KAMI notebook with linen cover

The KAMI Linen Notebook is a completely handcrafted book from Berlin – created in a social workshop, constructed according to the golden ratio. At 21 × 13 cm, it reaches A5 height, but is noticeably narrower: a proportion that makes the book feel slimmer and more lively in the hand than a standard DIN format. Natural linen on the outside, satin-finished 90 g paper on the inside – the contrast between rough surface and smooth page is no accident, but intentional.

Special Features

• Cover in Natural Linen: Warm, slightly rough tactile feel with a characteristic textile touch. The stiffness is deliberately positioned between softcover and hardcover – the book can be bent but springs back with noticeable resistance.
• Proportion According to the Golden Ratio: 21 × 13 cm corresponds to the ratio 1:1.618. The format appears slimmer and more dynamic than A5 (148 × 210 mm) and lies balanced in the hand.
• Hand-Stitched Book Block: The signatures are hand-stitched, not glued. This allows the book to open completely flat into the spine – both sides of an open page lie flat on the table.
• Copper-Colored Edge: Applied by hand, warm metallic in tone. Gives the book its own character without being obtrusive.
• 90 g Paper, Satin-Finished, Unruled: The smooth, slightly cream-colored surface captures ink with full color nuance – lines remain clearly defined, color variations come into their own. The paper is very opaque: 75 g paper lets writing show through on the back, this one barely does.
• Completely Handcrafted in Berlin: Each copy is created in a social workshop – not a mass product, but bound by hand piece by piece.

Application & Tips

• Fountain Pens and Inks: The satin-finished paper is the real strength of this notebook for ink writers. Inks set down with clearly defined lines, shading and sheening come into full effect. With very wet pens or broad nibs, a strip of blotting paper between pages is recommended.
• Pencil and Fineliner: The uniform writing feedback of the surface – slightly gliding, not slippery – makes the paper pleasant for pencil and fineliner as well. The line doesn't become rough but remains controllable.
• Markers and Brush Pens: Thanks to high opacity and 90 g/m², opaque markers or brush pens can be used without rendering the back side unusable. With very wet brush pens, such as water-based ink markers, blotting paper as a base helps.
• Sketches and Hand Lettering: The unruled, cream-white surface is ideal for sketches, layouts, or lettering designs. The format – narrower than A5 – works well for portrait-oriented writing and double-page spreads in landscape format.
• On the Go: The semi-rigid cover keeps the book form-stable in your bag, yet flexible enough to fit into narrow interior pockets.

For Bookbinding Enthusiasts

The book block is thread-sewn in signatures – a classic technique in which multiple nested sheets (signatures) are connected with thread through the spine before the cover is applied. This method allows complete flat opening without adhesive tension at the spine, which limits opening with adhesive binding. The natural linen of the cover is laminated to cardboard, whose thickness creates the characteristic position between flexible softcover and rigid hardcover. The copper-colored edge is not a foil print, but is applied by hand with paint – making each copy a small unique piece in color distribution and intensity.

Technical Data