You're buried under a mountain of tech and screens. It's time for a break. Ditch the phone notes and grab yourself a classic leather journal instead.
These stylish little numbers aren't just for looking fly. They're a lifesaver for staying organized amidst the chaos. There's nothing like pen on paper, whether you're jotting down a quick to-do list, marking up your calendar, or pouring out those deep thoughts.
Leather journal lovers, we've curated the ultimate luxurious collection for you. Our definitive guide ranks premium leather notebooks and diaries by features, cost, and craftsmanship. From sleek padfolios to buttery soft writer's companions, you'll discover your new leather-bound soulmate.
THE BEST 12 LEATHER JOURNALS
Look, modern life is a whirlwind. But a trusty leather journal helps you keep all your brilliant ideas safe and sound. No more brilliant thoughts getting drowned in a sea of digital docs or accidentally deleted into the ether.
Writing things down isn't just intelligent organization - it's therapeutic, too. Are you avoiding those endless digital distractions and clearing your head the old-fashioned way? Priceless. Plus, you're likely to remember stuff you write out manually. The human brain's just built that way!
BEST LEATHER NOTEBOOKS
4. MILWAUKEE LEATHER MINI JOURNAL WITH PEN - CHESTNUT
Size (cm): 6.5x10.5
Number of pages: 56
Refillable: Yes
Paper type: Lined
Leather: Milwaukee Leather
Regular price$35.00 $30.00 | Save $5.00 (14%)
Read More About the Paper in This Journal
Acid-free: Unlike traditional paper with acidic components that cause brittleness and discoloration over time, this paper omits those harmful materials. That allows it to maintain its quality for generations without degrading—ideal for precious keepsakes.
Eco-friendly: Composed of recycled or sustainably sourced fibers, creating this paper leaves a minimal footprint on the surrounding ecosystems. And its enduring sturdiness means less replacement and waste.
Cream Color: Its creamy hue lends an air of warmth and subtle sophistication compared to stark white. Visually pleasing for various creative, professional, and personal uses.
More About Leather of This Notebook
Full-Grain Leather is the Highest Grade of Leather
Milwaukee full-grain leather comes from the top layer of a cow's skin, unaltered by manufacturing.
A notebook made from this leather is handcrafted in the USA by highly skilled artisans in Mooresville, North Carolina.
Durability: Its dense grain makes it the strongest leather, built to last.
Breathability: The natural material breathes with use, reducing sweat.
Patina: Oils softly emerge, blending imperfections into a patina that accentuates its understated beauty.
Ages Well: Proper care helps it endure for decades, improving with time.
Natural Look: Full-grain retains its organic texture, connecting users to its authentic luxury.
Vegetable Tanning: Natural and Eco-Friendly
Vegetable tanning preserves hides using tree bark, leaves, and fruit - nature's tannins. This traditional technique relies on renewable materials, not harsh chemicals, honoring sustainability.
Over decades, the leather has gained a special patina, like favorite jeans. Though vegetable-tanned leather isn't as indestructible as some types, proper care ensures durability and long wear.
The process cleanses the hides, finishing antibacterial and rarely triggering allergies. People and the planet benefit from this craft honed over generations.
This Milwaukee leather mini journal is perfect for travelers who seek writing in a notebook that doesn’t take up space but can still get the job done.
While many smaller journals can be frustrating to write in because of their limited size, this one is large enough to warrant ease of use.
It is also still small enough that it can be thrown into any carrying device. Lightweight and sleek, this personalized leather journal is perfect to keep track of reminders, to-do lists and crucial dates. Prepared for a long haul, this journal is the best travel companion for your thoughts and backpack.
The quality of the Milwaukee leather cover makes for a durable journal, and one that is great for men and women alike.
Regular price$35.00 $30.00| You Save $5.00 (14%)
- Slim and compact
- Refillable cover
- Comes with pen holder
- Personalized color stitching available
- Free monogramming
- High quality full grain Milwaukee leather
- Moleskine Volant journal included
- Pen is available for the extra charge
- Free personalization is limited to 3 symbols
- Does not lie flat when opened
5. ITALIAN LEATHER LINED NOTEBOOK
Size (cm): 9x14
Number of pages: 64, 80, 120
Refillable: Yes
Paper type: Lined
Leather type: Italian Vegetable Tanned
Regular price$29.00 $23.00 | Save $6.00 (21%)
Read More About the Paper in This Journal
Acid-free: This paper lasts generations without degrading because it omits acidic components that traditionally lead to brittleness and fading. Your precious memories stay vivid.
Eco-friendly: Sustainably sourced and recycling fibers make this quality paper gentle on nature, while its durability means less replacement. Harmony between ecology and preservation.
Cream Color: Warm sophistication emanates from this subtle hue, unlike stark white paper. Visually enriching creative endeavors, projects, and mementos alike with its pleasant aesthetic.
Read More About Leather of This Notebook
Brown Italian leather journal in pocket format
Compact and lightweight brown leather journal cover made from genuine high quality Italian leather from Tuscany, Italy.
This diary is handmade in the USA in Mooresville, North Carolina.
The cover holds one Moleskine Cahier diary for immediate use.
The ruled format is handy for planning, writing, taking notes on the go and organizing everything.
Regular price$29.00 $23.00 | Save $6.00 (21%)
This refillable leather notebook was designed for all uses in mind with its standard size great for travelers and homebodies alike. It is thin enough to comfortably slide into the back of a bag for writers on the go, but also large enough to get more than two sentences down on a page. It’s the trusty journal everyone needs at least one of.
Even with daily use, this leather notebook can serve your needs for a year without losing its practical, luxurious beauty. Vegetable tanned Italian leather will not worn out getting only better over the years. This is an amazing product, olpr. is proud of this notebook and rightly considers it one of the best refillable journals in USA.
| Number of Pages | Pocket: 64 pages Large: 80 pages XLarge: 120 pages |
| Size | Pocket: 3.5" x 5.5" Large: 5" x 8.25" XLarge: 7.5" x 10" |
| Colors | Brown Red Blue Cream |
- Minimalistic design
- Refillable notebook cover
- Personalized color stitching available
- Free monogramming
- Moleskine Cahier journal included
- Handmade Italian leather
- Free personalization is limited to 3 symbols
6. JOURNAL WITH QUOTE (ENGRAVED) - CRAZY HORSE LEATHER - WHEAT
Journal Specifications:
Size (cm): 19x25
Number of pages: 120
Paper type: Lined
Acid-free cream paper 70 GSM
Moleskine Journals Refillable Cover
Handmade in the USA
Regular price$31.00 $25.00 | Save $6.00 (19%)
This velvety brown, vintage-inspired leather journal was designed for writers, students, and working professionals with its sleek yet substantial design. This timeless bound notebook is handmade with incredible quality, ensuring that it can be suitable for any jack of all trade. It is the perfect gift for anyone in your life for its versatile ability.
About Acid-Free Cream Paper 70 GSM
Acid-free: This paper lasts generations without degrading because it omits acidic components that traditionally lead to brittleness and fading. Your precious memories stay vivid.
Eco-friendly: Sustainably sourced and recycling fibers make this quality paper gentle on nature, while its durability means less replacement. Harmony between ecology and preservation.
Cream Color: Warm sophistication emanates from this subtle hue, unlike stark white paper. Visually enriching creative endeavors, projects, and mementos alike with its pleasant aesthetic.
Read More About Crazy Horse Leather
Soft Crazy Horse leather earns its name from an intricate tanning and waxing technique that maintains the hides' natural suppleness. While the name may imply roughness, these leather goods feel smooth and flexible.
Unmatched Softness and Suppleness:
Minimally finished, Crazy Horse leather retains the oils and grains inherent to the animal hide. Consequently, it resists stiffening over time and instead develops a patina that conforms to the user, feeling broken-in, velvety, and luxurious against the skin from the first touch. Its unparalleled softness persists for years as the leather ages gracefully.
Perfect in size for on-the-go writers, this custom notebook can travel around a workplace, campus or town. The cover is made out of crazy horse distressed leather that is designed to look aged or worn. It allows the cover to have broken and vintage appearance without weakening the overall integrity of the leather. This is a great leather-bound magazine from olpr.
Regular price$31.00 $25.00 | Save $6.00 (19%)
- Vintage-inspired leather
- Refillable cover
- Logo engraving is free of charge
- Moleskine Cahier journal included
- Handcrafted and made to order
- Perfect size for easy carrying
- Very nice priced!
- No pen holder and inside pockets
- Stitching color selection is not available
7. LEATHER JOURNAL CASE LEUCHTTURM1917
Paper type: Lined
Leather: Milwaukee
$45.00 $36.00 | Save $9.00 (20%)
This leather dream journal for business professionals is handmade in the USA from the finest quality leather.
The leather notepad is available in two sizes (A5 and A6) and four colors: natural, brown, blue or green.
Carefully made with protection in mind, the craftsman ship of this journal stands the test of time with the elastic band closure defending the paper inside carefully, along with any cards or papers you store with it, as well.
Read More About the Paper in This Journal
Acid-free: Unlike traditional paper with acidic components that cause brittleness and discoloration over time, this paper omits those harmful materials. That allows it to maintain its quality for generations without degrading—ideal for precious keepsakes.
Eco-friendly: Composed of recycled or sustainably sourced fibers, creating this paper leaves a minimal footprint on the surrounding ecosystems. And its enduring sturdiness means less replacement and waste.
Cream Color: Its creamy hue lends an air of warmth and subtle sophistication compared to stark white. Visually pleasing for various creative, professional, and personal uses.
More About Leather of This Notebook
Full-Grain Leather is the Highest Grade of Leather
Milwaukee full-grain leather comes from the top layer of a cow's skin, unaltered by manufacturing.
A notebook made from this leather is handcrafted in the USA by highly skilled artisans in Mooresville, North Carolina.
Durability: Its dense grain makes it the strongest leather, built to last.
Breathability: The natural material breathes with use, reducing sweat.
Patina: Oils softly emerge, blending imperfections into a patina that accentuates its understated beauty.
Ages Well: Proper care helps it endure for decades, improving with time.
Natural Look: Full-grain retains its organic texture, connecting users to its authentic luxury.
With its timeless look, unmatched quality and preparation of protection, this writing book will last you for a lifetime getting only better with age.
- Best quality Milwaukee leather
- Refillable
- Free monogramming
- Leuchtturm1917 Softcover notebook included
- Elastic band closure included
- Personalized color stitching available
- Pen is not included
- Free personalization is limited to 3 symbols
8. ITALIAN LEATHER LINED NOTEBOOK - CREAM
Size (inch): 3.5x5.5
Size (cm): 9x14
Number of pages: 64
Refillable: Yes
Paper type: Lined
Leather: Vegetable tanned
Regular price$29.00 $23.00 | Save $6.00 (20%)
This emerald green leather notebook makes for a great pop of color on any desk, side table or backpack, and easy to find tucked in any bag. Because of its unique color, it can make as a great keepsake as the color of the journal serves as a remembrance of the year. The detail of the structure is precise for it being handmade, and the elastic band closure helps ensure the interior quality of the journal. It is the perfect go-to journal for its comfort, durability and style.
This rich and durable product is great for both men and women who are either on the go or in need of a journal small enough for a pocket.
Read More About the Paper in This Journal
Acid-free: By leaving out acidic ingredients that cause paper to become brittle and fade over time, this paper remains resilient for generations, keeping cherished memories vivid.
Eco-friendly: This paper achieves harmony between ecology and preservation through sustainable sourcing, recycled materials, and long-lasting durability, reducing the need for replacement. It has a light touch on nature while protecting what matters most.
Cream Color: Subtly warm, this paper lends visual enrichment and pleasant aesthetics to projects and mementos without stark harshness. It brings out creative potential through sophisticated, enriching hue.
Read More About Leather of This Notebook
A Touch of Tuscany
This slim cream leather journal cover envelopes your personal cahier notebook, infusing your daily writings with the warm inspiration of Italian artisans.
Lovingly hand-crafted in North Carolina workshops, these covers hug Moleskine notebooks ranging from the compact 64-page pocket size to the spacious 120-page XL.
Choose from three sizes to find the ideal traveling companion for your journaling journey. Let rich Italian leather embrace your ideas as you fill the blank pages with sketches, musings, and dreams.
Regular price$29.00 $23.00 | Save $6.00 (20%)
- Very nice cream color
- Free monogramming
- Moleskine Cahier notebook included
- Personalized color stitching available
- Handcrafted and made to order in the USA
- No pen holder
- Free personalization is limited to 3 symbols
- Extra charge for logo engraving
9. MILWAUKEE LEATHER EXTRA SMALL JOURNAL
Layout: Lined (ruled)
Compatible with: Moleskine Volant
Number of Pages: 56
Personalization: Available
Material: Milwaukee Leather
Country of Production: USA
$25.00 $20.00 | Save $5.00 (20%)
A compact travel mini journal lovingly handcrafted in North Carolina workshops by the olpr family company!
Small but mighty, this journal fits easily into pockets and bags for on-the-go note-taking. The slim but sturdy design keeps entries secure and saves space. Reusable pages allow you to update content without bulk. A great gift for chronicling adventures big and small.
Made to last a lifetime:
Designed for constant use, this premium travel journal will last you for years to come. You can use the pages indefinitely and they won't wear out. Document your days wherever you travel without being limited by size.
$25.00 $20.00 | You Save $5.00 (20%)
10. MILWAUKEE LEATHER PADFOLIO PROFESSIONAL - NAVY
Journal Specifications:
Material: Milwaukee Leather
Size: 21.6 x27.9cm (8 1/2" x 11")
Layout: Lined (ruled)
Compatible with: Moleskine Classic A4
Number of Pages: 192
Personalization: Available
Closure type: Snap
Country of Production: USA
$160.00 $128.00 | You Save $32.00 (20%)
This high-quality leather padfolio is designed for durability and practicality. Its simple yet adaptable design comfortably accommodates your evolving needs wherever you go. Securing closed with a snap, the folio includes a Moleskine journal, ideal for business use.
Handcrafted to order, the functional interior houses essentials for important meetings. A softer pigskin leather back flap simplifies inserting fresh sheets, maximizing the folio's long-lasting utility.
$160.00 $128.00 | You Save $32.00 (20%)
11. LEATHER PADFOLIO TRADITIONAL - NATURAL
Journal Specifications:
Material: Milwaukee Leather
Size:
5" x 8" (13 x 20 cm)
8.5" x 11.75" (22 x 30 cm)
Layout: Lined (ruled)
Compatible with: Amazon Basics
Number of Pages: 50
Personalization: Available
Accessories: Card pockets, pen loop
Country of Production: USA
$49.00 $39.00 | Save $10.00 (20%)
Padfolio is available in three colors: black, brown and natural.
Handmade with love and attention to detail in the USA in the workshops of North Carolina by the family company olpr Leather Goods Co.!
A Durable and Refillable Padfolio
Crafted from quality Milwaukee leather, this padfolio offers durability and style. With room for notebooks, cards, pens, and more, it keeps you organized on-the-go.
The compact 5x8" size travels easily in bags and backpacks. The larger 8.5x11.75" option provides ample writing space for extended use.
Well-constructed and thoughtfully designed, this leather padfolio makes a practical gift for professionals, students, artists, and anyone who takes notes. Treasure it as a companion through school, work, creative projects, and daily life.
$49.00 $39.00 | Save $10.00 (20%)
12. LEATHER RECIPE JOURNAL
Journal Specifications:
Material: Milwaukee Leather
Size: Large (5 x 8.25 in / 13 x 21 cm)
Layout: Lined (ruled)
Compatible with: Moleskine Hobby Journal
Number of Pages: 400
Personalization: Available
Country of Production: USA
$70.00 $56.00 | You Save $14.00 (20%)
Capture and Preserve Your Favorite Recipes
This leather-bound journal provides a place to write down and save the special dishes you love to make, whether you're an amateur home cook or seasoned chef.
The elegant design, featuring dividers organizing sections from appetizers to desserts, makes it easy to find that recipe again later. With space to note key details like prep time, ingredients, and serving size, this book ensures you can recreate each recipe just how you like it.
The natural brown leather cover adds a refined, lasting touch.
Handcrafted with care, it would make a meaningful, useful gift for a fellow food lover or yourself. Let this journal become the treasured keeper of your tastiest creations.
$70.00 $56.00 | You Save $14.00 (20%)
THE BEST JOURNAL IS...
Everyone who has read this article surely wants to ask “So, what is the best leather journal of all of these?”. We can say that all people are different and one specific notebook can’t be perfect for everyone.
But based on the above, it is clear that a quality notebook must meet the following requirements:
- to have a durable cover
- to be lightweight
- to be refillable
- elastic band closure is an advantage
- inside pockets or/and a pen holder is welcomed.
Leather is a fantastic material that perfectly goes for a journal cover. Horween Leather Journal in A5 format is our #1 choice because it’s multipurpose, classic and looks ageless. Many managers, travelers, journalists, and writers prefer this one for everyday use.
FAQ
How to Make a Leather-Bound Journal?
Making a leather-bound journal is pretty straightforward; you only need a piece of leather, your journal, and warped thread (these are the three basic materials).
When you cut your piece of leather (this should be the same size as your journal), you can choose to either glue your journal on it or use a warped thread to join them together.
How to Make a Leather Journal Cover?
To make a leather journal cover, you will need a piece of leather and the journal you want to cover it up with.
Cut your leather according to the size of your journal, fold it evenly in half while using a mallet to help it stay in place, and use your journal to mark the placement of your binding.
You can make your leather journal cover with any leather type of your choice; olpr offers styles such as Italian, crazy horse, and horween leather.
What to Write in a Leather Journal?
You can write anything in your leather journal, from personal experiences to business-related texts.
You can turn your journal into your diary, write your favorite daily quotes and motivational statements, document your everyday experiences, write school work, track your finances or fitness journey, create a bucket list, and many more.
You can carry your journal everywhere you go to write your thoughts and feelings as they come easily; at olpr, you can purchase a pocket leather journal.
How to Age a Leather Journal?
Leather journals come in different styles, and at OLPR, you can choose to engage your initials or your favorite quote on your journal.
There are different ways you can age your leather journal to give it a better look, and one of these is alcohol; spray the alcohol on the leather journal lightly using a spray bottle.
Ensure that you only dampen the leather, which will produce a weathered look as it dries.
How Much does a Leather Journal Weigh?
The size of a leather journal differs from brand to brand, and the size with the dimensions also plays a significant role.
olpr leather journals come in different sizes (large, extra-large, extra small, pocket, A5, and A4) and dimensions
(3 x 4, 3.5 x 5.5, 5 x 8.25, 5.71 x 8.27, and 7.5 x 10).
I am looking for a manufacturer that can make me women handbags that I can use for my own private label. The cost and minimal order. Please let me know. This will be used in my own shop.
I have close to 20 different types of journals from Olpr and they never disappoint. Its always great quality, excellent delivery time, and even better craftsmanship.
I got mine from olpr. I just received my leather notebook in the mail! Great product, excellent product quality!