Life Co. Writing Paper Review

I couldn't decide which post to publish today, so I asked Instagram, and the collective commenters chose a paper review. I ordered a Life Co. Writing Paper Pad from JetPens this week, and as soon as I got it I knew I had to talk about it soon.

I got the white A5 ruled version, but it also comes in an A5 cream version as well as a B5 white version. The paper measures 8.3 x 5.8 inches, is a bright white color, and has a 10mm line spacing. The paper is about 85 gsm and has a flourished border. It feels sturdy and has a nice subtle texture to it. If you have read any of my previous paper reviews you probably know that I hate cream paper, so this paper is looking great so far. The line spacing is a bit tall for me since I've become used to 5mm grids, but that's ok.

I am not normally a fan of branding on the paper itself, but the life logo at the bottom of the page is so tiny that I don't mind it being there. This paper currently costs $6.25 for a pad of 30 sheets, which is about 21 cents per sheet.

Usually the first pen I test on new paper is my Waterman 52 1/2. It's the wettest, broadest pen I own, and it's one I use everyday, so any paper I keep needs to be able to handle its wet ink flow. I was really impressed with how this paper behaved. It handled the heavy ink like a champ, with no feathering and no bleed through. It even showed some of the inks' shading.

It's hard to catch at this angle, but the paper does show some of the inks' sheen. I'm really impressed with how well this paper handles fountain pen ink.

Since this paper does not come with envelopes, I wanted to check what size envelopes work best. I usually make my own, so here are the three envelop sizes I use most: 4.5 x 5.5 (A-2), 4.5 x 6, and 4.5 x 6.5 (A-6). The 4.5 x 6 fits best, but can be a hard size to find, so if you are buying pre-made envelopes, give the A-6 size a try (here's a link to some of my favorites). 

Overall, I really love this paper. It handles ink so well, is a great color and texture, and even shows some shading and sheen. I plan on buying a bunch of these pads since I write letters often and go through a lot of stationery. Give it a try, you might love it!

Disclaimer: I purchased this product myself, and all photos and opinions are my own. There are no affiliate links on this page.