What is so special about the Stalogy B6 notebook?

Keiko

We have now been working with Stalogy for around 5 years, so it’s clear what’s special about the products, and which the favourite ones are. It’s not surprising the best seller of all is the B6 365-day notebook. It’s widely known as a design classic, and a prize winner. And what’s interesting too is its size – the B6 size of paper – which is also a key to its success, as it’s such a handy size for carrying around.

The B sizes of paper are not seen much in the West, but as a Japanese person I am really familiar with them. In Japan, for instance, all the printers have A4 and B4 printer trays. So why does that happen – and what is the difference?

Most people know the A2 is half the size of A1, and A4 is half the size of A3. The B sizes work in the same way, with the B2 being half the size of the B1, and so on. Essentially, the B sizes fit roughly in between the A sizes, so that B6 is halfway in size between A5 and A6.

Although the B sizes in the West have been valuable for certain applications in the printing industry – the B7 for passports, for instance, and the B5 for books – in Japan it has had a much wider use as a popular size for many magazines, posters, newspapers and books. It was introduced to Japan in 1929 when the Japanese Engineering Standards (JES) set up parameters for new A and B sizes, initially adopting measurements from Germany, and then developing unique variants for the B series. It is still a standard size for Japanese newspapers.

The Stalogy Series of Notebooks draws on the heritage of both the A and B sizes, giving the best of both worlds, East and West, and offering a fantastic variety for our many different needs and desires.

For example, inside the notebooks, the grid sizes on the pages are different between the A and B notebooks, depending on what your main tasks and needs are. The A notebooks have a 4mm grid, whereas the B notebooks have a larger 5mm grid. As you may know, Stalogy notebooks can be used as diaries, as they have a timeline on the left of each page (as well as tick-off months, dates and weekdays at the top of the page). So if you wanted to use this facility, a smaller grid would give you more space for diary notes.

The variety of notebook sizes also allows you to find exactly the right one to fit your bag or pocket – as well as the colour you like best! Personally I like to use an A5 ½ year notebook for everyday work, and then an A6 ½ year one for my holidays. I especially like the A6 ½ year, as it is such a slim and smart little notebook, and so perfect for putting down what I have done, and where I have been.

Now – which size of Stalogy notebook is your favourite?

You can see the full range of Stalogy notebooks here.

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