I lost my favourite bookmark in the whole entire world that I’ve had with me since middle school some time in February of this year when I was traveling around Taiwan, and I’ve since been looking for the second best bookmark in the whole entire world to replace it. And by golly, I think I’ve found it! So let me share with you the second best bookmark in the whole entire world and some other beautiful bookmarks I’ve acquired along the way.
Perhaps this bookmark tour can give you some gift ideas for the bookish friend in your life. Bookmarks may seem like a generic gift, but if you find the right one, it can be so special. Not only are bookmarks beautiful, but they’re also practical, take up very little space, and might even be a safer bet to gift a bookish friend than an actual book unless you’re familiar with their taste.
PSA to get your Christmas shopping done early, especially if you’re shopping independents!
Leather
Behold, the second best bookmark in the whole entire world: the black tea bag leather bookmark by The Dark Mark Co.
1) It’s freakin’ cool. 2) It’s beautiful. Perfect for that cosy bookish aesthetic. 3) The craftsmanship is amazing. It indisputably looks like a tea bag. 4) At 1.75×2.5″, the small size makes it super easy to handle. I could go on about the ergonomics of bookmarks but I won’t subject you to that. 5) The twine connecting the tea bag and the label is less fussy than a tassel. Having it makes it easier to flip open to the marked page. 6) Leather is more durable than a paper or chipboard bookmark. 7) The texture of the bookmark might seem abrasive from the photos, but it isn’t. The leather is thin. The twine has a smooth finish.
Have I convinced you yet?
Note that the tea bag design is only on one side due to the texture on the back of the leather. Also, the original design has the tea label rotated 90o (see product page for the original) but I messaged the seller to orient the label as shown in my photo for my personal preference. She was quick to adjust the design, repainting the leaf on the label to match my preferred orientation and everything, and shipped it out the same day.
Also comes in green tea.
Floral resin
I was obsessed with the idea of floral resin bookmarks for awhile. I ordered a few, realised how much they vary between makers, and learned what to look out for: the clarity of the resin, whether the resin cures hard or soft, the smoothness of edges, an eye for balance within a design (i.e. of different sized flora and fauna).
- Pink floral and rose gold flake with blush tassel by Jezarelle Creations: Simple design but professional craftmanship.
- White floral and gold flake with light tan tassel by LA Designs: Cures soft.
- Yellow floral bookmark by Honua Accessoires: The design that got me into doing macrame.
What stayed consistent between all the resin bookmarks I bought was that they’re about 1mm thick, which could potentially crack delicate spines. Most books I own are secondhand and vintage, so I have to be picky about which books I use these bookmarks with. I like to use them in hardbacks, library books, and textbooks.
That aside, what I love about resin bookmarks is how they remind me of museums, the way the resin encases the beautiful designs.
Classic chipboard
As cool as leather and resin are, there’s something to be said for a classic no-fuss chipboard bookmark.
SparkMarks has a huge collection to choose from. It was like browsing the wallpaper at Paper Source. My picks were the koi print (I got the last one, sorry!) and astro print. They also have some boho bookmarks with cool boho tassels.
For something that feels more handmade, Tula Makes makes the cutest illustrated bookmarks. So cute that I paid for shipping from Poland!! Jk, shipping was only $5, not the worst. Anywho, give her cosy illustrations a browse. There are also themed bookmarks for popular fandoms like Harry Potter and Gilmore Girls. I picked the autumn fox with brown tail, which also comes in a winter series, and I almost bought the Dobby bookmark as well (gotta make the most of that shipping) but worried the horizontally protruding ears would almost certainly get caught on things. I don’t use the fox bookmark as much as I’d like because it’s huge (2.5×7″, not including the vertically protruding ears) but it’s so freakin’ cute! It has a pompom that hangs out the bottom, which got cut off from my photos. (The Etsy shop opens and closes often, so don’t despair if it’s closed.)
Wood
I don’t have any wood bookmarks yet, but I’ve been eyeing this customisable wood burnt book tower bookmark by Burnt Edge Studio. I have every intention to buy one for myself as soon as I figure out 10-12 titles to personalise my bookmark with. I’m curious about how thick the bookmark is. The site says 1/16″ but I have no sense of how that’d feel in my hand.
Another gorgeous wood bookmark on my wish list is this cosmic wood engraved bookmark by Folk Tales Market. There are other bookmark designs in that series as well. The only thing holding me back is the shipping cost from Spain and the size of the bookmark.
Have you started brainstorming holiday gifting yet?
Do you have a favourite bookmark of your own?
PS: books i collect in multiples, my favourite secondhand bookstores in philly