Best Sticky Notes & Page Flags: Post-it, Coco-Fusen

Products compared

1. No. 1Post-it Notes 654, 3 × 3 in, 100 sheets, Canary Yellow$Read the guide →
2. No. 2Post-it Flags 680, 1 × 1.7 in, 50 per dispenser$Read the guide →
3. No. 3Kanmido Coco-Fusen Card M, 105 film notes in a card case$$Read the guide →

Product	Brand origin	Made in	Price range
Post-it Notes 654, 3 × 3 in, 100 sheets, Canary YellowPost-it	United States	United States*	Price range: $under $5 per item
Post-it Flags 680, 1 × 1.7 in, 50 per dispenserPost-it	United States	United States*	Price range: $under $5 per item
Kanmido Coco-Fusen Card M, 105 film notes in a card caseKanmido	Japan	Not stated*	Price range: $$$5–20 per item

Notes on these facts

• Post-it Notes 654, 3 × 3 in, 100 sheets, Canary Yellow: Made by 3M Company (Maplewood, Minnesota). Made in United States: 3M's US product pages for the 654-14+4YW Canary Yellow pack and the 654-12SSCY Super Sticky pack say "Made in the USA with globally sourced materials"; Staples also marks the 654-12YW pack "Made in America". Source. Released: 3M's Post-it history timeline gives April 6 (1980) as the day Post-it Notes debuted in US stores; MNopedia gives 1980 for the national launch. 3M doesn't give a separate date for the 654 pad.
• Post-it Flags 680, 1 × 1.7 in, 50 per dispenser: Made by 3M Company (Maplewood, Minnesota). Made in United States: Staples marks the 1 in 680-RD12 value pack and the 0.94 in 680-PBG and 680-EG-ALT packs "Made in America". 3M's US product pages give no country of origin, and 3M Hong Kong lists its 680MSH-C1 flags as made in Japan, so check the pack. Source.
• Kanmido Coco-Fusen Card M, 105 film notes in a card case: Made by Kanmido Co., Ltd. (Meguro, Tokyo). Country of manufacture not stated: Kanmido's product page (read in full) and the retailer listings we found for the Card don't state a country. Retailers list two other Coco-Fusen products, the Mini and the Clip, as made in Japan. Released: First release of the Coco-Fusen Card, per Kanmido's March 15, 2024 press release; the current CFC-1003 design went on sale March 22, 2024.
• Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026. Conversions to US dollars are approximate, at October 2026 rates (US$1 = ¥158 = ₩1,330 = NT$32.5 = CN¥6.7 = SEK 9.9 = DKK 6.7 = ₺49.6 = C$1.41 = A$1.43 = CZK 21.7; €1 = US$1.12; £1 = US$1.32; CHF 1 = US$1.21).

Key takeaways

• Post-it Notes 654 is 3 × 3 in (76 × 76 mm) with 100 sheets a pad, made in the USA on 100% PEFC-certified paper, per 3M.
• Post-it Super Sticky pads in the same size carry 90 sheets and, 3M says, twice the sticking power of the Originals.
• Post-it Flags 680 are 1 × 1.7 in (25.4 × 43.2 mm), 50 to a dispenser, sticky only on the clear end; the 683 is 0.47 in wide.
• Kanmido's Coco-Fusen Card M is a 84 × 53.5 mm case about 1.5 mm thin holding 105 film notes of 32 × 11 mm; Japan list price ¥627 (about US$4).
• The 653 (1 3/8 × 1 7/8 in) and 655 (3 × 5 in) are the small and large Post-it sizes; the 655 matches an index card.

What are the best sticky notes?

On published specs, the best sticky notes are the Post-it Notes 654 for the classic 3 × 3 in pad, Post-it Super Sticky for vertical surfaces, Post-it Flags 680 for marking pages, and Kanmido’s Coco-Fusen Card for film notes that live in a planner. Each does one job: a note you write on, a note that stays on a wall, a flag that points at a line, and a flag thin enough to carry. The 654 is #1 because it’s the classic note to write on, made in the USA on PEFC-certified paper that 3M says is recyclable.

• Best overall: Post-it Notes 654. Why it’s here: the classic 3 × 3 in (76 × 76 mm) pad of 100 sheets, roomy enough for three or four lines, made in the USA.
• Best for walls and monitors: Post-it Super Sticky 654. Why it’s here: the same size with twice the adhesive, per 3M, so it holds on walls and monitors; 90 sheets.
• Best page flags: Post-it Flags 680. Why it’s here: sticky only on the clear end, so it points at a line without hiding the text; 1 × 1.7 in, 50 to a dispenser.
• Best for planners: Kanmido Coco-Fusen Card. Why it’s here: the thinnest to carry, 105 film notes of 32 × 11 mm in a case 1.5 mm thin that lives in a planner.

How did we choose these picks?

We compiled these picks from published sources, not hands-on testing: 3M’s and Kanmido’s specs and claims, US availability and price band. We picked one note for each job: writing, sticking to walls, flagging a line and carrying in a planner.

How do the sticky notes compare?

Paper Post-its and flags sit in our $ band (under $5 a pad or dispenser); the Coco-Fusen Card is $$ ($5–20) as an import. Sizes are the makers’.

Note	Size	Count	Adhesive	Made in	Band
Post-it Notes 654	3 × 3 in (76 × 76 mm)	100 sheets	Repositionable strip, top edge	USA	$ (under $5)
Post-it Super Sticky 654	3 × 3 in	90 sheets	2x sticking power (3M)	USA	$
Post-it Notes 653	1 3/8 × 1 7/8 in (34.9 × 47.6 mm)	100 sheets	Repositionable	USA	$
Post-it Notes 655	3 × 5 in (76 × 127 mm)	100 sheets	Repositionable	USA	$
Post-it Flags 680	1 × 1.7 in (25.4 × 43.2 mm)	50 per dispenser	Clear end only	USA (Staples)	$
Post-it Flags 683	0.47 × 1.7 in (11.9 × 43.2 mm)	100 or 190	Clear end only	Not stated	$
Kanmido Coco-Fusen Card M	Case 84 × 53.5 mm; notes 32 × 11 mm	105 notes	Acrylic, on film	Not stated	$$ ($5–20)

Which sticky note size should you use?

The 3 × 3 in 654 for most notes, the 653 for one-line reminders, and the 3 × 5 in 655 for lists. The 654’s square takes three or four lines of handwriting and fits a monitor bezel or a planner page. The 653 is about the size of a large flag and suits a word or a date. The 655 is index-card size, so it carries a list or a paragraph.

Super Sticky is the same 3 × 3 in pad with the stronger adhesive. 3M says it holds on walls, doors and windows, which is where Originals curl and drop; the trade is 90 sheets a pad instead of 100.

Flags or notes for marking pages?

Flags, because only the clear end is sticky and the colored tip stands proud of the page. A 680 flag covers a 1 in strip but lets the text show through, and 3M says it can be moved and reused several times. The narrow 683 at 0.47 in lets you line up a dozen on one edge, which suits a textbook or a planner’s month.

Kanmido’s film notes do the same job at 32 × 11 mm and come out of a card one at a time, so the case rides in a planner’s card slot or a phone cover. Kanmido says the card first went on sale in April 2012 and passed 2 million sold by March 2024.

Are sticky notes recyclable?

Yes, for the paper ones: 3M says Post-it Notes are recyclable and made on 100% PEFC-certified paper. Film notes like the Coco-Fusen are PET, which goes with plastics where that’s collected, and the case is PP.

For bookmarks you keep rather than stick, see our journaling stickers and washi tape roundup; for a planner to put them in, the Hobonichi Techo system guide lists the Coco-Fusen among its accessories.

Frequently asked questions

What size are standard sticky notes?

3 × 3 in, which 3M gives as 76 × 76 mm: that's the Post-it 654. The 653 is the small 1 3/8 × 1 7/8 in note and the 655 the 3 × 5 in one, which is index-card size.

What is the difference between Post-it Original and Super Sticky?

The adhesive. 3M says Super Sticky Notes have twice the sticking power of the Originals, for walls, doors, monitors and windows, and the 3 × 3 in Super Sticky pads carry 90 sheets instead of 100.

Which sticky notes are best for annotating books?

Page flags rather than notes: Post-it Flags 680 are sticky only on the clear end, so they mark a line without hiding it, and 3M says they come off cleanly. For many markers on one edge, the 0.47 in 683 flags fit more per page.

What are fusen?

The Japanese word for sticky notes. Kanmido's Coco-Fusen Card is the best-known export: a credit-card-size case that dispenses 32 × 11 mm see-through film notes one at a time, sized for a planner's card slot.

Do sticky notes damage book pages?

Usually not on modern paper, but Kanmido warns its film notes can lift the surface or print of some papers and advises against precious, old or borrowed books. Peel slowly from the tip.

Can you write on film sticky notes?

With a ballpoint or pencil, yes. Kanmido treats the film to take writing but warns that water-based and gel inks may dry slowly or not write. Post-it Flags take pen, pencil, marker and highlighter, per 3M.

Are Post-it Notes made in the USA?

Yes, for the 654 and Super Sticky 654: 3M's US pages say made in the USA with globally sourced materials. Staples marks the 680 flag packs made in America, and a flag pack 3M sells in Hong Kong is made in Japan.

Sources (10)

1. 3M US: Post-it Notes 654-14+4YW, 3 × 3 in, 18 pads, 100 sheets, Canary Yellow, 100% PEFC (made in the USA)
2. 3M US: Post-it Super Sticky Notes 654-12SSCY, 3 × 3 in, 90 sheets, 2x sticking power (made in the USA)
3. 3M US: Post-it Notes 653-24VAD, 1 3/8 × 1 7/8 in (34.9 × 47.6 mm)
4. 3M US: Post-it Notes 655, 3 × 5 in (76 × 127 mm)
5. 3M US: Post-it Flags Value Pack 680-RD12, 1 in wide, 50/dispenser (clear adhesive end, non-adhesive tips)
6. 3M US: Post-it Flags 683-5CF, 0.47 × 1.7 in (11.9 × 43.2 mm), 100 flags
7. Staples: Post-it Flags Value Pack 680-RD12, 1 in (made in America)
8. Kanmido: ココフセンカード (case 84 × 53.5 mm; M 32 × 11 mm × 105; CFC-1003 ¥627; writing and peeling notes)
9. Kanmido: ココフセンカード relaunch notice (March 22, 2024; first sold April 2012; 2 million sold; about 1.5 mm thin)
10. Post-it: History Timeline (US debut April 6, 1980)

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