Paperblanks Black Moroccan Midi: Size, Paper & Lines
The Paperblanks Black Moroccan Midi is a lined hardcover journal from the Old Leather Collection, with a gold-tooled cover inspired by Renaissance bookbindings. Paperblanks lists the 144-page Midi at 4¾ × 7 in (about 120 × 180 mm), with 120 gsm acid-free paper, a sewn binding, a ribbon, an elastic band and a memento pouch.
On this page
Product facts
- Product
- Paperblanks Black Moroccan (Old Leather Collection) Midi Lined Hardcover Journal, elastic band closure
- Brand
- Paperblanks
- Brand origin
- Canada
- Made in
- Not stated*
- Material
- Hardcover of 100% recycled binder boards with printed cover paper (faux leather); 120 gsm acid-free paper; threaded stitching
- Price range
- $$$5–20 per notebook
Notes on these facts
- Made by Paperblanks (Hachette UK). Country of manufacture not stated: Paperblanks doesn't state where this journal is manufactured. Its product page says 'Region: Made in Canada with a European influence', but that line sits in the 'About this design' notes with the original art and era, so we read it as describing the cover design, not the factory. Pulp Addiction lists the journal as designed in Europe. Digitec lists China for a different Paperblanks hardcover (Medina Mystic), so check the label on your copy. Price: example listing.
- Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026. Conversions to US dollars are approximate, at October 2026 rates (US$1 = ¥158 = ₩1,330 = NT$32.5 = CN¥6.7 = SEK 9.9 = DKK 6.7 = ₺49.6 = C$1.41 = A$1.43; €1 = US$1.12; £1 = US$1.32; CHF 1 = US$1.21).
Key takeaways
- Paperblanks lists the 144-page Midi at 4¾ × 7 in (about 120 × 178 mm); a Canadian museum shop gives 18 × 12 × 2 cm, and some retailers round it to 130 × 180 mm.
- The lined Midi has 144 pages of 120 gsm acid-free paper; Paperblanks' Midi spec sheets give 21 lines a page, 6.67 mm apart.
- The elastic-band hardcover is ISBN 9781439735190; Hachette UK lists it at £17.99 (about US$24), on sale from January 1, 2016.
- US booksellers sell it in our $$ band ($5–20 per notebook).
- Paperblanks is a Vancouver, Canada, brand founded in 1992 and now owned by Hachette UK; no source we found states where this journal is made.
What is the Paperblanks Black Moroccan Midi?
It is a lined hardcover journal in Paperblanks’ Midi size, with the Black Moroccan cover from the brand’s Old Leather Collection. Paperblanks says the collection grew from designs inspired by Renaissance leather bindings, and that Black Moroccan pays homage to the gold tooling on Moroccan-leather books.
Paperblanks makes hundreds of cover designs in several sizes. We chose this one because the Midi is the size US booksellers stock most widely in our searches, and Black Moroccan is one of the brand’s longest-running designs: a wrap-closure edition was listed from 2007, the elastic-band hardcover from 2016.
Black Moroccan Midi specs
| Spec | Black Moroccan Midi Lined, elastic band |
|---|---|
| Size | 4¾ × 7 in (about 120 × 178 mm), per Paperblanks |
| Thickness | About 2 cm (0.8 in), per the Canadian Museum of Nature shop; Paperblanks gives 18 mm for another 144-page Midi |
| Pages | 144, lined |
| Paper | 120 gsm, acid-free |
| Ruling | 21 lines a page, 6.67 mm apart |
| Binding | Thread-sewn (“Smyth sewn” on Paperblanks’ Midi spec sheets) |
| Cover | 100% recycled binder boards, printed cover paper |
| Extras | Elastic band, satin ribbon marker, memento pouch |
| ISBN | 9781439735190 |
| Price band | $$ ($5–20) |
Size, pages, paper, cover and extras are from Paperblanks’ product page. The ruling comes from Paperblanks’ spec sheet for another lined Midi hardcover, as republished by US booksellers. Retailers give the width anywhere from 120 to 134 mm; we use the maker’s 4¾ in.
How big is a Paperblanks Midi?
Paperblanks lists the 144-page Midi at 4¾ × 7 in (about 120 × 178 mm), a little smaller than A5 and a lot larger than a pocket notebook. The Canadian Museum of Nature’s shop gives 18 × 12 × 2 cm; some retailers, such as Pulp Addiction, round it to 130 × 180 mm.
It is narrower and shorter than a Moleskine Classic Large (13 × 21 cm) and close to the Baron Fig Confidant (137 × 196 mm). It fits most bags but not a jacket pocket.
What other sizes does Paperblanks make?
Paperblanks sells the same designs in several sizes; the Midi is the middle one.
| Size | Approximate size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mini | 3¾ × 5½ in (95 × 140 mm) | 176 pages, per Paperblanks |
| Midi | 4¾ × 7 in (120 × 178 mm) | This guide; a 176-page Midi is 5 × 7 in |
| Maxi | 135 × 210 mm | Dotted only, per Tidformera |
| Ultra | 7 × 9 in (178 × 229 mm) | 144 or 176 pages |
| Grande | 8¼ × 11¾ in (210 × 298 mm) | 128 pages; desk size |
Not every design comes in every size, and Paperblanks also sells softcover Flexi Midi journals with 240 pages.
How good is the paper?
At 120 gsm, the paper is heavier than the 70 to 80 g/m² paper in most hardcover notebooks, so it should resist show-through better. Paperblanks describes it as acid-free paper from sustainable forests.
The 6.67 mm line spacing is a little tighter than US college ruling. Paperblanks lists “threaded stitching and glue, as needed”, and retailers call it Smyth sewn; a sewn book opens flatter than a glued one.
Who is the Black Moroccan Midi for?
It suits people who want a journal that looks like an old book, for a diary, travel notes or a gift. The cover is the main reason people choose Paperblanks over plainer notebooks.
If you want a dot grid, numbered pages or an index for bullet journaling, a Leuchtturm1917 Medium is the more practical choice. For heavier ink, see our best notebooks for fountain pens.
Which edition should you buy?
Check the ISBN: the elastic-band hardcover is 9781439735190, and the older wrap-closure edition is 9781551568393. Blackwell’s lists the wrap-closure book at 184 × 136 mm, a little larger.
Hachette UK lists the elastic-band edition at £17.99 (about US$24), on sale from January 1, 2016. US booksellers list it in our $$ band.
Where is the Paperblanks Midi made?
No source we found states where this journal is made. Paperblanks was founded in Vancouver, Canada, in 1992, and was acquired by Hachette UK after its founder Victor Marks retired.
Paperblanks’ own page says “Made in Canada with a European influence”, but under its notes on the cover art, so we don’t read it as the factory. Pulp Addiction lists the journal as designed in Europe, and Digitec lists China for a different Paperblanks hardcover, so check the label on your copy.
Frequently asked questions
What size is a Paperblanks Midi journal?
Paperblanks lists the 144-page Midi at 4¾ × 7 in, about 120 × 180 mm, a little smaller than A5; its 176-page Midi is 5 × 7 in. Some retailers round the width up to 130 mm, and wrap-closure editions run wider.
How many pages does the Paperblanks Midi have?
The lined hardcover Midi has 144 pages of 120 gsm paper. Paperblanks' softcover Flexi Midi journals have 240 pages instead.
What is the line spacing in Paperblanks lined journals?
Paperblanks' spec sheets for lined Midi journals give 21 lines a page, 6.67 mm apart. That is close to US college ruling (7.1 mm).
Is the Black Moroccan cover real leather?
No. Paperblanks lists the cover as recycled binder boards with decorative printed cover paper, and its German site calls this collection 'Klassiker aus Faux-Leder' (faux-leather classics). The design pays homage to gold tooling on Moroccan-leather bindings.
What is the memento pouch in a Paperblanks journal?
It is a paper pocket inside the back cover for keeping loose notes, tickets or cards. Retailers list it on the Black Moroccan Midi.
Are Paperblanks journals good for fountain pens?
The 120 gsm paper is heavier than most notebook paper, and Paperblanks appears in fountain-pen users' lists of favourite journals. We haven't tested this journal with fountain pens ourselves yet.
What is the difference between the elastic band and wrap closure versions?
They are different editions with different ISBNs. The elastic band hardcover is 9781439735190; the older wrap closure version is 9781551568393, which Blackwell's lists at 184 × 136 mm.
Where are Paperblanks journals made?
Paperblanks doesn't state it in the sources we found. The brand was founded in Vancouver, Canada, and retailers describe its journals as designed in Europe; check the label on your copy.
Sources
- Paperblanks: Black Moroccan – Old Leather Collection – Journals (Midi lined, elastic band, item no. 9781439735190: sizes, 120 gsm, details)
- Paperblanks (German): Black Moroccan, Klassiker aus Faux-Leder (faux-leather classics; Fadenheftung, säurefreies Papier)
- San Marco Books: Paperblanks Black Edition Midi Lined Hardcover (publisher spec: 120 × 180 × 18 mm, 6.67 mm lines, 21 lines a page, Smyth sewn)
- Paperblanks: Our story (founded in Vancouver in 1992; acquired by Hachette UK)
- Paperblanks: Black Moroccan Flexi journal (design inspired by Moroccan leather and gold tooling)
- Hachette UK: Black Moroccan Midi Lined Hardcover Journal, elastic band closure (ISBN 9781439735190, £17.99, on sale January 1, 2016)
- Canadian Museum of Nature boutique: Black Moroccan Midi Lined Journal (18 × 12 × 2 cm, elastic band, memento pouch, acid-free paper)
- Pulp Addiction: Paperblanks Black Moroccan Midi Lined Journal (designed in Europe, approx. 130 × 180 mm, Smyth sewn)
- Blackwell's: Black Moroccan Midi Lined Hardcover Journal, wrap closure (ISBN 9781551568393, 184 × 136 mm, 144 pages)
- Bookloft: Black Moroccan Midi Lined Hardcover Journal, wrap closure (ISBN 9781551568393, publication date July 1, 2007)
- The Well-Appointed Desk: Notebook review, Paperblanks New Romantics Midi (130 × 180 × 20 mm, August 2022)
- Tidformera: Paperblanks Maxi journals (135 × 210 mm, dotted only)
- Digitec: Paperblanks Medina Mystic lined hardcover (country of origin China)
- Wikipedia: Hartley & Marks Publishers