About Us
When creating our Paperblanks line, we were inspired by the many great artists and craftspeople who have shared their creativity with the world. It is our mission to bring that sense of wonder and expression to the personal and simple objects of your everyday life.
Our Values
Encouraging Emotion
Express your truest self through words, drawings or simply the cover that you choose.
Celebrating Creativity
We create “blank canvas” products that provide not only an artistic medium, but the inspiration to create.
Honouring Heritage
Each design’s history connects your personal experience to a wider artistic or cultural tradition.
Caring for Our World
Through the Hartley & Marks Social Responsibility program, we contribute to a diverse range of local and international charitable organizations.
What Drives Us?
“The joy for me is in making beautiful books that people use as a creative tool in their personal lives.”
- Victor L. Marks,Founder & CEO
What Inspires Our Designs?
“The ‘wow factor’ is experiencing the space beyond mind…
Taking people there is what we call success.”
Artistic Director & Vice President
Where We Began
We created Paperblanks to help keep book heritage alive and vital in our modern age, and to offer an inspiring space for people to express themselves.
For over twenty-five years we have been celebrating art that inspires and enthralls, combining innovative bookmaking, timeless designs and careful handiwork to create the finest stationery products available.
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1992 - We launch our first Paperblanks collection from Vancouver, our Canadian hometown
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1995 - We introduce Literary Manuscripts, an early precursor to our Embellished Manuscripts and Old Leather Collections
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2002 - Paperblanks lands in Europe as we launch in Germany, France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom
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2002 - We add magnetic wrap closures as a feature
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2004 - We open our European headquarters in Dublin
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2005 - We expand beyond journals, offering planners and address books for the first time
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2010 - Our first metal clasp closure is introduced on Leonardo’s Sketches covers
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2011 - We first use ornamental book edge printing
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2014 - The Bridge & Enrich Lives Society opens to our Vancouver community
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2015 - We introduce the Alistair Bell Collection, the first series honouring our Canadian roots
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2015 - Paperblanks eXchange tablet cases, featuring some of our bestselling cover designs, launches in select markets
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2017 - We celebrate Paperblanks' 25th birthday with a special Anniversary Edition journal
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2018 - We introduce pencil cases to our collection
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2018 - We launch our line of dot-grid planners for the bullet journalling community
What We Do
We are guided by our love and appreciation for bookbinding traditions in creating every Paperblanks product. The results are eminently beautiful yet highly functional objects that speak to the romantic in all of us.
Where We’re Going
We’ve recently expanded our product line to offer items like pencil cases and dot-grid planners, first steps in growing our selection to offer you more. We’re so inspired by expressive and creative ways journallers and artists like you use blank canvases to share your unique style and uncover personal truths.
In the coming years we will continue to grow our selection of products to make it easier for you to get all the creative tools you need, with the standards of quality and design that you can expect from a Paperblanks product.