--- title: "Five Star 5 Subject Notebook: Size, Pages & Pockets" canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/five-star-5-subject-notebook/" description: "Five Star 5 Subject notebook (72081) explained: 8.5 x 11 in sheets, 200 sheets (400 pages), 8 pockets, college vs wide ruled, and where it's made." category: "Notebooks" type: "Spiral notebook" published: 2026-10-20 updated: 2026-10-20 author: "Ellis Penhale" publisher: "Stationery Times" sources: 13 products: - name: "Five Star Spiral Notebook, 5 Subject, College Ruled, 200 Sheets (72081)" brand: "Five Star" brand_origin: "United States" made_in: "United States" material: "Water-resistant plastic cover, SFI-certified paper" price_band: "$$ ($5–20 per notebook, typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "ACCO Brands Corporation" mpn: "72081" url: "https://www.fivestarbuiltstrong.com/p/notebooks/spiral-notebooks/spiral-notebook-5-subject-college-ruled-black-72081/" --- # Five Star 5 Subject Notebook: Size, Pages & Pockets > The Five Star Spiral Notebook, 5 Subject, College Ruled (model 72081) is a wirebound notebook from ACCO Brands with 200 perforated, double-sided sheets (400 pages) that tear out to 8.5 × 11 in. It has four two-pocket dividers, a water-resistant plastic cover and Spiral Lock wire. Retailer spec sheets list it as made in the USA. - URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/five-star-5-subject-notebook/ - Category: Notebooks - Author: Ellis Penhale - Published: 2026-10-20 - Updated: 2026-10-20 ![Drawing of the Five Star 5 Subject notebook 72081: closed with its black plastic cover and wire spiral, and opened flat on the wire showing college-ruled sheets that tear out at 8.5 × 11 in (216 × 279 mm), with three punched holes](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/five-star-5-subject-notebook-16x9.png) *The black 72081, closed and opened on its Spiral Lock wire (1 mm = 0.64 px).* Original drawing (SVG): https://stationerytimes.com/images/five-star-5-subject-notebook-cover.svg. Drawings © 2026 Stationery Times, reusable with credit under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). ## Product facts | Product | Brand | Brand origin | Made in | Material | Released | Price range (typical US retail, October 2026) | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Five Star Spiral Notebook, 5 Subject, College Ruled, 200 Sheets (72081) | Five Star (by ACCO Brands Corporation) | United States | United States | Water-resistant plastic cover, SFI-certified paper | – | $$: $5–20 per notebook | - Made in (Five Star Spiral Notebook, 5 Subject, College Ruled, 200 Sheets (72081)): United States. AB1Supply's spec sheet gives country of origin US (United States), as did Amazon.ca and On Time Supplies when we first read them; Five Star's own product page and spec table don't state it. Other Five Star products can differ. Source: https://ab1supply.com/products/five-star-72081-wirebound-notebook-5-subject-medium-college-rule-black-cover-200-11-x-8-5-sheets-mea72081 ## Key takeaways - Model 72081 (Amazon ASIN B003O2RXUQ) has 200 college-ruled sheets, which is 400 pages, split into 5 subjects. - Sheets measure 8.5 × 11 in (21.6 × 27.9 cm) when torn out along the perforation; the wide-ruled 5 Subject version is smaller, 8 × 10.5 in. - Five Star's spec table lists 8 pockets (four two-pocket dividers) for loose 8.5 × 11 in papers, and a US$6.98 price on its own store. - College ruling is 9/32 in (7.1 mm) between lines, versus 11/32 in (8.7 mm) for wide ruling. - AB1Supply and Amazon.ca spec sheets list the country of origin as the USA; Five Star has belonged to ACCO Brands since its May 1, 2012 merger with MeadWestvaco's office products business. ## What is the Five Star 5 Subject notebook? **It's a large, letter-size spiral notebook with 200 college-ruled sheets split into five subjects by pocket dividers.** The black college-ruled version is model **72081**, sold on Amazon as ASIN B003O2RXUQ. Five Star is a brand of ACCO Brands; it used to be part of Mead. It's one of the best-selling notebooks on Amazon: the sales-data site ASINsight's August 2026 report estimates about 20,000 sales a month for this ASIN, double the month before. That figure is a third-party estimate, not an Amazon or ACCO number. Five Star's product page describes these features: - **200 double-sided sheets** that the maker says fight ink bleed and are perforated for clean tear-out. - **Tough pockets** that hold 8.5 × 11 in loose sheets. - A **water-resistant plastic front cover**. - **Spiral Lock wire**, which Five Star says resists snagging on clothes and backpacks. - **SFI-certified paper**, and reinforcement tape you can remove so the rest can be recycled. - The **Five Star Study App**, which scans notes and makes flashcards. - A one-year **"Lasts all year" guarantee**, and a choice of black, sky blue, fire red, amethyst purple or retro green covers. ## Five Star 5 Subject notebook specs | Spec | Value | |---|---| | Maker | ACCO Brands Corporation (brand: Five Star) | | Model number | 72081 (black, college ruled) · Amazon ASIN B003O2RXUQ | | Sheets | 200 sheets (400 pages), ruled on both sides | | Subjects | 5 | | Ruling | College ruled: 9/32 in (7.1 mm) line spacing | | Sheet size, torn out | 8.5 × 11 in (21.6 × 27.9 cm) | | Dividers and pockets | 8 pockets (Five Star), on 4 two-pocket dividers | | Perforated | Yes | | Holes | 3-hole punched (per an office-supply reseller) | | Cover | Plastic, water-resistant | | Binding | Spiral Lock wire | | Paper | SFI-certified; acid-free status listed inconsistently by retailers | | Paper weight | Not published | | Price | US$6.98 at Five Star, our $$ band | | Made in | USA (per retailer spec sheets) | Features, sheet size, pocket count and price come from Five Star's product page and spec table. The divider count and 400-page figure come from Amazon and Walmart, the 3-hole punch from On Time Supplies, and the line spacing from the standard college-ruled definition. Staples lists the 72081 as not acid-free while OfficeCrave lists it as acid-free, so we haven't stated either as fact. ![To-scale drawing: the college-ruled Five Star 72081 sheet is 8.5 by 11 inches with 7.1 mm line spacing, and the wide-ruled 5 Subject sheet is 8 by 10.5 inches with 8.7 mm line spacing](https://stationerytimes.com/images/five-star-5-subject-notebook-sheet-sizes.svg) *College-ruled and wide-ruled Five Star 5 Subject sheets at the same scale. Line spacing is to scale; the position of the first line is illustrative.* ## Is it 8.5 × 11 in or 11 × 8.5 in? **They are the same size.** Retailers say the 72081's sheets measure 8.5 × 11 in when torn out; some listings, including Amazon.ca and Walmart, write it height-first as "11 × 8-1/2 in". Either way it's US letter size, so torn-out pages fit standard binders and folders. The size that differs is the **wide-ruled** 5 Subject version: its sheets are **8 × 10.5 in** (20.3 × 26.7 cm), half an inch narrower and shorter. If you need pages that line up with printer paper, such as [standard copy paper](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/amazon-basics-copy-paper/), pick the college-ruled 8.5 × 11 in version. ## How many pages and pockets does it have? **200 sheets (400 pages) and 8 pockets.** Both sides of each sheet are ruled, which is why Amazon lists 400 pages. The four dividers each have two pockets, per Amazon and Walmart; Five Star says the pockets are reinforced and sized for 8.5 × 11 in papers. Five Star doesn't say how many sheets go in each subject, so we haven't listed a per-subject count. ## College ruled or wide ruled: which should you choose? **Choose college ruled for more lines per page and letter-size sheets; choose wide ruled for larger handwriting.** | | College ruled (72081) | Wide ruled 5 Subject | |---|---|---| | Line spacing | 9/32 in (7.1 mm) | 11/32 in (8.7 mm) | | Sheet size, torn out | 8.5 × 11 in (21.6 × 27.9 cm) | 8 × 10.5 in (20.3 × 26.7 cm) | | Sheets | 200 | 200 | | Example model | 72081 (black) | 72045 (black) | Both rulings put the left margin about 1.25 in (32 mm) from the edge. ## Does Five Star paper bleed through? **Five Star says the paper "fights ink bleed", but it doesn't publish a paper weight, so we can't compare it by the numbers.** We haven't tested it. Wetter pens such as gel pens are the usual test: see our guides to the [Pilot G2](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pilot-g2/), [Sharpie S-Gel](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/sharpie-s-gel/) and [Pentel EnerGel](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pentel-energel/) for their tip sizes. ## How does a Five Star notebook compare to a regular spiral notebook? **The differences Five Star itself claims are the pocket dividers, a plastic water-resistant cover, snag-resistant Spiral Lock wire and bleed-resistant paper.** For a sewn, hard-cover alternative with no tear-out sheets, see the [Mead composition notebook](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/mead-composition-notebook/); for something pocket-sized, see [mini composition books](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/mini-composition-books/). ## Who makes Five Star, and where is it made? **ACCO Brands makes Five Star, and retailer spec sheets list the 72081 as made in the USA.** Five Star was a Mead brand under MeadWestvaco. On May 1, 2012, ACCO Brands merged with MeadWestvaco's consumer and office products business, which brought Five Star, Mead, Trapper Keeper and AT-A-GLANCE to ACCO. AB1Supply lists the 72081's country of origin as the US, as did Amazon.ca and On Time Supplies when we checked them earlier. Five Star's own page doesn't state a country, and other Five Star products can be made elsewhere, so check the label on the exact notebook you buy. ## Frequently asked questions ### What size is the Five Star 5 Subject notebook? The college-ruled Five Star 5 Subject notebook (72081) has sheets that measure 8.5 × 11 in (21.6 × 27.9 cm) when torn out. Amazon lists it as 11 × 8-1/2 in, which is the same size written height-first. The wide-ruled 5 Subject version has smaller 8 × 10.5 in sheets. ### How many pages are in a Five Star 5 Subject notebook? It has 200 sheets, which is 400 pages because both sides of each sheet are ruled. Amazon lists the 72081 as 400 pages. ### How many pockets does the Five Star 5 Subject notebook have? Eight. Five Star's spec table lists 8 pockets, which Amazon and Walmart describe as four two-pocket dividers; Five Star says the pockets are tough and hold 8.5 × 11 in loose sheets. ### Are Five Star 5 Subject notebook pages perforated? Yes. Five Star says the sheets are perforated for clean tear-out, and retailers state the sheets measure 8.5 × 11 in once torn out, so they match standard letter paper. ### Where are Five Star 5 Subject notebooks made? Retailer spec sheets for the 72081, including AB1Supply and Amazon.ca, list the country of origin as the USA. Five Star's own product page doesn't state it, and origin can differ between Five Star products, so check the label on the one you buy. ### What is the difference between college ruled and wide ruled? College ruled lines are 9/32 in (7.1 mm) apart and wide ruled lines are 11/32 in (8.7 mm) apart, so college ruled fits more lines per page. In the Five Star 5 Subject line, the wide-ruled version also has a smaller 8 × 10.5 in sheet. ### What paper weight is the Five Star 5 Subject notebook? Five Star doesn't publish a paper weight for the 72081 in the sources we found. It does say the paper fights ink bleed and is SFI-certified. ### Who makes Five Star notebooks? ACCO Brands. Five Star was a Mead brand under MeadWestvaco, and it moved to ACCO Brands when ACCO merged with MeadWestvaco's consumer and office products business on May 1, 2012. ## Sources - [Five Star: Spiral Notebook Plus Study App, 5 Subject, College Ruled, 8 1/2 × 11 in, Black (72081; 200 sheets, 8 pockets, US$6.98, five colors)](https://www.fivestarbuiltstrong.com/p/notebooks/spiral-notebooks/spiral-notebook-5-subject-college-ruled-black-72081/) - [Amazon.com: Five Star Spiral Notebook + Study App, 5 Subject, College Ruled, 200 Sheets, Black (72081)](https://www.amazon.com/Five-Star-Notebook-Subject-72081/dp/B003O2RXUQ) - [Amazon.ca: Five Star Spiral Notebook, 5 Subject, College Ruled, 11 x 8-1/2 in, 200 Sheets (72081) (country of origin)](https://www.amazon.ca/Five-Star-Wirebound-College-Ruled-72081/dp/B003O2RXUQ) - [Walmart: Five Star Spiral Notebook + Study App, 5 Subject, College Ruled, 11 x 8-1/2 in (72081)](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Five-Star-Spiral-Notebook-Study-App-5-Subject-College-Ruled-Paper-11-X-8-1-2-200-Sheets-Black-1-Count-72081/1305605028) - [Staples: Five Star 5-Subject Notebook, 8.5 x 11 in, College Ruled, 200 Sheets, Black (72081)](https://www.staples.com/five-star-5-subject-notebook-8-5-x-11-college-ruled-200-sheets-black-72081/product_958110) - [AB1Supply: Five Star 72081 Wirebound Notebook (country of origin US)](https://ab1supply.com/products/five-star-72081-wirebound-notebook-5-subject-medium-college-rule-black-cover-200-11-x-8-5-sheets-mea72081) - [On Time Supplies: Five Star notebook MEA72081, 3 holes, letter size (Made in USA)](https://www.ontimesupplies.com/mea72081-notebook-5-subjects-200-sheets-wire-bound-college-ruled-3-holes-letter-8-12-x-11-black-cover.html) - [OfficeCrave: Acco Five Star Notebook (72081)](https://www.officecrave.com/acco-five-star-notebook-72081.html) - [On Time Supplies: Five Star 5 Subject wide-ruled notebook, 8 x 10-1/2 in (72045)](https://www.ontimesupplies.com/mea72045-wirebound-black-5-subject-notebook-200-sheets-wire-bound-wide-ruled-3-holes-8-x-10-1-2-black-cover-plastic-cover.html) - [H-E-B: Five Star 5 Subject Wide Ruled Notebook, Black](https://www.heb.com/product-detail/five-star-5-subject-wide-ruled-notebook-black/15919042) - [Wikipedia: Ruled paper (college and wide ruling dimensions)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruled_paper) - [ACCO Brands investor relations: 2005 spin-off and 2012 Mead merger](https://ir.accobrands.com/resources/2005-spin-off-2012-mead-merger/default.aspx) - [ASINsight: Best-selling large spiral notebooks on Amazon, August 2026 (72081 at about 20,000 a month)](https://www.asinsight.com/report/US/large-spiral-notebook)