Field Notes

What Field Notes does

Field Notes is a Chicago-based, privately held stationery brand founded in 2007 as a collaboration between Coudal Partners and designer Aaron Draplin. The company designs, sources, and distributes pocket-sized memo books, notebooks, planners, writing instruments, and complementary accessories, with a portfolio that spans core SKUs (Original Kraft, Pitch Black, Expedition), 70+ quarterly limited editions released since Winter 2008, and themed collaborations with authors, artists, musicians, museums, and government entities (Robert Macfarlane, Stanley Donwood, Wilco, Bon Iver, USPS, L.L. Bean, the National Park Service). Production relies on traditional American printing partners using offset and letterpress techniques on Heidelberg and Komori presses, with soy-based Toyo inks on premium stocks from French Paper Co., Sappi McCoy, Mohawk, and Neenah; the proprietary Futura typeface identity is licensed through Monotype.

The business operates a product-led, multi-channel go-to-market: a year-long $120 quarterly subscription (with international shipping for $45), direct-to-consumer e-commerce at fieldnotesbrand.com, a retail storefront at the Chicago HQ (401 North Racine Avenue), wholesale distribution to stationery/gift/museum/outdoor retailers, and a custom/private-label service for bands, corporate clients, and educational institutions. Pricing spans from $4.95 (single memo book) to $179.95 (Desk Kit), with most quarterly 3-Packs at $12.95–$18.95. Edition sizes range from 500 to 60,000 packs, supporting a recurring collectible flywheel and ongoing subscriber engagement.

Operationally, Field Notes is a lean, bootstrapped business operating under the Coudal Partners umbrella with 1–10 employees and no external venture or private equity funding. Revenue is diversified across thousands of individual subscribers and a long tail of wholesale and custom accounts, with charitable commitments including 5% of National Parks Series proceeds to the National Park Service and ongoing support of the Greater Chicago Food Depository and the American Library Association's Unite Against Book Bans program. The brand explicitly markets itself as '100% A.I.-free,' leaning into analog craftsmanship, American manufacturing, and a strong collector community ('Field Nuts') as its core differentiators.

Name

Field Notes

Legal name

Field Notes Brand

Website

https://fieldnotesbrand.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Field Notes is a Chicago-based stationery brand designing and distributing pocket-sized memo books, notebooks, planners, and accessories — anchored by a quarterly limited-edition subscription ($120/year), DTC e-commerce, wholesale, and custom collaborations for brands and musicians.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Memo Books and Pocket Stationery

NAICS

Stationery Product Manufacturing (32223), Book Publishers (51313), Periodical Publishers (51312), Books Printing (323117), Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instrument, Book, and Miscellaneous Retailers (459)

SIC

Blankbooks, Looseleaf Binders & Bookbindg & Relatd Work (2780), Pens, Pencils & Other Artists' Materials (3950), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741), Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

Stationery & Office Paper Products (notebooks, pads, forms) (IMAMAHAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Calendars, Planners & Organization Supplies Retail (CRALABAJ), Humor, Gift & Specialty Format Books (Journals, Coloring, etc.) (MPAJAAAN)

Keywords

• Pocket memo books
• Limited edition notebooks
• Quarterly stationery editions
• Analog writing tools
• Letterpress pocket journals

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Quarterly Limited Edition Subscriptions: Year-long subscriptions delivering four quarterly limited editions per year. Subscribers receive early access, 10% discount on extra items, subscriber-only bonus items, and custom-designed shipping boxes. Priced at $120/year in the U.S. with $45 international shipping.
2. Direct E-commerce Product Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales through fieldnotesbrand.com. Products include memo books, planners, pens, pencils, leather covers, press sheets, gift cards, kits, apparel, and accessories. Products range from $4.95 (single items) to $179.95 (desk kits).
3. Wholesale Distribution: Wholesale channel for retailers. Field Notes products sold through third-party stationery stores, gift shops, museum stores, and outdoor retailers.
4. Custom/Private Label Products: Custom memo books and notebooks created for band tours, corporate branding, wedding parties, educational institutions, and other clients. Includes customization services for bulk orders.
5. Art Prints and Press Sheets: Sale of uncut press sheets and art prints from limited edition runs. Press sheets sold at $50-$125 each. Flora Art Print Sets at $99.95 (subscribers $69.95).
6. Field Notes Brand Books: Reprints and special publications including The Maltese Falcon, A Drive into the Gap, and The Founding Documents (Constitution and Declaration of Independence).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Field Notes designs, prints, and sells American-made pocket-sized memo books, notebooks, journals, planners, and related stationery accessories. The portfolio centers on a flagship line of memo books (Original Kraft, Pitch Black, National Parks) plus a recurring program of quarterly limited editions produced in numbered quantities with distinct papers, printing techniques, and artistic collaborations. A year-long subscription ($120) delivers four quarterly editions with subscriber-only bonuses.

Product overview

Field Notes is a Chicago-based stationery company offering a portfolio of memo books, notebooks, journals, planners, and related accessories. The core product line includes Original Kraft memo books and the Pitch Black series, while the Limited Quarterly Editions (70+ releases since 2008) form the premium collectible tier. The brand also produces Field Notes Brand Books (reissues of classic literature), accessories (leather covers, bags, pencil cases), writing instruments (Space Pens, pencils), and decorative prints and press sheets. Products are sold individually, in multi-packs (2-Pack, 3-Pack, 5-Pack, 6-Pack), and as curated kits (Starter Kit, Desk Kit). The company operates on a subscription model for quarterly editions with subscriber benefits including discounts and exclusive bonus items.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Original Kraft Memo Books

Quantifiable outcome

• Students who take handwritten notes are 58% more likely to get A's than laptop typists (across 24 studies)

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Solemn Oath BreweryminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 June 2024Chicago brewery collaboration producing 'A Charming Beer,' a 'Lawn Chair Ale' specifically made for Chicago. Featured at HQ events and pop-up dinners.
• National Park ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Five percent of retail and wholesale purchases from the National Parks Series is donated to the National Park Service to help preserve and expand on 'America's Best Idea.' Multiple series editions (A through E) featuring 18 national parks.
• Courtney BarnettminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2024Custom Field Notes bundles released in conjunction with Courtney Barnett's 'Creature of Habit' deluxe album.
• East Fork PotteryminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 November 2022Collaboration creating the 'Dreamers' Bundle' and 'Dream Journals' with Asheville, North Carolina pottery studio. Combined Field Notes notebooks with East Fork ceramics for curated gift sets.
• Sony Interactive Entertainment / God of WarminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 November 2022Collaboration providing insight into development of the God of War: Ragnarök video game. Field Notes documented the creative process and project management approach.
• AllTrailsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 12 October 2021Collaboration with AllTrails featuring contest opportunities for fans to win Field Notes 3-Packs plus AllTrails Pro subscriptions. Joint marketing between the outdoor navigation app and Field Notes' outdoor-themed products.
• BellroyminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 30 March 2021Partnership with travel-focused accessories brand Bellroy on the 'Big Travel Prize' contest. Both brands share emphasis on travel and quality goods.
• Robert MacfarlanecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 November 2019Collaboration with author Robert Macfarlane, whose book 'Underland: A Deep Time Journey' features Field Notes as his preferred notebooks. Macfarlane documented his underground expeditions using Field Notes. The partnership produced the Underland Edition (FNxRM-01) featuring Stanley Donwood's artwork. A second collaboration followed for Macfarlane's 'Is a River Alive?' book. Macfarlane has written about why notebooks are superior to phones for field research.
• Stanley DonwoodcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 November 2019Artist Stanley Donwood, known for Radiohead album art since 1994, collaborated on the Underland Edition. His painting 'Nether' appears on the Underland book cover and Field Notes memo books. Donwood and Macfarlane also published 'Ness' together. The collaboration extended to 'Is a River Alive?' editions.
• WilcominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 30 July 2019Custom Field Notes memo book packs created for Wilco, sold at concerts and through band merchandise. Jim Coudal describes himself as a Wilco fan since 1996 and values the band's 'spirit of creativity, exploration, and independence.'
• Bon IverminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 30 July 2019Custom Field Notes merchandise packs for Bon Iver tours and fan merchandise.
• Maggie RogersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 30 July 2019Custom Field Notes packs created for Maggie Rogers merchandise.
• Jason IsbellminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 30 July 2019Custom Field Notes merchandise for Jason Isbell's touring and merchandise.
• Starshaped PressminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 July 2019Artist Jen Farrell of Starshaped Press designed the 2026 subscriber box. Chicago letterpress studio creates custom packaging and promotional materials.
• The Graduate HotelsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 June 2019Partnership with The Graduate Hotels chain, creating custom Field Notes for the Ann Arbor location and other properties. Features creative collaborations tied to university towns.
• United States Postal ServiceminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 October 2018Ongoing partnership producing commemorative Field Notes products featuring USPS stamps. Products include Charles M. Schulz Peanuts stamps collection and Title IX commemorative sets, each with official First Day of Issue postmarks.
• Field MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2018Partnership with the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. The museum is described as 'one of the jewels of Chicago' and a preeminent institution dedicated to science and education.
• L.L. BeancoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 11 July 2016Field Notes developed an exclusive 3-Pack memo book sold exclusively through L.L. Bean. The collaboration was announced as 'Notes for a Life Lived Outdoors' targeting the outdoor enthusiast market.
• Hamilton Wood Type and Printing MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 April 2015Partnership with the Hamilton Wood Type and Printing Museum in Two Rivers, Wisconsin. The 'Two Rivers' Edition (Spring 2015) benefited the museum. Museum director Jim Moran featured in multiple Field Notes content pieces and retired from the museum in December 2023.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Moleskine: Moleskine is the iconic premium pocket notebook brand, offering hardcover notebooks, journals, and planners sold direct-to-consumer and through global retail. Field Notes and Moleskine compete directly for the same design-conscious, premium-pricing stationery buyer, with Field Notes positioned as the more limited-edition, American-made alternative.
• Paperage: Paperage is a direct-to-consumer notebook brand offering journals, planners, and notebooks at accessible premium price points via Amazon and its own storefront. Comparable to Field Notes' core memo book business in product and channel, with a similar focus on design and quality paper.
• Baron Fig: Baron Fig is a direct-to-consumer premium notebook brand built around the Confidant and Squire notebooks, with a strong design and community identity similar to Field Notes. Both target creative professionals and stationery enthusiasts with curated SKUs, subscription-like mechanics, and a focus on American/international design sensibility.
• Rhodia (Clairefontaine): Rhodia, a brand of Clairefontaine, produces premium French-made paper pads and notebooks prized by writers and fountain pen users. Comparable to Field Notes in paper quality emphasis and design-led buyer, Rhodia competes in the same specialty stationery channel, including museum and gift store wholesale.
• Leuchtturm1917: Leuchtturm1917 is a German premium notebook maker famous for its numbered pages and dot-grid layouts, directly comparable to Field Notes' Pitch Black dot-graph and ruled memo books. Both serve bullet journalers, planners, and stationery enthusiasts with similar price points and direct-to-consumer plus wholesale distribution.
• Word Notebooks: Word Notebooks is a direct-to-consumer premium notebook brand selling a small, design-forward portfolio of pocket and standard-size notebooks online. It overlaps with Field Notes in target customer, price point, and DTC-first go-to-market, competing for the same analog-writing enthusiast.

Emerging players

• Poketo: Poketo is a design-led brand and retailer of art-driven stationery, desk accessories, and lifestyle goods aimed at creative professionals. It overlaps with Field Notes' design-conscious stationery buyer, particularly in the Los Angeles/creative community, but operates as a multi-brand lifestyle retailer rather than a single-product maker.
• Galen Leather: Galen Leather produces handcrafted leather notebook covers, pen cases, and travelers' notebooks targeted at the premium EDC and analog community. The brand overlaps with Field Notes on the leather cover category (Leather Jacket, Everyday Inspiration) and the same design-conscious buyer, but focuses on leather goods rather than paper.
• Blackwing (California Cedar Products): Blackwing is a premium writing-instrument brand best known for its pencils and erasers, revived from the Eberhard Faber heritage. Comparable to Field Notes' pen and pencil product lines and to its collector/creative community, with similar limited-edition drops and a strong subculture following.

Broad incumbents

• Levenger: Levenger is an established premium catalog and DTC retailer of paper, planners, writing instruments, and reading accessories aimed at professionals and executives. Comparable to Field Notes on premium paper goods and planners, but with a much broader catalog, mature multi-channel presence, and higher price points.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/fieldnotesbrand
• Facebookfacebook.com/fieldnotes
• Instagraminstagram.com/fieldnotesbrand
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/field-notes-brand

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Field Notes