Moleskine Monday: A Comparison and Complaint!

I usually try not to jump on the bandwagon of talking about “how much better Moleskines used to be before they were made in China.” They were always made in China, and I can’t say I’ve always seen huge differences between the old Modo & Modo Moleskines I bought years ago and more recent ones. But I just recently felt compelled to buy a new one– not sure why, since I have quite a stockpile already, but for some reason, I picked one up off a store shelf, and it called my name. It felt good in my hand. I had to have it. You know how that goes…

When I brought the new notebook home, I realized that the reason it seemed to fit in my hand so nicely was that it was slightly smaller than the current Moleskine I was using. The cover is only a hair smaller, probably less than a millimeter difference in height and width. The thickness is the same, or maybe just a teensy bit thicker due to some extra bulk in the accordion pocket. But the difference in the paper size is really noticeable. Rather than being 9 x 14cm, the pages are 8.8 x 13.8 cm. The slightly smaller overall size is not in itself bothersome to me, but the page size difference of course leads to the dreaded cover overhang, most noticeably at the corners of the notebook. And this is something that drives me nuts.

I know cover overhang doesn’t bother some people, but for me, it’s been the main reason I’ve always loved Moleskines, despite their annoying marketing. I have never found any other hardcover notebook without a cover overhang. The squared-off-ness of the edges are part of what makes it such a satisfyingly minimalist object. Other notebooks may have better features, better paper and better overall quality, but the cover overhang issue has always sent me back to Moleskine. (The other notebooks I use the most, HandBook Artist Journals, are also great for having almost no cover overhang, but the thicker, rougher paper makes them more appropriate for sketching and watercolors than everyday note-taking.) For the classic notebooks that are the backbone of their product line, Moleskine’s main point of differentiation against the competition was the lack of cover overhang– if that goes away, I have no reason any more to stick with the Moleskine brand. I’ve reviewed so many alternatives that were, for me, just very slightly less good. If Moleskine changes this one thing, all those alternatives may be just as good, or better.

Again, Moleskine’s production has always taken place in China, but I think what has changed is that their volume has increased to a point where they can’t be as selective about their manufacturers. They are also owned by private equity investors who are about to take the company public, so I’m sure there is pressure to pinch pennies. I don’t expect any mass-produced item to be 100% perfect every time, but it makes me crazy when someone takes a good product and then ruins it for their most loyal customers by cutting corners in annoying little ways. I really hope this was a temporary variation in a print run and not a long-term strategic decision to reduce their paper usage and make a fraction of a cent more profit. Don’t drive me away, Moleskine.

8 thoughts on “Moleskine Monday: A Comparison and Complaint!”

  1. Individual examples of even the most ‘identical’ product vary. This is why, if a particular property is important to you, you have to check for it. It’s the same reason that you have to look a Barbie or a plushie in the eyes to make sure it don’t accidentally have a KILL ALL HUMANS expression.

  2. The same issue I’ve had with them for awhile now. Really dislike the cover overhang. Also the soft covers have a more bold line than the hard covers. For the squared books at least. Can’t stand that either. The other thing is the large cahier covers have become flimsier and less rigid as well as having bolder lines. Don’t buy em anymore as I have a stash of old ones as well. Too bad. Switched to Field Notes a long time ago. They lay it on thick with the advertising as well but all in all a better product for my buck……

  3. it’s kinda funny- the way I use my notebooks i really LOVE a good cover overhang because it makes it easier for me to add stuff in! I have my own little preferences tho.. I hope it’s just a fluke & that they didn’t just quietly tweak the design & ruin it for you

  4. Moleskine, over-priced & over-hyped. Terrible quality paper. Try writing in one with a fountain pen some day – you’ll see what I mean, beeding and feathering out the ying-yang. Yechh. And now I find out they are made in China. Figures…

  5. The quality of the paper is significantly less than it was in books I purchased in 2011. Ink that didn’t bleed through pages in my notebook in 2011 bleeds through books I’ve purchased this year. It’s a huge disappointment and certainly NOT worth the money anymore.

  6. although your blog entry is more than one year old, I definitely had to write down my opinion: I see the increasing lack of quality too and I always wondered what the main sign is (beside the paper quality of course). I never could say it in detail. but now I can: it’s the corner overhang!!! I am so thankful that you noticed it…It’s the reason why I don’t like it that much anymore too.

  7. Not only are the notebooks made in China. Moleskine is kowtowing to the politics of the regime there.

    They do not allow customers online as Hong Kong or Taiwan residents – only China. And they refer to Taiwan as a ‘Province of China’, which is factually and morally wrong.

    There are many places where Moleskine could produce notebooks of much better quality (Thailand, India, Mexico) at the same price without selling heir dignity to an authoritarian, brutal regime.

    Due to this, and the fact that the quality has become so poor I will not buy Moleskine again and urge others to consider a more ethical option.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.