Today's Free For All Friday on Philofaxy has me thinking about archival quality planners.
I use my planners for planning, but I like to keep them forever and look at them years later so it's important to me that my planner have archival quality paper. Unfortunately, it seems that not a lot of planner companies use archival paper.
I don't know a lot about paper and what makes it archival or not, but I know it's important for it to be acid-free/ pH neutral.
I also know this is not at all the same as chlorine-free. Chlorine-free means no chlorine was used in the paper's bleaching process. This is better for the environment but I don't know if it makes any difference to the archival quality of the paper.
The only three planner brands I know of that specifically are archival quality/ use acid-free paper are Moleskine, Leuchtturm and Quo Vadis.
**Edited to add: Paperblanks and Cartesio planners also use acid-free paper. The Success Choice planners use acid-free, archival recycled paper. Also I have confirmation from the company that Collins uses only acid-free paper in all their products.
Does anyone know of any other planners that are archival and use acid-free paper?
Mstraat had problems posting a comment (sorry about that!) but wanted to add that Graphic Image planners also use acid-free paper. Thanks Mstraat!
ReplyDeleteAny Chemists know how you test paper to see if it is PH neutral?
ReplyDeleteI did a post on Philofaxy about this last year I will dig out the link...
But my 1987 diaries are still readable 25 years on....
Steve
Have you used a Paperblanks? I recently bought one and the paper quality is TERRIBLE, my Lamy safari is scratchy and feels horrible. Have you any experience with the Paperbanks range. :)
ReplyDeleteI use this type of pH-testing pen on all my art papers:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.dickblick.com/products/acid-testing-pen/
However, when I read Laurie's post, my heart skipped a beat because it has never occurred to me to test my 20+ years of Franklin planner pages (I already knew that Moleskine is known for using acid-free paper). I just tested both Franklin and Moleskine with this pen, and they both checked out as neutral. Whew!
- Tina
SSA, I reviewed a couple of Paperblanks planners but didn't write in them at all:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.plannerisms.com/2011/01/paperblanks-daily-and-weekly-planners.html
But Paperblanks prides themselves on their paper and I've heard other FP users love it, so I'm surprised you've had an unpleasant experience. Here's more about their paper:
http://www.plannerisms.com/2011/03/video-paperblanks-paper-quality.html
Oh and PS thank you so much Tina! I will have to look for that pen!
ReplyDeleteA follow-up to my previous post: I e-mailed Franklin Quest to confirm that their planner papers were archival. They finally got back to me today and said their papers are, indeed, acid free. Ironically, the archive storage binders are not! But those beautiful slipcases look so nice on my shelf...! Argghhh...
ReplyDelete- Tina
Tina, thanks very much for this information! It's yet another aspect of the Franklin paper inserts that is superior to the Filofax ones. I wish Filofax would spend a little less time and money creating a stable full of new binder designs each year and more on improving their diary inserts!
ReplyDelete