The Smell of a Fresh Exercise Book

Some memories stick with you. I'll never forget the day my primary school teacher picked up a brand new exercise book, flipped it open, and with no warning, shoved his face into the crisp white pages. He took a deep, exaggerated breath and said "Ahh, there's nothing like the smell of a fresh exercise book".

Or at least that's how I remember it... I was only 10 years old so my memory's a little hazy. The whole class laughed, but that memory stayed with me long after leaving school.

Fast forward about 10 years and I’m at university, sitting in a small bookbinding workshop holding the first ever book I'd made myself. I spent most of my time making books after that. I loved it. And I got pretty good at it too, eventually selling at fairs and taking commissions. But after university, I took the safe path. I took a job as a graphic designer, paid the bills and left the books behind. Since then, I’ve tried tons of creative hobbies, but nothing ever felt quite right.

Another 10 years on and I’m finally back at it. I’m binding books again, but this time I’m building a brand alongside it. That brand is called PREST.

It’s so easy to feel distracted nowadays, with screens and devices everywhere. I wanted to build something that gives people a reason to slow down. To put something physical in your hands that actually helps you to start making something real instead of just scrolling endlessly.

PREST notebooks are a chance to pause, to think, to write, and to make. Inspired by the school exercise books I loved as a kid, they’re useful, simple and reliable. But it’s not about the notebooks themselves. It’s about helping you to make your own projects happen, find focus and carve out small moments that are just for you.

This is PREST, and this is just the beginning. Thanks for being part of it.