Back-to-School Essentials at Phidon
Here at Phidon, we love the excitement that comes this time of year when students are gearing up for their next semester of school! It is a fun time to pick out new notebooks, pens, pencils and highlighters and get ready to learn. We have brought in some useful and stylish products that are sure to help you to stay organized and ready to take on a new school year.
Notebooks
One of the biggest necessities when going back to school is a new notebook, which often proves the importance of documenting new beginnings and how critical writing is for learning. A notebook can be accessorized, which may help to keep you organized by separating your subjects of study, either by using different notebooks or separating one notebook with tabs such as the Midori Chiratto Index label stickers, helping you create a manageable tool to help you navigate the various stresses of school. Another complementary product to your notebook are the Midori Sticky Notes, which allow you to add and remove your extra notes on a variety of papers, including the handy tracing paper, which is semi-transparent, letting you see your previous notes underneath the tracing paper. Everyone has their preferences when it comes to notebooks, and we have selected a wide variety in this guide to suit your needs to help you learn effectively. Whether you prefer using a traditional lined notebook, graph paper, dot grid or even plain paper for taking notes, we have got you covered!
APICA
The Apica notebooks are a favourite here at Phidon. The CD11 A5 notebooks have a stunningly ornate cover, protecting the well-bound fountain-pen friendly paper, writing in this lined notebook is a smooth luxury, at a very economical price. If you are looking for a basic cover colour, the Apica 3A-50 Basic notebook is a great option, which features 50 sheets- or 100 pages- of this same great paper. If you are looking for other sizes than A5, these notebooks also come in the large A4 size, B5 size and pocket-sized A6.
LIFE
LIFE is another Japanese stationery producer, like Apica, that makes smooth fountain-pen friendly paper with a beautifully clean feel to their notebooks. The beautiful Noble Note series of LIFE Stationery notebooks come in a variety of rulings, such as grid, blank and lined, all with a flexible sewn spine. There are also some thinner notebooks called Vermilion and Pistachio, where the inside rulings are comprised of red and light green rulings respectively in an off-white toned paper that is easy on the eyes.
LIFE also has a series called the Margin notebooks, that feature the traditional red margin on the left-hand side of the notebook. They contain 160 pages, which gives plenty of writing space all while still being lightweight enough to carry with you all day long. Not only are the available in lined, but also in blank and grid layouts.
KLEID
The unique 2mm grid on the Kleid notebooks is a perfect ruling to keep you writing neatly, all while giving you some freedom in its faint ruling appearance. These notebooks come in a white paper colour as well as cream.
Kokuyo Campus
These great fountain pen-friendly notebooks come in both a grid and lined ruling with a date header on each page, keeping your notes organized. They are a great price and have just the right amount of paper, all while having a simple design across the cover. The smooth paper has a light grey ruling, which makes writing and reading easy. The 180-degree lay sewn spine allows for flexibility and comfort when writing. This slim size fits perfectly into the HIGHTIDE Nähe General Purpose Case as well!
SeptColeur by maruman
These colourful wirebound notebooks by Maruman are available in both an A5 and A6 size. They feature a grid-layout on a nice clean white background. These certainly add a splash of colour to your desk or workspace.
Midori One Year Diary
Keep track of your favourite memories over the course of one year in this Midori diary. The pages feature a dedicated space at the top to record the date as well as ample room to write down your daily experiences and reflections. This journal is a great way to create your own memoir, and it can be a lovely exercise to reflect upon your past entries in the future.
Fountain Pens
The beauty of fountain pens is the effortlessness in writing with one. With very minimal wrist movements, you are able to write quickly and clearly, and with more freedom for ink colour choices as well as line widths. Here are our top suggestions for fountain pens that are more budget-friendly and will keep you writing throughout the semester.
Lamy Safari
The German brand Lamy makes the classic Safari fountain pens, which feature a steel nib and an ABS plastic body, which is perfect as an Everyday Carry item paired with your favourite notebooks. For on-the-go students, a package of Lamy T10 cartridges works well as they come in plentiful packs of five cartridges. Or, a bottle of fountain pen ink and the proprietary Z28 converter gives you the freedom to fill your pen with a variety of ink colours from many different brands.
TWSbi Swipe
TWSBI pens have amazing steel nibs, including the TWSBI Swipe, which uses standard cartridges and converters rather than being a piston or vacuum filler like many other TWSBI pens. The translucent window on the body of the pen allows you to take a peek at the ink inside, while enjoying the high-volume capacity of the provided spring-loaded and turn piston mechanism converters. The pen is a great option for students looking to try a fountain pen for the first time. The TWSBI Swipe comes in a a variety of fun colours, like Pear Green, Salmon, Smoke and Prussian Blue as well as a variety of nib sizes, ranging all the way from EF to 1.1mm stub nibs. They are sure to give you a wonderful writing experience.
Pilot Kakuno
The Pilot Kakuno is another great fountain pen, which take the proprietary Pilot ink cartridges. These pens are available in EF, F and M nib sizes. Featuring a cute smile as a nib etching, these pens and their variety of cheerful colours, will make you smile! The Kakuno also features an ergonomic grip section which provides a comfortable hold on the pen during longer writing sessions. If you would like to use bottled ink, such as the Pilot Iroshizuku ink bottles, this pen can be paired with the Pilot Con-40 ink converter, or the Con-70 converter for a greater ink capacity.
Ballpoint + Rollerball Pens
Ballpoints and rollerballs are a great no-fuss pen, and many provide a satisfying click to retract the refill. They are perfect for those not wanting the hassle that sometimes comes with using a fountain pen on-the-go, and many come in a variety of ink colours, barrel colours, and weights which can really change how the pen feels in your hand, and how smoothly it pushes against the paper. The Caran d’Ache 888 Infinite and the Caran d’Ache 849 ballpoint pens are both great options for those looking for a sleek design and colour choice, as well as a smooth refill. The Caran d’Ache 849 ballpoint pen takes the Goliath refill, which is a notoriously long-lasting refill. The 888 Infinite is compatible with the SwissRide refills.
Other great pens, which are new to Phidon, are the Anterique BP1 and the Anterique BP2 ballpoint pens. The BP2 is has a half-brass barrel, which provides amazing weight and feel when writing. The BP1 ballpoint pens also can be customizable by purchasing individual upper and lower parts, to mix and match your favourite colour combinations. These pens take the Antique R-BP1 ballpoint refills.
Lastly, Zebra makes a great gel ink pen called the Sarasa, which is an affordable pen that can be refilled with a variety of colours including Green Black and Bordeaux Purple. There are also the Mitsubishi Uni-Ball One gel pens and the Uni-Ball One F gel pens, which have a spring-loaded clip, allowing you to attach your pen onto thicker notebook covers and clothing. The One F pens have a metal insert for a lower centre of gravity and more comfort when writing over longer periods of time.
In the images below, pictured is: Mitsubishi Uni-Ball One F Gel Pen in Blue, Sarasa Clip Gel Ink Pen in Vintage Cassis Black, Anterique BP1 in Forest Green, Caran d’Ache 88 Infinite Ballpoint in Anthracite Grey and the Caran d’Ache 849 Ballpoint in Yellow, followed by an assortment of Anterique BP1 and BP2 Ballpoint pens, as well as the MP1 mechanical pencil in a 0.5mm line width.
Pencils + Erasers
Pencils and erasers are a classic set of items found in any student pencil case. They provide a traditional and satisfying feel to writing and can be used freely without the worry of leaving permanent lines on paper. Here are some of our favourites:
Leuchtturm1917 Drehgriffel No. 2
This new product at Phidon is a slim propelling mechanical pencil, with a 0.7mm line width, creating a smooth writing experience. They come in a bunch of lovely colours as well, and they all feature a dark greyish/green accent on the ends.
Tombow 8900
Pencils
The Tombow 8900 pencils are a popular standard Japanese writing pencil.
These pencils can be purchased as a box set or as individuals, and are known to be a classic for its break-resistant graphite core and steady line formed from the clay milling process, which has resulted in a reliably smooth, dark pencil line.
Tombow Mono Black Eraser
The Tombow 8900 pencils are a popular standard Japanese writing pencil.
Tombow Mono 100 Pencils
The Tombow Mono 100 pencils are featured in Caroline Weaver’s book, Pencils You Should Know, that trace the history of pencils over the past two centuries. They’re sold as singles or in box sets, and have a high-quality graphite core that offers a smooth line.
Appointed Classic Gum Eraser
The Appointed Classic Gum Eraser is a very smooth eraser and it comes in a protective cloth pouch, to keep it free from dirt and graphite marks from any stray pencils in your pencil case.
Pencil Cases + Organizers
Delfonics cases
We love the Delfonics cases because they are the perfect catch-all for any loose stationery and accessories, as well as the perfect home for small notebooks. The cloth is flexible and durable, and the material comes in a variety of colours. Pictured here is the Medium Carrying Case in the vertical layout. The main zipper compartment has 3 interior pockets to organize loose papers, business cards, clips, cartridges and more. The outside includes 4 other pockets of vary sizes, one even included a hook-and-loop fastener for extra security on the exterior. There is also a protective B5 case, with 10 pockets and will even fit an iPad. Also available is the Medium case in a hortizontal layout, as well as a Small size, which fits A6-sized notebooks, and an extra-small size, which can fit some Washi tape, pens and ink cartridges.
king jim pacali cases
The King Jim Pacali zippered pen cases are really neat because they can stand up on their own and stay open using a magnet! The anti-slip rubber edge allows it to stay propped up on your desk, and the magnet on the front flap makes for easy access to the inside compartment. It contains a pull-out tray that can fit up to four pens and pencils. At the back of the tray, there is even a small pocket that is perfect for a compact ruler or a bookmark. This is the perfect slim pencil case to carry your favourites with you wherever you may go.
FIELDWORk CO. ARTIST ROLL
The waxed canvas artist roll from Field Work Co. was created to store your writing and art supplies such as pens and paintbrushes. It includes a sturdy leather strap and a brass buckle, which is the perfect way to securely roll up your favourite tools. There are 9 pockets sewn in a variety of sizes that fit many pens of different sizes, as well as rulers, pencils and boxes of cartridges. This Canadian product makes a great addition to any art or architecture students’ bag or anyone looking for a product made from high-quality materials.
midori book band pen cases
The Midori Book Band Pen Cases made from cotton canvas and an adjustable elastic band fits well over top of an A5 or B5 sized notebook. There is one exterior pen sleeve and a zippered interior pocket, which is made with a polyester liner. These handy pen cases are the perfect companion to take with your favourite notebooks, and they come in a variety of colours, such as Navy, Black, Khaki and Orange.
Other Great Tools
Foglietto to-do lists
Foglietto To-Do lists make a perfect insert as a companion to an A6-sized notebook, with a simple and practical design to help you get tasks completed. We have also recently received the A7 size To-Do Lists, which are available in both the Autumn colours and the Spring colours!
Leuchtturm1917 Agendas
Leuchtturm1917 Agendas are perfect for staying on track, with many different layouts such as the Daily, Weekly, Weekly + Notebook and Monthly Planners. Their variety in colour, size and layout are sure to suit your planning needs and brighten up your workspace.
Midori aluminum Folding ruler
The Midori Aluminum Folding Ruler is a perfectly compact, yet durable ruler. The small centre metal pivoting piece also acts as a protractor, and the ruler displays inches, as well as up to 30 centimetres.
Zebra Mildliner and faber-castell Highlighters
Both Zebra and Faber-Castell make highlighters that are great for accentuating important information in your notebooks! Mildliners come in a variety of colour packages, and Faber-Castell even makes a fun metallic selection of highlighters.
We hope you have enjoyed this guide to our favourite back-to-school items and have found inspiration to pick up your next writing tool and start learning!