A crisp, clean white is the standard for most fountain pen paper. Its neutral tone is the best choice for inks to show their true colors. The brightness of white paper varies across different manufacturers: some papers are a bright white, while others are a soft off-white. Ivory- and cream-colored paper are also available as options that are easier on the eyes.

The dreaded effect known as feathering occurs when ink spreads through a paper’s fibers, resulting in an unattractive, web-like mess. Low-quality paper is more prone to feathering while high-quality paper is specifically designed to resist the spread of ink along its fibers. Aside from the paper itself, nib size and ink formula can both play a role in the amount of feathering that occurs. Broader nibs put down more ink on the page, which means there’s more ink soaking into the paper’s fibers. Some inks are simply more prone to feathering regardless of nib size or paper as well.

Bleedthrough occurs when a paper is too thin or too absorbent, or when a fountain pen ink is particularly wet. The fibers of fountain pen friendly papers are specifically woven to prevent bleedthrough, but you may still see traces of what you’ve written on the other side of the paper. This “shadow” is also known as showthrough. The level of showthrough largely depends on the opacity of the paper, which can be affected by the paper’s thickness. A thicker paper will likely have less showthrough, but that doesn’t mean that it will have less bleedthrough.

The less absorbent a paper is, the longer the dry time—and vice versa. A paper with very low absorbency will demonstrate less feathering, but it’s more prone to smudging as the ink simply refuses to dry. The more absorbent a paper is, the more likely it is that it will exhibit bleedthrough. In practice, you should choose a paper that balances dry times and bleedthrough according to your needs. Left-handed writers may prefer a more absorbent paper, while those who use extra fine nibs can consider using less absorbent paper.

Like regular paper, fountain pen paper comes in a range of sheet styles, including lined, blank, dot grid, and graph. For those who prefer blank sheets, some manufacturers will include a template that can be layered behind the paper to keep your writing straight. To read more about sheet styles, read our Best Notebooks for Every Use guide.

Most fountain pen paper has a smooth surface which allows the nib to glide across the paper. Some papers (like Midori MD) have a hint of tooth that provides a tactile sensation. Usually, a paper’s sizing or coating affects its smoothness. A fully coated paper is slippery, and inks take longer to absorb and dry. An uncoated paper tends to be more textured and may soak up ink. For all writers, we recommend starting with papers that are partially coated for smooth writing experiences and reasonable dry times. As your familiarity with fountain pens increases, you’ll develop your preferences in regards to paper texture.

Clairefontaine Collection 1951 Notebooks have covers reminiscent of typical composition notebook designs, but the paper inside is a definite upgrade. The bright white paper weighs in at 90 gsm and resists feathering, bleedthrough, and showthrough without requiring exceptionally long dry times. The Collection 1951 comes in two versions: the gluebound notebook includes 96 sheets, while the staplebound one has 48 sheets. Learn more about Clairefontaine’s entire lineup in our comprehensive guide.

If you’re a student who has browsed the JetPens website, you’re probably familiar with the Kokuyo Campus series already. Campus notebooks and loose leaf papers offer fountain pen friendliness at budget prices. Our favorites have to be the Campus Dotted Rule Notebooks thanks to their innovative sheet styles. They combine dot grid with horizontal lines so you can jot down literature notes and draw function graphs on the same paper. The Campus lineup offers plenty of stationery geared towards students, and you can read more about them in our guide.

The charming Tsubame Fools Notebook contains smooth, high quality paper that has a light texture to give you full control over your fountain pen. Inks take longer to dry and there is some showthrough, but it’s not enough to get in the way of using the back side of the paper. We prefer using the B5 notebook—which is closest in size to standard composition notebooks—for classes, but A5 sizes are available too. The notebooks come with your choice of white or cream paper.

The elegant Kobeha Graphilo Style Notebook will fit nicely in any office setting. Its neutral-colored cover won’t draw undue attention. It contains smooth, off-white paper with just a hint of tooth that’s ideal for use with fountain pens. The paper resists feathering and bleedthrough, even from the wettest inks. This means that fountain pen ink effects like sheening and shading reveal their true potentials on this paper. However, as a trade off, writing does take a while to dry. A sheet of SUITO blotting paper is included and it can be used to absorb slow-drying ink before closing the notebook. It comes in graph, lined, and blank sheet styles.

Maruman hopes to inspire your creativity with Mnemosyne Notebooks. Their name references the mother of the nine muses in Greek mythology. The semi-matte black covers are tastefully accented with gold foil stamping on the front for a sleek and professional look. Mnemosyne paper is silky smooth with a relatively fast dry time and minimal showthrough. With an impressive array of sizes, sheet styles, and binding types to choose from, you can select the exact notebook or notepad that fits your needs. Read more about Mnemosyne notebooks in our comprehensive guide.

Fountain pen users love the dot grid pattern featured in the Rhodia DotPad Notepad. This sheet style is noticeable enough to provide guidelines, yet its subtle gray color ensures it isn’t distracting. Rhodia’s bright white 80 gsm paper is a perennial favorite: inks dry quickly on this paper with minimal bleedthrough or showthrough. The notepads are available in two binding styles. The twin ring version makes it easy to use the back side of the sheet without tearing it out of the notepad. The staple binding, on the other hand, is more secure. Regardless of which type you choose, the micro-perforated pages ensure that the sheets come out cleanly when you want them to. Learn more about the entire Rhodia lineup in our dedicated guide.

Clairefontaine Triomphe stationery just has the je ne sais quoi or “certain something” that makes it stand out from the crowd. With little to no showthrough and a downright silky texture, this bright white paper is a joy to write on. It’s a favorite among letter writers who use fountain pens. The blank notepads include a guide sheet which can be tucked under the pages and help you write in a straight line. Clairefontaine also offers matching envelopes. If you plan on using A4 and A5 notepads, we recommend the 4.5” x 6.3” envelopes. They can accommodate A4 sheets folded into quarters, and A5 sheets folded in half.

During the early days of airmail, lightweight paper was an absolute necessity. The cost of a letter was determined by its weight, so it became imperative to save every gram possible. The most popular paper used for airmail, onionskin paper, was thin yet durable, with a translucency that mimicked its namesake material. Such cost-cutting measures are no longer necessary, but Life Airmail Letter Pads and Envelopes embrace the nostalgia of crinkly pages and envelopes striped with red and blue details. Inks dry quickly on the letter pad, and some colors even appear different than on more opaque paper. However, because the paper is so thin, using the back side of the sheet is practically impossible. Two envelope sizes are available. The Western No. 2 will fit sheets torn from the letter pad and folded into quarters with plenty of room to spare. The Western No. 6 requires the sheets to be folded in thirds.

Original Crown Mill Pure Cotton stationery is made from 100% pure cotton. It has a soft, plush texture that is smooth yet tactile. The paper is on the more absorbent side, so ink dries relatively quickly without excessive feathering. However, there is moderate showthrough on the back of the paper. A guide sheet is included with every pad of blank paper. Matching envelopes are also available. The C6 envelopes perfectly fit an A5 sheet folded in half, while the C6/5 envelopes are made for A4 sheets folded into thirds.

For short correspondence that is no less elegant, Original Crown Mill also creates note cards.

Fountain pens glide gracefully over the rich, silky paper of the Apica Premium C.D. Notebook. We noticed slight dots of bleedthrough with heavy applications of ink, but fine and medium nibs will produce little showthrough. Inks take a few seconds longer to dry on this paper. The cover has many charming details, like gold foil and scroll patterns, that make it stand out. The notebook comes in B5, A5, and A6 sizes, so you have the exact amount of space you need to write thoughts, notes, and observations.

Our Kanso Noto Notebooks are packed with exquisite Tomoe River paper. This high quality paper is both incredibly thin and resistant to feathering and bleedthrough. However, there is a high amount of showthrough, which may render the back side of the paper unusable depending on your tolerance. In our experience, the amount of showthrough is an acceptable trade-off for paper that simply brings out the best of every fountain pen ink. The Kanso Noto includes 160 sheets of 52 gsm paper yet is less than half an inch thick, which makes it wonderfully portable.

Minimalist Midori MD Notebooks are designed to give users a pleasant writing experience. MD paper was originally developed in 1960 and has been continuously improved ever since. It has a fairly short drying time and soft, smooth sensation that makes it ideal for everyday use. However, there is a significant amount of showthrough, which may be inconvenient if you want to use the back side of the paper. MD paper is more yellow in tone than other papers in this guide, which can make your fountain pen inks look slightly different. Learn more about the entire MD lineup in our comprehensive guide.

Color lovers will enjoy the scrumptious hues of Midori Color Paper Notebooks. Inspired by French macarons, the pastel pages match the bolder colors found on the covers. Midori didn’t skimp on the quality either: the paper has a satiny feel and fountain pens effortlessly glide over the writing surface. However, the paper displays a relatively high amount of showthrough, which is bothersome for those who want to use the back side. Additionally, most fountain pen inks will look quite different on colored paper than on white paper. Nonetheless, notebooks with colored paper that are suitable for fountain pens are few and far between, and these notebooks perform exceptionally well.

Yamamoto Cosmo Note Notebooks are packed with 83 gsm Cosmo Air Light, an award-winning paper that has been tailored to bring out the vibrance of fountain pen inks. Cosmo paper has the ability to elevate a fountain pen ink’s sheen to incredible levels; it can even draw this metallic effect out of inks that don’t sheen on other papers! However, Cosmo paper’s low absorbency does mean that inks take a long time to dry. Additionally, sheening inks may not ever dry completely. Anyone interested in the special capabilities of Cosmo paper should consider picking up blotting paper to help absorb extra ink.

If you’ve ever wanted to try a sampling of different papers to develop your tastes, try the Yamamoto Fountain Pen Friendly Paper Collection. It includes five sheets of eighteen different types of premium paper that are sourced from various manufacturers in Japan. Each paper type includes a handy preface with details about the paper’s history and noteworthy characteristics, including information about dry times and showthrough.

Writers who feel some trepidation about adding ninety sheets of A4 paper to their collection can consider Yamamoto Paper Testing Volumes instead. They come with three types of paper, each with twenty-five sheets, in B7, A6, and B6 sizes.