Walk into any stationery store before the start of a new term and you are bound to hear demands for "short size", "long size" and "do you have A4 notebooks?". We all buy notebooks by their size, number of pages and (sometimes) the cool cover our kid picked up in the store.
Few ask "what GSM is this paper?"
Yet, GSM can make a noticeable difference to the quality of the notebook and how much ink bleeds through the page.
The Problem Every Student Knows
It happens in the middle of class when the teacher is writing furiously on the board. You are trying to keep up, and you press a little harder on the pen to make sure you get every word down before the board gets cleared. Suddenly you notice that the writing on this page is bleeding through to the other side! Sometimes it is even worse and the writing on the next page is also visible.
For a student trying to keep their notebook orderly for their parents to see, and for their teacher to mark, this can be incredibly disheartening.
The effort they put into writing nice and neatly is wasted on a page that looks like a mess because of something they had no control over. It may seem like a minor problem, but if you have ever seen a child looking crestfallen over a page with ink bleeding through it, you know it can have quite an emotional impact.
It's Not Just Your Handwriting
Few people would think that the problem is not the student's sloppy handwriting, but the paper they are writing on. Every sheet of paper has a weight, measured in GSM or grams per square metre. This means that if you take a square metre of paper, its weight in grams will be approximately equal to the GSM rating.
The lower the GSM, the thinner the paper.
As a general rule of thumb, the lower the GSM, the more likely it is to have ink bleed through it. The higher the GSM, the thicker the paper and the less likely it is to have ink bleed through. Of course, the quality of the paper also affects how much ink will bleed through.
For example, if a student presses down hard while writing (as many students do when trying to keep up with a teacher), the paper quality and GSM will make a noticeable difference.
Finding the Perfect GSM for Your Writing
Luckily, this is a problem with a simple solution: getting the right paper GSM for your needs.
57 GSM – Everyday Notebooks
Lightweight, and easy on the school bag, 55 GSM is great for everyday use and budget-friendly. It works well with most standard ballpoint pens.
60 GSM – Daily Notebooks
A slight upgrade from 55 GSM, 60 GSM notebooks are a middle ground for students who want something slightly more substantial for their everyday use.
70 GSM – Journals
A much heavier weight, 70 GSM notebooks are good for journaling and other writing-intensive activities. They also tend to work well with fountain pens, although this depends on the paper quality and the type of ink being used.
A Quick Summary
If you write neatly with a standard ballpoint pen, 57 GSM should work well for you.
If you press hard while writing, or you use fountain pens and other specialty inks, you may want to look at something with a higher GSM to avoid ink bleeding through.
A notebook is a student's pride and joy, and every page filled with neater handwriting than the last is a step closer to that coveted "well done" from their teacher or a smile from their parent flipping through their homework. Getting the right GSM ensures that their hard work is not wasted on messy, ink-bled-through pages.
The next time you go to buy a notebook, ask yourself (or the shop assistant) not only about the size, but also about the GSM.
Find the Right GSM, Already Sorted for You
One less thing to figure out the next time you're buying notebooks. Scriby comes in Short Size, Long Size and A4 the same sizes you're probably asking for anyway each already available in the right GSM for how it's meant to be used, from everyday 55 GSM school notebooks to heavier weights for long writing or fountain pens.
Browse notebooks by GSM and size
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why does ink bleed through some pages but not others?
There are several factors that affect how much ink will bleed through notebook paper, including GSM, paper quality, ink type and pen used. Generally speaking, lower GSM papers are more likely to have ink bleed through them, especially with wetter inks and heavier pressure.
2. What GSM notebook is best for school students?
55–60 GSM is a good option for everyday school notebooks. It is light enough to be used in a school bag and works well with most standard pens.
3. What GSM should I use for a fountain pen?
80 GSM is a good choice for fountain pen use, as lower GSM papers are more likely to have ink bleed through them. However, this also depends on the paper quality, type of fountain pen and the type of ink being used.
4. Is higher GSM paper better?
It depends on what you are using the notebook for. Higher GSM generally means a heavier and more expensive paper, so it may not be worth it for everyday school use.
Higher GSM papers are a good choice for journaling and other heavy writing, as well as with fountain pens and other specialty inks.
5. Does GSM affect handwriting?
Not directly, but it can affect how much ink bleeds through the paper, which can make neater handwriting look messy.
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