Hey Pod World!
Journaling and planning are two of our favorite rituals — usually with matcha for me, and coffee for Robbie.
I’ve been using leather journals for the past three years, and along the way, I’ve found a few that I keep coming back to. So if you’re currently on the lookout for a leather folio, here are some that I truly love — and would recommend.
— Ryna
Co-founder, Podhaus
Growth Journal
Back in 2023, I bought my first leather folio — from Paper Republic. I now have two from the brand that I treasure dearly.
The first is my A5 Grand Voyager, which carries two inserts. One is what I call my feelings notebook — it holds my thoughts, reflections, and everything in between. If anyone ever reads it, they’re basically stripping me bare… and I may be doomed.
The second insert is my junk journal. I’m not one to paste everything in, but I do love keeping small pieces of moments — letters, notes, flight tickets, even leaves I picked up during a trip to Seoul in autumn.
There’s something about having those memories in one place that feels so special to look back on.
The second piece I have is the A6 Pocket Leather Folio. Inside, I keep a single notebook where I map out my weekly and monthly intentions.
It’s something I return to every week — a small ritual to make sure I’m still aligned with what I’m working towards.
Productivity Journal
For work, I use an A4 leather journal from Sting & Snout. I discovered Zita’s work through TikTok, and I have to say — within the local market, she creates some of the most high-quality, thoughtfully crafted leather journals I’ve come across.
They’re honestly comparable to my original favorites from Paper Republic.
Photo credit: @stingandsnoutbindery
What I love most is the level of customization. Sting & Snout allows you to emboss your initials, or even stipple an image or letter directly onto the leather. You can also choose your own charms — similar to Louise Carmen — or add a leather sleeve (which I personally love) to make your folio even more functional.
It really becomes something uniquely yours. Here are a few photos from when I was working with Zita to create mine:
To top it off, her leather folios come with notebooks that are hand-bound using Tomoe River paper.
Your mind isn’t meant to store every thought — it’s meant to create new ones.
Planner
This year was the year I joined the Hobonichi Weeks cult, and I honestly didn’t realize how deep the rabbit hole was until I was deep in it already.
The layout is simple and intuitive, which makes it easy to plan your days — but what I love most is how flexible it is. There are so many ways to make it your own.
Beyond daily planning, my favorite part is using the existing layout to rate my day and write just one line.
It’s such a small habit, but it helps me pause, reflect, and stay connected to how my days actually feel — not just how productive they were.
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