Personalised Notebooks and Journals in South Africa: Sizes, Covers, Paper, Pages and How to Choose

A Valenna personalised notebook is a ready-designed notebook, journal or workbook with your name, quote or message added. You pick the design you like, then choose the size, cover, paper, page count and wire and enter your personalisation. Notebooks start from R73.55, are made to order and are packed in Valenna's personalised kraft bag, ready to give.

This guide helps you choose each option with confidence, so the notebook arrives exactly as you pictured it.

📋 What you choose

Option	Choices
📏 Size	A5 (148 × 210 mm) or A4 (210 × 297 mm). A6 has been discontinued
📘 Cover	Card 385gsm, Board 700gsm or Hard 1200gsm
📄 Pages	100, 150 or 250 pages
📝 Paper	Regular 80gsm or thicker 120gsm
🔗 Binding	Wire-bound, which opens flat
✍️ Personalisation	Name or short quote on the cover, an optional message inside, and an optional line on every page footer, depending on the design

ℹ️ Good to know: each notebook design is its own product, so check the product page for the options your chosen design offers. Not every design offers every cover, finish or personalisation place.

🔀 Personalised notebook or custom notebook printing?

	Personalised notebook (this guide)	Custom notebook printing
Design	Valenna's ready-made design with your name or message	Your own design on every page and the cover
Sizes	A5, A4	A5, A4 (and trims between)
Best for	Gifts and everyday use	Brands, businesses and creators with finished artwork

If you have your own artwork, see custom notebook printing. Retail sizes can differ from the custom service, so always check the product page you are buying from.

📐 Which size?

A5 for everyday journaling, detailed notes and sketching. The safest all-round choice, and the smaller of the two sizes now offered.
A4 for meeting notes, longer projects and desk-based business use.

📝 Note: A6 notebooks have been discontinued, so A5 is now the most compact size. See A6 availability.

See how to choose a notebook size.

📘 Which cover?

Cover	Feel	Best for
Card 385gsm	Lightweight and flexible	Everyday writing, school and economical gifts
Board 700gsm	Firmer, more durable	Gifting and corporate use
Hard 1200gsm	The most rigid	A premium notebook meant to be kept

Gloss gives stronger colour and sheen. Matte is softer and lower-glare. Lamination can be added where offered. See card, board and hardcover compared.

📄 Paper and page count

80gsm suits everyday ballpoint and pencil and keeps the notebook slimmer.
120gsm is better for gel pens, highlighters and sketching, although no paper stops every heavy ink showing through.
100 pages is a lighter book or focused project. 150 balances use and longevity. 250 is for long-form writing.

💡 Tip: more pages are not automatically better. Page count and paper weight combine to set the thickness and weight, so a 250-page book on 120gsm paper is a substantial book. Test your favourite pen on similar paper if show-through matters to you.

See 80gsm vs 120gsm paper and 100 vs 150 vs 250 pages.

🔗 Wire, ribbon and elastic

Wire binding lets the notebook open flat and fold back while you write. Colours (white, black or gold) depend on the design, so choose from what the product page shows.
Elastic closure keeps the cover shut in a bag, where the design offers it.
Ribbon dividers are temporarily unavailable on notebooks. They are not discontinued and may be offered on request, so ask before ordering if you need one.

Retail gold wire does not mean gold wire is available for custom notebook printing. See wire, ribbon and elastic options.

✍️ Personalising your notebook

Outer cover: a name, short quote or supported logo.
Inside-cover note: a private dedication or gift message.
Page footer: a short line repeated on every page.

⚠️ Warning: enter your wording exactly as it should appear, with final spelling and capitalisation. Personalised items are made for you and cannot be returned for a change of mind, so check every letter before you pay. See personalising the cover, inside note and page footer.

🎁 What is included

You receive the chosen design, size, page count, paper, cover and wire binding, plus the personalisation fields offered on that product, packed in Valenna's personalised kraft bag. Read what is included with a personalised notebook.

⏱️ How fast and how much?

Notebooks start from R73.55, and the price shown updates with the options you choose. Orders are typically processed the same day when placed before 09:00, subject to the conditions on our shipping page. Look for Expedited Processing at checkout for urgent orders. See shipping fees and delivery times.

🛒 How to order

Browse personalised notebooks and choose a design.
Select size, cover thickness, page count and paper.
Enter your cover wording, inside message and footer if the design offers them.
Add to cart, choose shipping and pay.

❓ Frequently asked questions

What is the cheapest option?

Prices start from R73.55 and rise with size, cover and page count. The product page shows the exact total.

Is an A6 personalised notebook available?

No. A6 has been discontinued across all products. The sizes now offered are A5 and A4.

Can I use my own design instead?

Yes, with custom notebook printing.

Can I return a personalised notebook?

Personalised products cannot be returned for change of mind, only if faulty or incorrect. See our returns page.

Can I add a ribbon?

Ribbon dividers are temporarily unavailable. Ask before ordering.

Which diary or planner should I choose instead?

See our diaries and planners guide.

👉 Next steps and help

Browse personalised notebooks
Questions before you order? Use the contact form, email support@valenna.co.za or WhatsApp 061 500 4106. Include the design name and your size, cover and page choices so we can answer in one reply.

Personalised Notebooks & Journals South Africa | Name on Cover | Valenna