Some time ago, I reviewed what I consider to be the absolute best little black notebook I’ve come across: Mazzuoli’s Stifflexible journal. The Moleskine-esque cover has two creases that allow it to be folded back, giving the notebook all the benefits of a soft cover while retaining the attributes of a hard cover.
This notebook is hands down superior to the Moleskine, from size and design to quality (actually Made in Italy – Moleskine, I’m looking in your direction), and I’m quite upset at the fact that the three I own are probably the last in existence (short of going to Italy and combing stationery stores for any surplus left over from 1997). I wrote my review about the Stifflexible to put the word out to those searching for a better Moleskine that an alternative most definitely exists…or, did exist. But I figured the Stifflexible was gone for good.
Much to my surprise, word got back to the Mazzuoli company, and I received this comment to my post:
“I am happy that you appreciate our products. Let’s play a game. We produce the Stifflexible notebooks and for us to make them with the black cover is easy as snapping our fingers. Our product is entirely made in Italy and not in China like our BIG competitor. Who will help us find a distributor for the US market? Please note that our Stifflexible notebook/agenda book is the best selling agenda book at the MoMA Store in New York City (10,000 units a year). Who will help us find a distributor?”
I received a similar e-mail from the company directly, confirming its legitimacy. Before posting this, I wrote a few friends for advice but have ultimately have hit a brick wall. So how about it? Anyone have advice for getting this amazing notebook onto US shelves? I’m sure a finder’s fee would be agreeable to whoever could help out. IF YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS, drop me an email at blackcoverblog@gmail.com. Let’s bring this notebook back from the dead.
And if you’d like to take a moment to write a short e-mail to Mazzuoli expressing your interest in the Stifflexible, drop them a line at info@mazzuoli.it.
Black Cover “Stifflexible” Review: LINK
Company website: LINK
Where to buy: Currently unavailable…but you could change that!
16 responses so far ↓
1 Steve // Jul 9, 2007 at 2:44 pm
It would indeed be great to bring this notebook to our shores, as well as their agendas and “old fashioned noatebooks,” which are like high quality composition books. Good luck and keep fighting the good fight.
2 Andy Welfle // Jul 9, 2007 at 9:33 pm
I am a pencil reviewer over at Pencil Things (www.pencilthings.com). Don Bell, the proprietor, is interested in talking with the Mazzuoli about US distribution… Would someone email me at andy@welfle.com to discuss this? I’ll make sure you get in contact with Don.
Thanks, I love your blog! Keep up the noble cause!
3 Mlle_bleue // Jul 10, 2007 at 6:53 am
YÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ!
4 Chris Meisenzahl // Jul 10, 2007 at 7:52 am
Great news, I hope this goes somewhere!!!
5 Jon Clarke // Jul 10, 2007 at 8:56 am
Vanness in Little Rock, Arkansas already handles their products, presumably their pens. I’ll stop by there and see if they are willing to stock the Stifflexible; they don’t usually do notebooks and the like, but you never know. – Pj
6 Iris // Jul 10, 2007 at 1:26 pm
I cannot find this item on the MOMA website. Is it out of stock? Is it there and I’m missing it? Can they distribute through their website, and the museum will also profit from it?
7 Mick Julien // Jul 10, 2007 at 4:28 pm
I noticed that the Ink Flow:
http://www.theinkflow.com/off_cat.htm
carries a large selection of G. Mazzuoli Pens and a small amount of stationery. Maybe they could carry the notebooks?
8 Brian // Jul 11, 2007 at 9:58 am
I wouldn’t mind trying the Stifflexible, since I am also on the quest for the perfect back pocket notebook, but I fear that the spine will still suffer from bending. The best solution I have found is a Moleksine Reporter notebook, always inserted into the back pocket with the spine facing up. I’ve been carrying my current one since March third, four months, and the spine is rock solid. It’s the sideways bend against the spine that causes traditional left-side case binding to break.
Do you think they would make a reporter-style Stifflexible?
Xonex sells the Ru Journal… I wonder if they would be interested in distributing the Stifflexible? Barnes and Noble has a new set of branded weekly planners that are obviously Ru’s, so maybe B&N, Borders, or Books-a-Million would look at a branded version of Stifflexible to put on their shelves.
9 jgodsey // Jul 16, 2007 at 9:55 am
you have GOT to talk to the folks at Bob Slate Stationers in Cambridge – they carry a really scary number of notebooks in their stores. They would be the perfect place for this.
10 Phoebe Wu // Jul 20, 2007 at 1:13 am
I actually just won one of these off of Ebay…it should be in the mail. I’ll see how if it lives up do your praises!
If anyone’s interested, I believe the seller I bought mine from has a red stifflexible available still. It’s the same as the black one, but, well, red.
11 Phoebe // Jul 27, 2007 at 5:28 pm
I just got the one I won off of Ebay. You’re right, it’s about an inch larger than the pocket sized Moleskine, but I have to agree, the bendable cover is fantastic. I can’t imagine how perfect a smaller size would be!
12 seth // Oct 18, 2007 at 8:42 pm
I tried the moma store in soho and could not find it. Bummer.
13 amateriat // Oct 22, 2007 at 2:04 am
So…any word on availability of this? Put me down for a small handful if they are.
- Barrett
14 Velma // Oct 29, 2007 at 11:52 am
I swear I saw one (in red) at Art Brown in Manhattan on Friday. I was distracted by the Pen Fair, but I’ll go back and check. Perhaps they’d consider stocking them.
15 Homo Œconomicus // Dec 22, 2007 at 1:29 pm
You could start by contacting all the Xonex reps listed on the Xonex website.
16 Happy Holidays from the new Stifflexible! // Oct 13, 2008 at 12:01 am
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