paper republic: Pages made with purpose

Founded in Vienna in 2013, paper republic was expat Jérôme Bacquias’ leap into the unknown—and it paid off. What started as a local studio devoted to quality and craftsmanship is now a globally recognised stationery brand, whose bespoke leather notebooks are carried and cherished by loyal customers around the world.

A product built on purpose

Behind paper republic’s continued success lies a seemingly simple philosophy: go back to the basics, and do them really well. In a market crowded with disposable design, they built their identity around intentionality—stripping away what isn’t useful and focusing on products that stand up to long-term companionship. Much of that intention comes from the team’s own routines, with most new products beginning as something someone on the team genuinely needs, something they’ve been missing long before it becomes part of the range. It’s the same instinct that led founder Jérôme to create the first notebook—make the thing you wish existed.

That intention shows in the way their notebooks are designed to evolve rather than be replaced. A leather cover ages with its owner, inserts can be switched, reordered or rebuilt as routines change. Even digital elements, like the recently launched 3D builder, exist to make the analog experience more personal. In a world of fast consumption, it’s a deliberate choice to create less and to make it count.

Claire Gautier, Head of Marketing at paper republic, explains: “Making our purpose understood is key. It’s not about getting people to buy a new journal every month—that would mean we’ve failed. It’s about helping people understand that this is a product designed to grow with them. You can change its purpose; if you finish one insert, you take it out and add another. It evolves with you.”

Excellence, by design

Quality, for paper republic, begins long before a notebook reaches someone’s hands. It starts with choosing materials and partners they know personally: a family-run tannery in Tuscany, European paper mills they’ve trusted for years, suppliers they visit and work with closely. 

Keeping production near is a practical matter—it allows them to oversee every step, reduce unnecessary transport, and maintain the kind of relationships that make consistency possible. Most of the work happens in-house in Vienna, where the team can test and refine without sending anything halfway across the world.

“We have a couple of non-negotiables, and one of them is the quality that we offer. It’s a very strategic decision not to outsource or produce farther away. We always need to ensure high-quality output, and for us, the only way to provide this is by maintaining as much control over things as possible,” underlines Claire.

That proximity shapes their entire process. Leather arrives and is inspected by hand before it’s ever cut; each piece then moves through the workshop, passing through multiple teams who check, assemble and finish it with exacting attention. Nothing leaves the workshop unless it feels right, and that discipline naturally keeps waste low and longevity high.

Vienna in the details

Vienna shapes paper republic in ways that go beyond geography. There’s inspiration to be found in the city, a respect for slowness, and a deep-rooted culture of craft—all qualities that align closely with how the company works and what it values. At the same time, Vienna is remarkably international, and paper republic reflects that in its team, with more than twenty-five nationalities working together across different parts of the company. 

Just as importantly, Vienna has supported paper republic’s growth in practical ways. As the company scaled, the City of Vienna helped with funding for machinery—investments that made it possible to upgrade production and improve efficiency without compromising standards. “I think it’s really nice to see that the city wants to have people producing here in Vienna, you can actually feel that support,” says Claire.

Today, the company ships worldwide from its Viennese base, while also partnering with select retailers internationally, from Paris to Tokyo. And, as of October 2025, that momentum also has a physical home: paper republic’s new store in Vienna’s first district, la maison. In a time when most brands default to e-commerce, Bacquias and his team doubled down on presence. The result? A place meant as a living extension of the brand, where people can slow down, touch the materials, and connect. 

Community at the core

For all their design precision and production rigor, what sets paper republic apart is the community that has grown around it. Customers don’t simply buy notebooks, they document journeys, share setups, compare covers, and occasionally—as in the case of one customer from Puerto Rico—fly across continents just to visit the store for a single day.

Much of the brand’s presence lives online, where people contribute by showing pages filled over months and passing on routines and ideas to others. The effect is that of a shared culture, built around everyday creativity and tools that fuel it. The company has invested in keeping that relationship real as it scales by prioritising dialogue—the team answers comments, responds to messages, and spotlights customer stories on their own channels. 

“We’ve had customers who have been with us for a very long time, and we know many of them by name. Obviously, with around 270,000 people following us on Instagram now, we can’t know everyone, but I really think it’s about taking the time to genuinely engage,” says Claire.

Looking ahead, paper republic plans to continue building on what already works. By creating more real-life moments around the brand, such as workshops, events, gatherings, the community becomes something you don’t just follow online but can feel in the room. 

“It’s what makes it so special: this genuine connection, this sense of belonging we’ve managed to create. I think that’s something we’re most proud of.”