Custom PU notebooks in Dubai start at AED 4.80 for an A5 with a pen loop and run to AED 130 for a boxed Moleskine and pen set — with most corporate orders landing between AED 8 and AED 30. Four choices set your price: size (A5 is the default; B5 is the underused upgrade), cover material (PU, cork, recycled rPET or genuine hardcover board), paper weight, and whether the notebook ships alone or as a boxed set with a pen. This guide gives real prices from live stock, explains why debossing usually beats printing on PU, and shows you exactly what each tier gets you.
Why PU is the standard cover for corporate notebooks
PU — polyurethane leather — dominates corporate gifting for reasons that have nothing to do with imitating leather and everything to do with what a logo does on it.
PU takes a deboss cleanly. Press a heated die into the cover and you get a crisp, permanent impression with a slight sheen change at the edges that catches light. Genuine leather does this too, at five times the cost. Fabric and cardboard do not do it at all. PU also holds colour consistently across a production run, does not scuff visibly in a bag, and survives a Dubai summer in a car boot without warping — which cannot be said for uncoated board covers.
The one honest limitation: PU has a lifespan. After three or four years of daily handling the surface can start to flake at high-wear corners. For a notebook that will be filled and shelved within a year, this is irrelevant. For a long-service award meant to sit on a shelf for a decade, spend up on a hardcover with a fabric or genuine board finish.
A5 vs B5 vs A4: pick by how it will be used
A5 (148 × 210 mm) — the default, and usually right
Fits any bag, sits comfortably on a lap in a meeting, and is the size every supplier stocks in depth, which means the widest colour choice and the shortest lead time. Roughly 90% of corporate notebook orders in the UAE are A5. Choose it unless you have a specific reason not to.
B5 (176 × 250 mm) — the underused upgrade
Noticeably larger than A5 but still portable, and it reads as more generous the moment someone holds it. B5 is the right call for training programmes and workshops, where people take structured notes across a full page, and for any organiser or folder format that has to hold A4 documents folded once. Our B5 cork cover folder with notepad, pen and sticky notes at AED 18.50 is the most practical B5 item we stock — it does the job of a conference pack in one object.
A4 and portfolio formats
For executive conference folders that must hold loose A4 without folding. Heavier, less likely to be carried daily, and priced accordingly. Consider whether your recipients actually carry A4 anymore — for most Dubai office workers the answer is now no.
Paper: the specification nobody checks and everybody notices
Cover material gets all the attention in notebook briefs. Paper decides whether the notebook gets used.
- 70 gsm — the standard for promotional notebooks. Perfectly fine for ballpoint and pencil. A gel pen or a fineliner will ghost slightly on the reverse.
- 80 gsm — the meaningful upgrade. No ghosting with normal pens, and the paper feels substantial when you turn a page. If your notebook is going to executives or designers, specify 80 gsm.
- Page count — 192 pages (96 sheets) is the corporate standard and what most of the range below carries. 160 pages produces a slightly slimmer, lighter book; 80 pages is a notepad rather than a notebook.
- Binding — ask whether the book is thread-sewn or glued. Thread-sewn lies flat when open and does not shed pages. Every Santhome and Giftology notebook in our range is thread-bound, which is why they hold up.
Real prices from our catalogue
Per piece in AED, VAT inclusive, from live stock. Logo branding is included; die setup for debossing is a one-off charge per design.
| Notebook | Size & cover | Inside | Price (AED) |
|---|---|---|---|
| JURSI A5 PU with Pen Loop | A5, PU, 13 colours | 192 pp, 70 gsm | 4.80 |
| XD Marble PU A5 | A5, PU marble finish | 192 pp, 80 gsm | 7.00 |
| XD A5 Hardcover + Pen | A5, hardcover, gift box | 160 pp, 70 gsm | 7.00 |
| RULBUK Softcover A5 | A5, soft PU, elastic | 192 pp, 70 gsm | 8.00 |
| BORSA Cork Fabric A5 + Pen | A5, cork + linen | Hardcover set | 11.00 |
| BORNA A5 Soft-touch PU + Pen | A5, soft-touch PU | Hardcover set | 11.50 |
| RULBUK Softcover A5, Black | A5, soft PU, elastic | 192 pp, 70 gsm | 12.00 |
| SUKH A5 Hardcover | A5, hardcover, 4 colours | 192 pp, 70 gsm, thread-bound | 13.00 |
| CAMPINA A5 + Magnetic Metal Pen | A5, hardcover, magnet closure | 160 pp set | 13.00 |
| LIBELLET A5 Soft-touch PU + Pen | A5, soft-touch PU | Hardcover set | 13.00 |
| Cork Cover Folder, B5 | B5, cork | Notepad, pen, sticky notes | 18.50 |
| XD Axis Tablet Portfolio | rPET, tablet holder | Notepad + pockets | 20.00 |
| BUNDE A5 Fabric & Bamboo Set | A5, fabric + bamboo | Boxed set with pen | 27.00 |
| TOMAR PU Thermo Notebook + Pen | PU thermo cover | 216 ruled pages | 30.00 |
| Impact AWARE rPET A5 | A5, traced recycled rPET | Hardcover | 60.00 |
| Cross Hardcover Notebook, boxed | Hardcover, gift box | Premium | 63.00 |
| Moleskine Classic Large Ruled | Large, hardcover | Ruled, elastic, pocket | 71.00 |
| LENZEN Refillable Set + USB | A5, recycled PU, refillable | Notebook, pen, USB keychain | 78.00 |
| ARGAKI Set: Bottle, Notebook, Pen | Boxed three-piece | 12 h cold / 8 h hot bottle | 91.00 |
| Moleskine Notebook & Go Pen Set | Large, boxed | Notebook + Moleskine pen | 130.00 |
See the full range in Notebooks, Stationery and Notebook & Pen Gift Sets.
Debossing, foiling or printing?
Blind debossing — the default for PU
A heated metal die presses your logo into the cover, leaving a colourless impression that reads through shadow and sheen. It is understated, permanent, and costs nothing per unit after the one-off die charge. It is also the finish that looks most expensive relative to what you pay. The requirement: your logo needs bold enough strokes to survive being pressed into a soft surface. Hairline serifs and 0.3 mm rules disappear. Send us your file and we will tell you before you commit to a die.
Foil debossing
Same die, with a metallic foil layer — gold, silver, rose gold or a matte colour — transferred into the impression. This is what you want on a dark navy or black PU cover for a board-level gift. Adds a small per-unit cost over blind deboss and roughly doubles the visual impact from across a room.
Screen printing
For multi-colour logos that a deboss cannot reproduce. Sits on the surface of the PU. Perfectly durable in normal use, though on a soft-touch cover the print can eventually mark. Choose it when your brand identity genuinely requires two or more colours.
UV printing
Full colour, including gradients and photography, cured on the surface. Best on smooth PU and hardcover board; less good on textured or soft-touch finishes where the ink cannot key evenly.
A note on placement: the strongest position on an A5 notebook is centred on the front cover at roughly 60–80 mm wide, or bottom-right at 40 mm for a more restrained look. Avoid the spine on a thread-bound book — the curve distorts the impression.
Building a notebook gift set that works
Roughly half of the notebooks we ship in Dubai go out as part of a set. Three configurations account for most of them:
The onboarding kit (AED 11–15 per head). A5 PU notebook with pen loop plus a matching metal pen, both debossed with the company logo. At AED 11.50 the BORNA set does this in one SKU with the pen already matched — simpler than assembling two items and cheaper than most people expect. Add a lanyard and you have a complete new-hire welcome pack.
The client gift (AED 27–91). A boxed notebook and pen in a material with a story — cork, bamboo, or certified recycled rPET — or a three-piece set adding a vacuum bottle. This is the tier where the gift box itself matters; a good set in a plain polybag loses most of its effect.
The executive gift (AED 63–130). Moleskine or Cross, boxed, with the logo debossed small and discreet rather than printed across the cover. The recognisable brand is doing the work; your logo should be a signature, not a billboard.
For any of these, ask us to quote the assembled set rather than the components — kitting into a single box is included on orders above 100 sets, and it saves your HR or marketing team an afternoon of packing.
MOQs, lead times and delivery
MOQ is 50 pieces for stock notebooks with a single-position deboss or print. Custom-manufactured notebooks — your own cover colour, page design, printed inner pages or a branded belly band — start at 500 pieces.
Lead time is 4–6 working days from artwork approval for stock notebooks with debossing (the die takes a day to cut), 7–10 working days for boxed sets requiring assembly, and 4–6 weeks for fully custom production including freight.
Seasonality matters here more than in any other gift category. Notebooks peak twice: September to October for the new academic and financial year, and November to December for National Day, year-end client gifting and the following year's diaries. If you need 500 branded notebooks in the last week of November, order them in early October.
Delivery is free across Dubai above AED 500, next working day to Sharjah and Ajman, and 1–2 working days to Abu Dhabi and Al Ain. Every price quoted is VAT inclusive.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum order for custom notebooks in Dubai?
50 pieces for stock notebooks with your logo debossed or printed in one position. For a fully custom notebook — your own cover material and colour, custom page layout, printed inner pages — the minimum is 500 pieces and the lead time runs 4–6 weeks. Between those two, most companies are better served by choosing a stock cover in a close brand colour and putting the budget into a foil deboss instead.
Is A5 or B5 better for a corporate notebook?
A5 for general corporate gifting and staff use — it is portable, universally stocked and comes in the widest colour range. B5 for training programmes, workshops and conference packs, where the larger writing area genuinely changes how the notebook is used and the extra size registers as a more generous gift. B5 costs more and has fewer stock options, so specify it deliberately rather than by default.
Can you print our logo in full colour on a PU cover?
Yes, by screen printing for spot colours or UV printing for full colour and gradients. But on a dark PU cover, test a blind or foil deboss first — in most side-by-side comparisons the debossed version looks materially more expensive, and it will not scuff. We can produce a physical sample of both before you commit the run.
What is the difference between PU and genuine leather notebooks?
PU is a polyurethane coating on a fabric backing: consistent in colour, uniform across a run, water-resistant, and a fraction of the cost. Genuine leather varies naturally between pieces, develops a patina, and costs three to five times more. For corporate gifting where 200 covers must look identical, PU is generally the better choice; genuine leather is worth it only for individual executive gifts.
Can you add printed inner pages — a company calendar or contact page?
Yes, on custom production runs of 500+ pieces. Common additions are a branded first page, a year planner, a contacts spread and a company profile page. It adds around AED 2–4 per unit depending on how many printed pages you specify, and it is one of the few upgrades that measurably increases how often the notebook gets opened.
Do the notebooks come with a pen included?
Several do. The BORNA set at AED 11.50, the CAMPINA at AED 13.00 with a magnetically held metal pen, and the LIBELLET at AED 13.00 all ship as complete matched sets. If you would rather choose the pen yourself, see the promotional pens guide — pairing a AED 8 notebook with a AED 7 metal pen often produces a better-looking set than a single AED 15 bundle.
Get a quote today
Send us the quantity, your logo file and whether you want the notebooks boxed with a pen, and we will come back the same working day with a price and a digital mock-up. WhatsApp +971 52 210 0909 or call 052 210 0909. Browse the full notebook collection, the wider corporate gift items range, or read our guide to notepad and notebook printing in Dubai if you need locally printed books rather than branded stock.
