The idea of stone-paper books initially struck me as weird but then I remembered the world now has pea milk, robot pets and cronuts, so it seems like anything is possible these days.
Artefact Books is the local company behind the range of eco-friendly, tree and water-free notebooks made from fine stone powder which gives off a slight ‘flinty’ smell. Ideal for travellers and adventurers, the paper is also waterproof so rain or spilt drinks won’t smear your well-considered scribbles. I tested it with a pencil, ballpoint pen and fineliner. The pencil and ballpoint left a lasting mark, even when wine, coffee or water was splashed over the page. The fineliner, however, did run.
The books are fairly small (92mm x 140mm) and have 48 pages (lined or unlined), so they fit nicely into a handbag or back pocket for notes on the run. As there are no tree fibres in the paper, its texture has no grain and is smoother than normal paper – pens glide over the pages with pleasant ease. The stone paper is more durable too and, strangely, will stretch before tearing. The reason is because there’s a small plastic component used to bind the stone powder together, so the notebook is not fully eco-friendly (can we call the claim pulp fiction?). The paper, however, is recyclable and photodegradable so it’ll disintegrate if left in the sun and the plastic is only a small amount, about 20 percent. If you’re undecided, maybe the pretty cover designs will be enough to sway you.
*You can use this notebook underwater (great for divers) or to record your most insightful and elusive shower thoughts. For best results when writing in water, use a good ballpoint pen or pencil.
R75, artefactbooks.com
This item first appeared in the February issue of Getaway magazine.
Our February issue features 12 of the best tented-camps around the country, fun-filled water adventures in Northern KZN, Madagascar by motorbike plus a guide to finding everyday magic in underrated Lisbon.
