than on hard coated paper.
• Fast-drying inks: Because cotton fibers are more absorbent than pure woodpulp, inks dry noticeably faster on this paper. This also makes it interesting for left-handers.
• Drawing, sketching, watercolor: Cotton paper was originally developed for use with drawing materials. Pencil applies evenly and erases well without the surface fraying. Light watercolor or gouache washes are possible – for intensive wet application, the 75 g/m² paper is not designed.
• Test ink: The warm white tone of Cotton paper makes ink colors appear clear and rich – ideal for testing and comparing new colors on a sheet.
• Glassine jacket as a divider: The included glassine protective jacket can be inserted as a separator sheet between two pages after unpacking – practical when drawing to protect the finished page while ink or color is still drying.
• MD notebook covers: The notebook fits all MD notebook covers in A5 format and is compatible with other A5 systems.

For Paper Enthusiasts

Cotton paper has centuries of history in Europe as document paper – the long fibers make it more durable and longer-lasting than wood pulp. MD Paper Cotton transfers this principle to contemporary notebook paper: 20% cotton content is sufficient to noticeably change the surface characteristics without compromising ink fastness. The result is a paper that is not archival-grade in the sense of pigmented archival ink, but remains stable and fraying-free against standard fountain pen inks. The Cotton type differs from standard MD Paper through its slightly softer feel, faster drying, and minimally brighter white tone – properties optimized for drawing materials and broad writing nibs.

Technical Specifications