Merchant Campbell sources our paper products from Kalpana, a family-owned business in the heart of the fabric making area of Jaipur. In the villages and district around Jaipur in India, the traditional fabric industry is a major employer. People are employed in indigo dying, block printing, block-print carving, fabric weaving and more. And, interestingly, they're also employed in the handmade paper industry because the paper that's made around Jaipur is cotton paper, which uses cotton waste from the cotton fabric industry. ---

Kalpana Handmade Papers has introduced the traditional village art of paper-making to the global community. Recognised by the Indian Government for its services to regional communities and awarded for its eco-friendly business, Kalpana is essentially a family business with a great emphasis on the environment, recycling, high-quality products and its staff – this gets a big tick from us. The leather used to cover the journals is also tanned locally, by artisans who've learnt their trade from their fathers, and their fathers before them.

Any irregularities are characteristics of handcrafted and recycled origins. It is only natural that occasional variances in colour, grain, texture and consistency occur. The originality of the leather, paper and slightly distressed finish is what makes these journals beautiful.

The quotes:

The author of novels Charlotte Webb and Stuart Little, EB White, was an early 20th century writer for the New Yorker.  He penned these words, which sums up so many of us: I get up every morning determined to both change the world and have one hell of a good time.  Sometimes this makes planning my day difficult.

Eleventh-century Persian poet Omar Khayyam's quote is from The Rubaiyat – a poem full of beautiful descriptions and spirituality. It was popular among the Victorians, many of whom were fascinated with romanticism, sensuality and all things oriental. This lovely quote is all about living in the moment, relishing life exactly where you are right now, and not pondering too deeply on the past or the future. Aaaah, so worthy.

St Francis of Assisi's immortal words: He who works with his hands is a laborer.  He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman.  He who works with his hands and his head and his heart is an artist.

An Apache blessing:  May the sun bring you new energy by day, may the moon softly restore you by night, may the rain wash away your worries, may the breeze blow new strength into your being, may your walk gently through the world and know its beauty all the days of your life.

Jack London wrote: Keep a notebook.  Travel with it, eat with it, sleep with it.  Slap into it every stray thought that flutters up in your brains. Cheap paper is less perishable than gray matter, and lead pencil markings endure longer than memory.

JRR Tolkien's wise words ring true:  All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not reached by the frost.  From the ashes a fire shall be woken, a light from the shadows shall spring; renewed shall be blade that was broken, the crownless again shall be king. 

Product details:

• available in six quotations
• made from buffalo leather and recycled cotton paper
• 23cm x 16cm
• handmade, with hand-stitched spine, in Jaipur, India
• care instructions: wipe with a damp cloth