---
title: "Rhodia No. 16 DotPad: A5 Paper, Dots & Pad Sizes"
canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/rhodia-no-16-dot-pad/"
description: "Rhodia No. 16 DotPad explained: A5 (148 × 210 mm), 80 micro-perforated sheets of 80 g/m² Clairefontaine paper, 5 mm dots, other rulings and pad sizes."
category: "Paper"
type: "Writing paper"
published: 2026-10-20
updated: 2026-10-20
author: "Ellis Penhale"
publisher: "Stationery Times"
sources: 25
products:
  - name: "Rhodia No. 16 DotPad, A5, top-stapled, black cover (16559C)"
    brand: "Rhodia"
    brand_origin: "France"
    made_in: "France"
    material: "80 g/m² Clairefontaine vellum paper, coated card cover"
    released: "1934"
    price_band: "$$ ($5–20 per ream or pad, typical US retail, October 2026)"
    manufacturer: "Clairefontaine Rhodia (Exacompta Clairefontaine group); sold in the US by Exaclair"
    model: "dotPad, bloc-notes agrafé N°16 (A5)"
    mpn: "16559C"
    gtin: "3037920165592"
    url: "https://www.bloc-rhodia.com/fr/basics/37-137-dotpad-bloc-notes-agrafe.html"
---

# Rhodia No. 16 DotPad: A5 Paper, Dots & Pad Sizes

> The Rhodia No. 16 DotPad is a top-stapled A5 notepad, 148 × 210 mm (sold in the US as 6 × 8.25 in), holding 80 micro-perforated sheets of 80 g/m² Clairefontaine vellum printed with a 5 mm dot grid. The same No. 16 pad also comes lined and graph-ruled. Rhodia says its pads are made near Mulhouse, France.

- URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/rhodia-no-16-dot-pad/
- Category: Paper
- Author: Ellis Penhale
- Published: 2026-10-20
- Updated: 2026-10-20

![Drawing of the black Rhodia No. 16 DotPad, A5, 148 × 210 mm, closed with its scored, top-stapled cover, and open with the cover folded back to a white sheet with dots every 5 mm; inset: 5 mm dots](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/rhodia-no-16-dot-pad-16x9.png)

*The A5 No. 16 DotPad, closed and open, drawn to scale.* Original drawing (SVG): https://stationerytimes.com/images/rhodia-no-16-dot-pad-cover.svg. Drawings © 2026 Stationery Times, reusable with credit under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

## Product facts

| Product | Brand | Brand origin | Made in | Material | Released | Price range (typical US retail, October 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rhodia No. 16 DotPad, A5, top-stapled, black cover (16559C) | Rhodia (by Clairefontaine Rhodia (Exacompta Clairefontaine group); sold in the US by Exaclair) | France | France | 80 g/m² Clairefontaine vellum paper, coated card cover | 1934 | $$: $5–20 per ream or pad |

- Made in (Rhodia No. 16 DotPad, A5, top-stapled, black cover (16559C)): France. Rhodia says all its notepads are manufactured at its plant near Mulhouse, Alsace; its 2024 French press kit places the plant at Illzach, on the edge of Mulhouse, since 1997. Retailers The Journal Shop, Dromgooles, Bruneau and Wonderpens also list the No. 16 as made in France. Source: https://www.bloc-rhodia.com/gb/page/rhodia-universe/our-manufacturing-secrets

## Key takeaways

- The No. 16 is A5: 148 × 210 mm, or 5.8 × 8.3 in. US shops such as Goldspot round it to 6 × 8.25 in.
- One pad holds 80 sheets (160 pages) of 80 g/m² paper that retailers describe as acid-free and pH neutral.
- The dots are spaced 5 mm apart; most listings describe them as light grey.
- Rhodia's French press kit says Henri and Robert Vérilhac opened a stationery business in Lyon in 1932 and launched Rhodia and its stapled pad in September 1934; the black cover followed in 2007.
- Rhodia says it makes all its notepads in France, at its plant at Illzach near Mulhouse, Alsace, on paper from Clairefontaine's mill at Étival; Exaclair's 2024 US list price is US$7.00 a pad.

## What is the Rhodia No. 16 DotPad?

**The Rhodia No. 16 DotPad is an A5 notepad, stapled at the top, with 80 tear-off sheets of 80 g/m² Clairefontaine paper printed with a 5 mm dot grid.** The "No. 16" is Rhodia's code for the A5 size; "DotPad" is the dot-grid ruling.

Rhodia began in Lyon: its French press kit says Henri and Robert Vérilhac opened a stationery wholesale business there in 1932, then registered the Rhodia name and launched the orange stapled pad in September 1934. The black cover appeared in 2007 and a white one in 2014. Clairefontaine took Rhodia over in 1997, and it is now part of the French Exacompta Clairefontaine group.

## Rhodia No. 16 DotPad specs

| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Maker | Clairefontaine Rhodia (Exacompta Clairefontaine group) |
| Reference | 16559C (black cover, dot grid); 16558C (orange) |
| Barcode (EAN) | 3037920165592 (black) |
| Size | A5, 148 × 210 mm (5.8 × 8.3 in); US listings say 6 × 8.25 in |
| Sheets | 80 (160 pages), micro-perforated |
| Paper | 80 g/m² Clairefontaine vellum, acid-free, pH neutral |
| Ruling | Dots every 5 mm |
| Binding | Stapled at the top, with reinforced staples and a stiff card back |
| Covers | Orange or black, water-resistant and scored to fold back |
| US list price | US$7.00 (Exaclair 2024 catalog) |
| Made in | France |

Rhodia's French site lists the 80 micro-perforated sheets, grey 5 mm dots and card back; its press kit and Exaclair's 2024 US catalog give the 80 g/m² paper. Size and barcode come from The Journal Shop and Swiss Post, and the country of origin comes from Rhodia.

![To-scale drawing of the Rhodia No. 16 A5 sheet, 148 by 210 mm, with dots every 5 mm, next to the smaller No. 13 (105 by 148 mm) and No. 11 (74 by 105 mm) pads](https://stationerytimes.com/images/rhodia-no-16-dot-pad-size.svg)

*The No. 16 has about twice the page area of the No. 13 and four times that of the No. 11.*

## Which rulings does the No. 16 come in?

**Besides dots, the No. 16 comes lined, graph-ruled and blank.** Goldspot lists the black No. 16 in lined with margin, graph, dot grid and blank; French retailer LDLC lists a 5 × 5 mm graph version and a lined version with margin.

- **Dot grid:** a light guide for writing, lists and sketches.
- **Graph (5 × 5 mm):** the classic Rhodia ruling, for diagrams and math.
- **Lined with margin:** for letters and notes.

## What are the other Rhodia pad sizes?

**Rhodia numbers its pads by size, and most follow the A-series.** The No. 16 sits in the middle of the range.

| Pad | Size | Metric | Inches |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. 11 | A7 | 74 × 105 mm | 2.9 × 4.1 in |
| No. 12 | – | 85 × 120 mm | 3.3 × 4.7 in |
| No. 13 | A6 | 105 × 148 mm | 4.1 × 5.8 in |
| No. 16 | A5 | 148 × 210 mm | 5.8 × 8.3 in |
| No. 18 | A4 | 210 × 297 mm | 8.3 × 11.7 in |
| No. 19 | – | 210 × 318 mm | 8.3 × 12.5 in |

Rhodia's French dotPad page lists 8.5 × 12 cm, A5, A4, 21 × 31.8 cm (No. 19) and 42 × 31.8 cm (No. 38) for the dot ruling; the other sizes are from JetPens, Goldspot and Officeworks. A Fountain Pen Network member reports that the No. 19 is longer than A4 so that a torn-off sheet is still a full A4 page.

## Is the Rhodia No. 16 good for fountain pens?

**Fountain pen shops such as Goulet Pens stock it, and buyers there rate it well with fountain pens.** Retailers describe the 80 g/m² sheet as extra-white and super smooth, and a Canadian retailer calls it Clairefontaine vellum with a satin finish.

That is the shops' and buyers' view, not ours. We haven't tested bleed, show-through or feathering yet. For heavier 90 g/m² letter paper from the same group, see the [Clairefontaine Triomphe pad](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/clairefontaine-triomphe-pad/).


## How does the No. 16 compare to an A5 notebook?

**The No. 16 has the same 80 g/m² paper weight as a Leuchtturm1917 A5 but is a tear-off pad rather than a bound notebook.**

| | Rhodia No. 16 DotPad | [Leuchtturm1917 A5](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/leuchtturm1917-a5-notebook/) | [Moleskine Classic Large](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/moleskine-classic-notebook/) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size | 148 × 210 mm | 145 × 210 mm | 130 × 210 mm |
| Paper | 80 g/m², white | 80 g/m² | 70 g/m², ivory |
| Pages | 160 (80 sheets) | 249 | 240 |
| Binding | Top-stapled, tear-off | Hardcover | Hardcover |

Pick the pad for loose sheets you can file or hand out, and a bound notebook if you want everything kept together. Rhodia's own bound A5, the [Rhodia Webnotebook](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/rhodia-webnotebook-a5/), has 192 pages of 90 g/m² ivory paper in a hard cover. For a writing companion, the [Pilot G2](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pilot-g2/) in 0.38 or 0.5 mm puts down less ink than the wider tips.

## Where is the Rhodia No. 16 made?

**Rhodia says all its notepads are made in France, at its plant in Mulhouse in Alsace.** Its 2024 French press kit places the plant, a site dating from 1840, at Illzach on the edge of Mulhouse since 1997, and says the paper comes from the Clairefontaine mill in Étival, in the Vosges. US and European retailers also list the No. 16 as made in France.

## Frequently asked questions

### What size is a Rhodia No. 16 pad?

It is A5, 148 × 210 mm (5.8 × 8.3 in). Many US retailers list it as 6 × 8.25 in, a rounded figure for the same pad.

### How many sheets are in a Rhodia No. 16 DotPad?

There are 80 sheets, or 160 pages if you write on both sides. Each sheet is micro-perforated at the top so it tears off cleanly.

### What paper weight does Rhodia use?

The No. 16 uses 80 g/m² paper from Clairefontaine, which retailers describe as a smooth, white vellum that is acid-free and pH neutral.

### Is Rhodia paper good for fountain pens?

Fountain pen shops such as Goulet Pens stock it, and buyer reviews there praise it with fountain pens. Rhodia doesn't publish a bleed rating, and we haven't run our own bleed or feathering test yet.

### How far apart are the dots on a Rhodia DotPad?

The dots are 5 mm apart in both directions. Most retailers describe them as light grey; one Canadian listing calls them light lilac.

### Where are Rhodia pads made?

In France. Rhodia says all its notepads are manufactured at its plant in Mulhouse, in the Alsace region, using paper from the Clairefontaine mill at Étival.

### Who owns Rhodia?

Rhodia belongs to the French Exacompta Clairefontaine group. Rhodia's press kit says Clairefontaine took it over in 1997, and Exaclair sells the brand in the US.

### Is the No. 16 stapled or spiral-bound?

The classic No. 16 pad is stapled at the top. Rhodia also sells a separate top-wirebound No. 16 notebook, so check the listing if binding matters to you.

## Sources

- [Rhodia (France): dotPad – Bloc-notes agrafé (dotPad stapled pad: 80 micro-perforated sheets, grey 5 mm dots, card back, black or orange, sizes No. 12 to No. 38)](https://www.bloc-rhodia.com/fr/basics/37-137-dotpad-bloc-notes-agrafe.html)
- [Rhodia (France): Dossier de presse, 90 ans de Rhodia (press kit: 1932 and 1934, Illzach plant, 80 g/m² vellum from Étival, black cover 2007, white 2014)](https://www.bloc-rhodia.com/img/DossierDePresse-90-anniversaire.pdf)
- [Exaclair 2024 catalog (Rhodia's US distributor): Classic Staplebound Notepads (80 g ultra white, references 16558C and 16559C, US$7.00 list)](https://www.rhodiapads.com/pdf/Exaclair2024.pdf)
- [Rhodia: Our manufacturing secrets (Mulhouse plant, Étival paper)](https://www.bloc-rhodia.com/gb/page/rhodia-universe/our-manufacturing-secrets)
- [Rhodia: 90th anniversary press kit (history, orange pad), PDF](https://bloc-rhodia.com/img/cms/DP 90ANS RHODIA EN.pdf)
- [Exaclair: Our history (Exacompta Clairefontaine brands in the US)](https://exaclair.com/our-history/)
- [Goldspot: Rhodia brand overview (Vérilhac brothers, 1932, 1934, 1997)](https://goldspot.com/pages/rhodia-brand-overview)
- [Swiss Post shop: Rhodia Dot Pad A5 16559C (80 sheets, micro-perforated, 80 g/m², 5 mm grey dots)](https://shop.post.ch/en/stationery/paper-notebooks/writing-pad/rhodia-dot-pad-schwarz-a5-16559c-raster-80-blatt/p/818793)
- [The Journal Shop: Rhodia No. 16 Head Stapled Dot-Pad (A5, 148 × 210 mm, acid-free, pH neutral, barcode 3037920165592, made in France)](https://www.thejournalshop.com/products/rhodia-no-16-head-stapled-dot-pad-a5-dot-grid)
- [DeSerres: Rhodia Notepad dotPad (Clairefontaine vellum, light lilac dots)](https://www.deserres.ca/products/rhodia-notepad-dotpad)
- [University of Calgary bookstore: Rhodia DotPad No. 16 (staple-bound, cardboard back, 5 mm dots)](https://shop.ucalgary.ca/Catalogue/ucalgary/stationery/notebooks-and-paper/rhodia-dotpads)
- [Dromgooles: Rhodia No. 16 top staplebound dot grid A5 (made in France)](https://dromgooles.com/products/rhodia-16-top-staplebound-dot-grid-a5-notepad-black)
- [Wonderpens: Rhodia No. 16 dot pad, black (made in France)](https://wonderpens.ca/products/rhodia-pad-no-16-dot-black-a5)
- [Bruneau: Rhodia A5 dotted notebook (designed and made in France)](https://www.bruneau.be/en/product/spiral-notebook-no-16-a5-size-dotted-dot-black/8033856)
- [Goulet Pens: Rhodia No. 16 A5 Notepad, black, dot grid](https://gouletpens.com/products/rhodia-no-16-notepad-black-dot-grid)
- [Goulet Pens: Rhodia No. 16 Top Wirebound Notepad, black, dot grid](https://www.gouletpens.com/products/rhodia-no-16-top-wirebound-notebook-black-dot-grid)
- [Goldspot: Rhodia No. 16 staplebound 6 x 8.25 notepad, black (rulings)](https://goldspot.com/products/rhodia-no-16-staplebound-6-x-8-25-notepad-in-black)
- [LDLC: Rhodia Black No. 16, 14.8 × 21 cm, 80 sheets, 80 g, 5 × 5 graph](https://www.ldlc.com/fiche/PB00506805.html)
- [LDLC: Rhodia No. 16 stapled, lined with margin, 80 g Clairefontaine](https://www.ldlc.com/fiche/PB00506813.html)
- [JetPens: Rhodia Classic Notepads (pad sizes)](https://www.jetpens.com/Rhodia-Classic-Notepads/ct/764)
- [Officeworks: Rhodia No. 12 graph pad, 85 × 120 mm](https://www.officeworks.com.au/shop/officeworks/p/rhodia-no-12-85-x-120mm-graph-pad-orange-80-sheets-rh12200)
- [AIA Store: Leuchtturm1917 A5 Medium hardcover (145 × 210 mm, 80 g/m², 249 pages)](https://store.aia.org/products/leuchtturm1917-notebook-medium)
- [BIC Graphic: Moleskine Classic Notebook Large (13 × 21 cm, 240 pages, 70 g/m²)](https://www.bicgraphic.com/ee/moleskine-large-classic-notebook-ruled-paper-3460015056.html)
- [Fountain Pen Network: Rhodia size classification (No. 19 at 210 × 318 mm)](https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/275367-rhodia-international-classification/)
- [Paragraph Books: Rhodia head-stapled pad No. 16, dot grid, 16559 (vellum paper, coated card cover)](https://paragraphbooks.com/fr/products/head-stapled-pad-n-16-16559)