Help choosing your cover
FAQ & fit guide
Start with the notebook you already use. Match its size and binding, then choose the shape of your cover.
1. Match the notebook
A5 notebook
148 × 210 mm
Choose an A5 cover. Useful for longer writing sessions and a notebook that mainly lives on a desk.
A6 notebook
105 × 148 mm
Choose an A6 cover. A smaller format for carrying with you.
These are notebook dimensions, not the outside dimensions of the leather cover.
Full cover measurements2. Check the binding
Our elastic system is designed for softcover notebooks that can bend at the spine. A rigid hardcover is not a suitable fit.
3. Choose the wrap
The standard cover is a simple fold. A trifold adds a panel around the outside of the stack. Both can hold a setup with several thin inserts; thickness matters as well as the number of notebooks.
A different size or setup?
Measure your closed notebook’s width, height and thickness in millimetres. Tell us how many inserts you want to carry.
Sizes and fit
Which size do I need?
Available in A5 and A6. Pick the one that matches the notebook you already use — an A5 book is 148 by 210 mm, an A6 book is 105 by 148 mm.
If you write at length or work at a desk, A5. If the notebook lives in a coat pocket or a small bag, A6.
What are the cover's actual measurements?
A5 standard — 220 mm tall, 350 mm wide open, closing to about 170 mm.
A5 trifold — 220 mm tall, 450 mm wide open, closing to about 170 mm.
A6 standard — 158 mm tall, 250 mm wide open, closing to about 120 mm.
A6 trifold — 158 mm tall, 320 mm wide open, closing to about 120 mm.
About 5 mm goes into the fold itself, which is why the closed width is a little less than half the open one.
Why is the trifold's closed width approximate?
A trifold adds a panel that wraps around the whole stack and closes over the edge, so it closes a little wider or narrower depending on how many notebooks are inside and how tightly it is wrapped. Treat that number as a guide rather than a fixed measurement.
My notebook is not a standard size.
For a size outside our standard range, send the width, height and thickness of your closed notebook in millimetres, together with the number of inserts you want to carry.
Use the custom size request page. We will discuss the dimensions before making it.
Standard or trifold
What is the difference?
A standard cover uses a modular elastic system and can carry two or three thin notebooks, depending on their thickness. A trifold uses the same notebook system and adds a panel that wraps around the whole stack and closes over the edge.
Can I carry several notebooks in one cover?
Yes. The elastic system can hold several thin inserts in one cover. The number that fits depends on the thickness of each notebook. A trifold adds a panel that wraps around the outside of the stack.
For a non-standard setup or extra elastic holes, send us your measurements before ordering.
The leather
What leathers do you use?
Full-grain Italian vegetable-tanned leather. The surface, feel and way it changes with use depend on the leather you choose.
Our leather guide shows the materials, tanneries, photographs and matching covers together.
Names such as Whisky, Cognac or Camel Tan describe colours, rather than separate types of leather.
How thick is it?
Most covers are cut from leather around 2.2 to 2.4 mm. That gives a firm base: the cover holds its shape and does not go slack after a season in a bag.
Pueblo is thinner, about 2.0 to 2.2 mm, and that is enough. We do not make 3 mm covers — at that thickness the object stops being easy to carry and gains nothing in protection.
Will the colour change?
Yes, and that is the point. Vegetable-tanned leather keeps reacting to light and handling instead of sitting behind a finish.
One thing worth knowing: a cover left alone for a year still changes colour. It can tan on one side and stay as it was on the other, depending on where the light fell. Two covers bought the same day end up different.
Personalisation
Can I have something stamped on it?
Yes, and it is free. Up to ten characters — initials, a name, a short word or a date — pressed into the leather in gold or silver foil. You can also choose a clean finish with no mark at all.
Personalisation is placed in the bottom right corner of the front panel.
The impression is permanent and grows more visible as the leather around it darkens.
Can I choose the elastic colour?
Yes. Choose your elastic colour when ordering. Every cover comes with one elastic fitted and a spare in the box, because the elastic is the part that eventually wears out while the leather is still fine.
Where your personalisation goes
Your initials, name or short text sit in the bottom right corner of the front panel.
The photograph shows three sample finishes for comparison.
Making and shipping
How long until it ships?
Made-to-order covers, including custom-sized covers, usually ship within 5–7 business days. Ready to Ship covers usually ship within 1–2 business days. If a custom size or special request needs longer, we write to you before we start.
What does shipping cost?
Lithuania — free tracked shipping, arriving in 1 to 3 business days.
Other European Union countries — free tracked shipping, estimated delivery in 5 to 10 business days.
Switzerland — free tracked shipping.
United Kingdom — €9, tracked, estimated delivery in 7 to 14 business days.
Other supported destinations, including Norway — €11, tracked, estimated delivery in 10 to 21 business days.
Shipping to the European Union and Switzerland is free on all orders, with no minimum spend. Shipping to the United Kingdom and other supported destinations is free on orders of €120 or more. Delivery times are estimates; customs and local post can add to them.
Where do you ship from, and will I get tracking?
Everything ships from Vilnius, Lithuania. A tracking number goes out by email when the parcel does.
Delivery times are estimates — customs and local post can add to them.
Can I get it by a specific date?
Write to us before ordering and we will tell you honestly whether it is possible. We would rather say no than miss the date.
Returns
What if it is not right?
Standard covers without personalisation can be returned within 30 days of delivery. This applies to both made-to-order and Ready to Ship covers.
For our voluntary policy after the statutory withdrawal period, the cover should be unused, in its original condition and packaging, with proof of purchase. Your statutory rights, including reasonable inspection under the applicable EU withdrawal right, remain unaffected.
See return details or request a return.
Are custom orders returnable?
Personal inscriptions, non-standard sizes and individually agreed constructions cannot be returned for a change of mind. A standard size, leather, colour or elastic chosen from our range does not make a cover non-returnable.
Your rights if a cover is faulty or not as ordered remain unchanged. Please check custom measurements and personalisation spelling before ordering.
Looking after it
What do I need to do?
Very little. Vegetable-tanned leather is meant to be used rather than protected.
Let it get wet, then let it dry. Blot with a soft cloth and leave it to dry on its own, away from radiators and direct sun.
Condition it once in a while. A small amount of natural conditioner or beeswax balm every few months, no more.
Keep it out of long sun. Leather tans like skin, and unevenly if only one side is lit.
Do not store it in plastic. A bag traps moisture. A shelf is better.
It already has a mark on it.
Most surface marks blend in within weeks. Scratches and shifting colour are the leather doing what it does, not a fault — a cover that looks new after a year has not been used.
Still stuck? Write to hello@slow-lines.com. A person answers, and it is usually the person who made the cover.