--- title: "Ciak Classic Notebook A5: Florence-Made Softcover" canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/ciak-classic-notebook-a5/" description: "Ciak Classic Notebook A5 explained: 15 × 21 cm, 224 pages of ivory 80 g/m² recycled paper, a horizontal elastic that holds a pen, colors, price and origin." category: "Notebooks" type: "Softcover notebook" published: 2026-10-22 updated: 2026-10-22 author: "Ellis Penhale" publisher: "Stationery Times" sources: 6 products: - name: "Ciak Classic Notebook A5, lined with numbered pages, Blue (8188CKC32)" brand: "Ciak" brand_origin: "Italy" made_in: "Italy" material: "Faux leather (vegan) softcover; ivory recycled 80 g/m² paper" price_band: "$$$ ($20–75 per notebook, typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Ciak (Florence, Italy)" model: "8188CKC32" sku: "8188CKC32" gtin: "8029221841744" url: "https://thejournalshop.com/products/ciak-classic-notebook-a5-plain-dots-lined" --- # Ciak Classic Notebook A5: Florence-Made Softcover > The Ciak Classic Notebook A5 is a soft faux-leather notebook handmade in Florence, Italy, known for its horizontal elastic band that snaps shut and doubles as a pen holder. Retailers list it at 15 × 21 × 3 cm with 112 sheets (224 pages) of ivory 80 g/m² recycled paper, plain, dotted or lined with page numbers. - URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/ciak-classic-notebook-a5/ - Category: Notebooks - Author: Ellis Penhale - Published: 2026-10-22 - Updated: 2026-10-22 ![Blue Ciak Classic Notebook A5 closed with its horizontal black elastic, and open on ivory lined numbered pages](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/ciak-classic-notebook-a5-16x9.png) *The Classic A5 in Blue, drawn to scale from 15 × 21 × 3 cm.* Original drawing (SVG): . Drawings © 2026 Stationery Times, reusable with credit under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). ## Product facts | Product | Brand | Brand origin | Made in | Material | Released | Price range (typical US retail, October 2026) | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Ciak Classic Notebook A5, lined with numbered pages, Blue (8188CKC32) | Ciak (by Ciak (Florence, Italy)) | Italy | Italy | Faux leather (vegan) softcover; ivory recycled 80 g/m² paper | – | $$$: $20–75 per notebook | - Made in (Ciak Classic Notebook A5, lined with numbered pages, Blue (8188CKC32)): Italy. Hunter Paper Co. and The Journal Shop describe the Classic A5 as handmade in Italy; Hunter Paper's brand text says all Ciak products are made in Florence. We could not load Ciak's own site (ciak.it) to confirm. Source: https://hunterpaperco.com/products/ciak-classic-notebook-a5-lined ### Ciak Classic Notebook A5, lined with numbered pages, Blue (8188CKC32) colors - Body colors (8 standard, 0 special edition): Black; Blue; Sky Blue; Green; Yellow; Red; Coral; Antique Pink. - Per The Journal Shop (https://thejournalshop.com/products/ciak-classic-notebook-a5-plain-dots-lined), checked 2026-10-27. Cover colors as listed on The Journal Shop's Classic A5 page, where each color has its own variant photo (lined, numbered-pages edition). Tints were hand-picked from those product photos, sampling the flat cover above the elastic band. Shops stock different colors; check the listing. ## Key takeaways - Hunter Paper Co. lists the A5 at 15 × 21 × 3 cm (5.9 × 8.3 × 1.2 in) with 112 sheets (224 pages). - The paper is ivory, recycled and 80 g/m², per Hunter Paper Co. and The Journal Shop. - The Journal Shop sells it in 8 colors and 3 rulings, at £19.99 (about US$26) to £20.99 (about US$28); US listings fall in our $$$ band ($20–75). - The name Ciak echoes the snap of the horizontal elastic band, which also holds a pen. - Retailers describe every Ciak notebook as handmade in Florence, Italy. ## What is the Ciak Classic Notebook? **It is an Italian softcover notebook with a faux-leather cover and a horizontal elastic band that snaps the book shut and holds a pen.** Retailers describe Ciak (pronounced chak) as a Florence notebook maker whose artisans make every book by hand; the name echoes the snap of the elastic. The Classic is Ciak's main line. It comes in A5, B6 and B7, with plain, dotted or lined paper; this guide covers the A5. ## Ciak Classic A5 specs | Spec | Ciak Classic Notebook A5 | |---|---| | Size | 15 × 21 × 3 cm (5.9 × 8.3 × 1.2 in) | | Pages | 112 sheets (224 pages) | | Paper | Ivory, recycled, 80 g/m² | | Rulings | Plain, dots, lined with page numbers | | Cover | Soft faux leather (vegan) | | Extras | Horizontal elastic (pen holder), ribbon | | UK price, The Journal Shop | £19.99 (about US$26) plain or dots, £20.99 (about US$28) lined | | Made in | Italy (Florence) | Specs come from Hunter Paper Co.'s and The Journal Shop's listings, read on October 22, 2026. We tried Ciak's own Italian site, ciak.it, but it would not load, so these are retailer figures. ## Why the horizontal elastic? **It is Ciak's signature: one band runs around the book's waist instead of down the front, and a pen tucks under it.** On a [Moleskine Classic Soft Cover](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/moleskine-classic-soft-cover-large/) or a [Leuchtturm1917 Softcover](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/leuchtturm1917-softcover-a5-notebook/), the elastic runs vertically and the pen needs a separate loop. The Journal Shop calls the band a closure that doubles as a pen holder. In practice that means a slim pen rides across the front cover, so check that your pen's clip isn't too thick. ## How big is it compared with other A5 notebooks? **At 15 × 21 × 3 cm it is a little wider than the A5 page and much thicker than most softcovers, because it packs 224 pages.** | | Ciak Classic A5 | Leuchtturm1917 Softcover A5 | Moleskine Soft Cover Large | |---|---|---|---| | Size | 150 × 210 mm (5.9 × 8.3 in) | 145 × 210 mm (5.7 × 8.3 in) | 130 × 210 mm (5.1 × 8.3 in) | | Pages | 224 | 123 numbered | 192 | | Paper | 80 g/m² ivory, recycled | 80 g/m² cream | 70 g/m² ivory | | Price band | $$$ | $$$ | $$$ | Leuchtturm1917 and Moleskine figures come from their guides. ![Ciak Classic A5 (15 × 21 cm) and B6 (12 × 17 cm) notebooks drawn to scale with their elastic bands](https://stationerytimes.com/images/ciak-classic-notebook-a5-sizes.svg) *The A5 and the smaller B6, drawn to scale.* ## Is Ciak paper good for fountain pens? **Retailers say yes: The Journal Shop calls the 80 g/m² recycled paper fountain pen friendly and says it resists feathering and bleed-through.** Hunter Paper Co. says the warm ivory takes ink well. That's a retailer claim, not our test yet. At 80 g/m² it matches the paper weight of a Leuchtturm1917 and is heavier than Moleskine's 70 g/m², per their guides. ## What colors are there? **The Journal Shop lists the Classic A5 in 8 colors: Black, Blue, Sky Blue, Green, Yellow, Red, Coral and Antique Pink.** Each color comes in plain (8189), dots (8184) and lined with numbered pages (8188), and the last two digits of the item code mark the color, so 8188CKC32 is lined Blue. Ciak also sells Mate, Icons, Canvas and Trend notebooks; the Mate is the slimmer, cheaper line. ## How much does it cost? **US listings put the Classic A5 in our $$$ band ($20–75).** In the UK, The Journal Shop listed it at £19.99 (about US$26) for plain or dots and £20.99 (about US$28) for lined on October 22, 2026. ## Where is the Ciak Classic Notebook made? **In Italy: Hunter Paper Co. and The Journal Shop say it is handmade in Italy, and Hunter's brand notes say all Ciak products are made in Florence.** We could not reach Ciak's own site to confirm, so treat this as the retailers' statement. ## Frequently asked questions ### What size is the Ciak Classic Notebook A5? Hunter Paper Co. lists it at 15 × 21 × 3 cm, about 5.9 × 8.3 × 1.2 in. That is a touch wider than a standard A5 page (14.8 cm) because the soft cover overhangs the pages. ### How many pages does the Ciak A5 have? 112 sheets, or 224 pages, of ivory paper, per Hunter Paper Co. The lined version has page numbers in the bottom corner. ### Is Ciak paper fountain pen friendly? Retailers say so: The Journal Shop says its 80 g/m² recycled paper resists feathering and bleed-through. We haven't tested it yet. ### How do you pronounce Ciak? Chak. The Journal Shop says the name comes from the snap of the elastic band closing over the cover. ### Is Ciak vegan? The Classic's cover is faux leather, and retailers describe it as vegan-friendly with no animal products used. ### What is the difference between Ciak Classic and Ciak Mate? The Classic is the thick faux-leather notebook with 224 pages; the Mate is Ciak's slimmer, cheaper line. The Journal Shop sells the Mate A5 at £14.99 (about US$20) against £19.99 (about US$26) for the Classic. ### Is the Ciak notebook made in China? No. Retailers describe Ciak notebooks as handmade in Florence, Italy. ## Sources - [Hunter Paper Co.: Ciak Classic Notebook A5 Lined, Blank and Dot Grid (store data read October 22, 2026: 15 × 21 × 3 cm, 112 sheets / 224 pages, ivory recycled 80 g/m² paper, faux leather, horizontal elastic, ribbon, handmade in Italy; About Ciak: made in Florence; GTINs)](https://hunterpaperco.com/products/ciak-classic-notebook-a5-lined) - [Hunter Paper Co.: Ciak Classic Notebook A5 Blank](https://hunterpaperco.com/products/ciak-classic-notebook-a5-blank) - [The Journal Shop (UK): CIAK Classic Notebook A5, Plain, Dots, Lined (store data: 8 colors, item codes 8189/8184/8188 CKC, EAN 8029221…, £19.99 (about US$26) to £20.99 (about US$28), 80 g/m² recycled paper, handmade in Italy)](https://thejournalshop.com/products/ciak-classic-notebook-a5-plain-dots-lined) - [The Journal Shop (UK): Ciak collection (Classic, Mate, Icons and other lines)](https://thejournalshop.com/collections/ciak) - [The Journal Shop (UK): CIAK Classic Notebook B6](https://thejournalshop.com/products/ciak-classic-notebook-b6-dots-plain-lined) - [Hunter Paper Co.: Ciak Classic Notebook B6 Blank (17 × 12 cm)](https://hunterpaperco.com/products/ciak-classic-notebook-b6-plain)