10 Years of Dingbats*: From One Room to a Global Community

In 2016, Dingbats* began with a small vision and a single core collection.

There was no warehouse. No international team. No global marketplace presence.

Just stacks of premium notebooks stored in Mo’s, the co-founder, room in the UK, aiming to retain customers in the UK and worldwide.

Ten years later, our notebooks have been used on every continent (including researchers in Antarctica).

This is the story of how we got here.

Where It Started: A Commitment to Better Notebooks

From the beginning, Dingbats* was built on a simple principle:

Create premium notebooks without compromising the planet.

In 2016, sustainability in stationery was not the industry norm. Non-toxic and fully degradable materials, FSC-certified paper, and 100% vegan notebooks, pens, and backpacks were not marketing trends, they were (and still are) conscious decisions.

Our first collection, the Wildlife Collection, combined bold debossed animal designs with responsibly sourced materials. It wasn’t just about aesthetics. It was about building eco-friendly notebooks that supported something larger than ourselves.

That philosophy still defines us today.

Growing Beyond One Collection

What began as one core collection has evolved into three major notebook lines, alongside pens and backpacks, totaling over 100 product variants across sizes and rulings.

The Wildlife Collection remains iconic, known for its distinctive animal covers and lay-flat binding, ideal for journaling, sketching, and everyday writing. Did you know that each design celebrates one of the planet’s most incredible species and each was inspired by an immense appreciation for the majestic animals we’re lucky to share this planet with?

The Earth Collection was introduced out of a deep reverence because it’s our belief that with a more conscious approach to how we produce the things we need, we can also start to respect and nurture the places we love. This collection is perfect for creating structured notes, planning, bullet journaling, and professional use.

The Pro Collection is in line with our profound passion for nature, this collection comes with a choice of three debossed motifs, the Dingbat* Beetle, the Dingbat* Bee, and the Dingbat* Cactus. The 160gsm MM paper found in this collection has all the great features of our Dingbats* FP Paper (that is in both the Wildlife and Earth Collections) but goes further to satisfy the most demanding artists and calligraphers, suitable for heavier inks, markers, watercolor and other mixed media techniques.

Across all collections, the foundation remains the same: vegan notebooks made with FSC-certified paper, built for durability, and designed with intention.

From Family Business to International Team

Dingbats* started as a small family business. Today, it is supported by an international team of more than 15 people working across multiple countries.

Over the past decade:

• We have served millions of customers worldwide.
  
• We have delivered to over 70 countries through our international stores and marketplaces.
  
• Our notebooks have been used on every continent (including researchers in Antarctica using them.

That expansion began with Mo’s decision to introduce Dingbats* to Amazon — transforming a small operation into a global presence.

Growth didn’t happen overnight. It happened steadily, intentionally, and without compromising our values.

Sustainability Is Not a Feature. It’s Our Foundation.

As a sustainable notebook brand, our environmental responsibility has never been optional. 

• All paper used in Dingbats* notebooks is FSC-certified.
  
• Trees used in production are replaced or allowed to regenerate naturally.
  
• Water used during the paper-making process is returned to rivers cleaner than before.
• We use vegan materials instead of leather.
• We avoid plastic wherever possible.
• We continuously improve packaging and production to reduce environmental impact.

Our eco-politics — our belief that business and environmental responsibility are inseparable — guide every production decision.

We love the environment too much to cause it harm. Read more here!

Partnerships That Protect Wildlife

In the UK, we donate 40p from every notebook sold to WWF-UK, contributing significantly to wildlife conservation over the years.

Beyond WWF-UK, we have:

• Supported Global Conservation Corps (GCC) with annual notebook donations, empowering young conservationists through education and field experiences.
• Launched limited-edition collaborations supporting SOS and their conservation efforts for the critically endangered Tapanuli orangutans, donating 10% of proceeds.
• Supported on-ground research such as Ben Porter’s seabird ecology studies in the Faroe Islands.
• We partnered with Sea Shepherd on the Operation Milagro campaign to protect the critically endangered Vaquita. 
• We also collaborated with the Mammal Society to protect British mammals, focusing on the conservation of native shrews. 

These partnerships reflect our belief that a sustainable stationery brand must actively support the ecosystems that inspire it.

More Than Pages

For ten years, Dingbats* notebooks have held:

• Business plans.
  
• Short and long term dreams.
  
• Habit trackers.
• Creative sketches.
• Letters never sent.
• Ideas that changed lives.

In a digital world of fleeting notes and constant notifications, writing things down still matters.

A premium notebook does not distract. It does not disappear. It does not update itself overnight.

It stays.

And for a decade, we’ve protected that simplicity.

Did you know?

We’ve filled enough pages to stretch from London to New York?

10 Years Later — And Just Getting Started

What began in a small room in 2016 has grown into a global community of writers, thinkers, and creators who care about sustainability as much as quality.

We are proud of what we have built:

• A trusted vegan notebook brand.
  
• A sustainable stationery company committed to responsible production.
  
• A community that values craftsmanship, conservation, and clarity.

But ten years is not the finish line.

It is the beginning of the next chapter.

And if you have ever written in a Dingbats* notebook, you are part of this story.

Thank you for growing with us.

Here’s to the next decade.