Ito Bindery, established in Tokyo in 1938, spent decades focused on printing and bookbinding, specialising in cutting, folding and assembling paper. But as demand for those services declined, they were forced to rethink and look at making their own products. That move started with a simple idea: to make something that reflected what they were already good at. So, instead of looking too broadly, they focused on a single object — the memo block — as a way of demonstrating that expertise. It seemed simple enough, but achieving it to their standard wasn’t. The drawing pads and memo blocks are just stacks of paper on a solid base – but cutting hundreds of sheets together with a rigid backing cleanly and accurately is not straightforward. Producing a sharp, precise edge pushed their equipment beyond its limits. Instead of changing the design, they adapted the machinery and developed new processes to make it possible, refining each stage until the result matched what they were aiming for. The outcome looks straightforward — just a block of paper on a base — but the precision is what sets it apart. The paper, the weight, the edge and the way the pages tear off cleanly are all the result of processes being refined rather than just added styling. However, the styling is equally impressive. The paper is light and easy to work with, often in a soft grey tone, the sheets tear away cleanly along a fine perforation. Nothing is added unnecessarily — no cover, no decoration — just what’s essential. They are plain, but not basic, and a pleasure to use.

All images: © ITO BINDERY