Top 5 Eco-Friendly Notebooks to Boost Your Productivity in 2025

January is over, and so is the free trial period for the new year. By now, some people have fallen off the wagon when it comes to their resolutions, some are consistently meeting their goals, and others fall somewhere in between. It’s not an easy journey, especially as we go further into the year, but one tried and tested strategy has always been to write things down somewhere, whether they’re to-dos, meeting notes, or sparks of inspiration.

Despite the prevalence of computers, smartphones, and the apps that run on them, there is still a very strong desire to write things by hand. There’s an undeniable allure to the tactile experience of writing with a pen or some similar implement, and there are plenty of studies on its benefits to the mind and soul. But as much as we may love pen and paper in their various forms, there will always be some nagging voice in our heads that points to the potential harm this activity could do to the planet in the long run.

Although biodegradable and sustainable, paper isn’t quickly replenished, especially if more trees are cut down than are replanted. Fortunately, there are now options that deliver that same handwriting experience but with less waste. Here are five of the best notebook alternatives to accompany the environment-conscious scribbler and doodler in their life’s adventures this 2025.

Rocketbook Everlast

Have you ever dreamed of a notebook that never runs out of paper? Short of actual magic or a Star Trek replicator, the closest we’ll possibly get is a notebook that you can reuse over and over again ad infinitum. That’s the idea behind the Rocketbook Everlast series of notebooks, allowing you to easily erase writings on a page by simply wiping them off.

Designer: Rocketbook

The Everlast follows the often-ridiculed Rocketbook Wave that required you to microwave the whole notebook to erase everything inside, almost like a scene from some spy flick or crime procedural. Rocketbook now lets you erase individual pages or even just a portion of a page, just as you would do with pencil marks on paper. Be sure to sync your notes to the cloud before you do so, however, which is part of the appeal of this analog-digital hybrid notebook.

The secret to the Rocketbook’s magical ability is a special kind of paper-like surface that works in tandem with Pilot’s FriXion line of erasable pens, though you only need a damp cloth to wipe off the ink. The other half of Rocketbook’s secret sauce, however, is a mobile app that not only takes a picture of a page but also automatically uploads it to your cloud storage of choice. It promises the best of both worlds if you’re fine with writing on something that’s too smooth to feel like real paper.

What We Like

• Having practically an infinite number of pages to use.
• Available in different sizes with different printed templates.
• Rocketbook app adds digital features and cloud storage integration

What We Dislike

• Smooth surface doesn’t feel like paper.
• Relies on specialized pens that may be discontinued.
• Optionally relies on an app and service that may be discontinued.

Personal Whiteboard

If Rocketbook feels too much like a whiteboard, then why not just use a whiteboard directly? This simple yet effective solution lets you do exactly that, offering a notebook-sized whiteboard you can take with you anywhere. Plus, it looks just as stylish as those premium paper notebooks, so you don’t have to feel awkward about carrying a whiteboard around under your arms.

This personal whiteboard presents a straightforward writing space that removes any and all friction in writing down your thoughts. Simply flip open the cover, uncap your marker, and start writing. It doesn’t get easier than that. And when you’re done or need more space, simply wipe it off with that same cover and you’re ready to go to the next “page.” And yes, do remember to take a picture first, in case you want to save those scribbles for later.

Admittedly, you only ever get one page, but it’s a page that never ends, theoretically speaking. As a proper whiteboard, you can also use this notebook to explain and illustrate, or just set up reminders to yourself to glance at on your desk. It’s an ultra-minimalist approach to writing down notes, one that embraces simplicity yet still sparks joy in every stroke.

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What We Like

• Works with any dry-erase or whiteboard marker.
• Cover acts as an eraser and built-in stand.
• Can be easily propped up to read notes or share information.

What We Dislike

• You can only write on one “page” at a time.
• Cover might accidentally erase the whiteboard while closed.

Paper Saver

Paper Saver is less of a notebook and more of a mindset that encourages the reuse of paper to minimize waste. But yes, it’s also a proper notebook with beautiful minimalist covers to house your thoughts and ideas. Even better, it is pushing the use of paper that feels like paper but isn’t the paper you’re quite used to.

Paper Saver is basically a cover that lets you insert used sheets of paper and use their backsides as clean new pages to write on. Rather than throwing them away, simply use the clean side of those sheets until they’re also filled and ready to be thrown out or composted if possible. It’s a system that makes sure that no sheet of paper is truly wasted, reducing the need for new paper every time.

Designer: Paper Saver

If you do like to use fresh new sheets on both sides, however, Paper Saver’s Stone Paper refills are the way to go. Instead of cutting down trees to make new paper, this revolutionary material is made from 80% recycled limestone or marble sourced from industry cutoffs. It saves trees, saves water, and is safer to throw away because of its acid-free and bleach-free composition.

What We Like

• Encourages a mentality of paper reuse.
• Promotes stone paper as a replacement for tree-sourced paper.
• Scratch-resistant premium vegan leather covers both outside and inside.

What We Dislike

• Paper might get loose from binding.
• Not much size variety

Dingbats

If you really prefer to go down the traditional bound notebook route, you might as well grab one that’s designed with sustainability in mind from day one. Whether it’s the paper inside or the covers, Dingbats is offering a product that isn’t just safe for the environment but also respects the health and welfare of animals as well.

Those fancy leather notebook covers you admire on other products? They might be made using harmful chemicals in the process. Dingbats’ faux leather variety, however, is non-toxic and fully degrade after 10 years. The notebooks also don’t use animal-based adhesives, probably making it the only 100% vegan notebook in town.

Designer: Dingbats

As for the paper, they are indeed sourced from trees, but these trees are either replaced or allowed to regrow. Dingbats does its best to promote a culture of using renewable and recyclable materials, down to the pens that it sells.

What We Like

• Traditional bound notebook experience with a sustainability focus.
• FSC-certified and 100% vegan friendly.

What We Dislike

• You’ll probably end up buying more notebooks in the long run.
• Pens still use a bit of plastic

reMarkable Paper Pro

OK, technically this isn’t a notebook in the traditional sense, but the reMarkable Paper Pro is one that comes the closest to delivering that experience on an electronic device. Although it’s technically an E Ink tablet similar to the Amazon Kindle Scribe or Onyx BOOX devices, its simpler and more streamlined feature set is oriented more towards taking notes and replicating the experience of writing with pen and paper as much as possible.

Although you can definitely load eBooks on it, reMarkable’s software is less open compared to that of Onyx BOOX but is also more accommodating than any Kindle. Its focus is on the note-taking experience, with a stylus that feels like a real pen and a writing surface that tries its best to mimic the texture of paper. It’s still glass, of course, but it has that “scratchiness” that stylophiles swoon over.

Designer: Remarkable

What the reMarkable Paper Pro brings to the table is a writing experience that isn’t limited by physical pages and physical media. You can exercise more freedom in what you can add to your notes, from images to hyperlinks, and have an infinite number of pages available. It does come with all the downsides of electronic devices, particularly the need to charge it once in a while, but it also carries the advantages of easy searchability, backups, and mixed media flexibility.

What We Like

• The closest you’ll get to a “digital paper” experience.
• Focused on note-taking and handwriting experiences.
• Strong sustainability initiative.

What We Dislike

• Like any electronic device, it needs to be recharged eventually.
• Overall carbon footprint is not negligible.
• Only one size is available.

The post Top 5 Eco-Friendly Notebooks to Boost Your Productivity in 2025 first appeared on Yanko Design.