But the flexible, mineral-based medium is a thing, and its unique characteristics are pushing it to fast popularity. Its environmentally friendly claims, however, may need a bit of scrutiny.

Stone paper has some attractive characteristics as a writing material. At first touch, you can tell the sheets aren’t normal wood-based paper. The pages are smoother, and you have to make an effort to tear them. Ink writes just as well, or perhaps even better, although some gel inks may take a minute or two to dry completely. In many ways stone papers like Repap seem to reinvigorate paper with aspects you always wished paper had. It’s durable, oil and tear resistant, and waterproof, and since you can fold it like paper your airplane-making days may not be as numbered as you thought before.

Notepads made from the material have been showing up on school supply store’s shelves through companies like Oxford and FiberStone. The newest on the scene is from the Italian company Ogami, with two collections of Euro-designed notebooks that use stone paper manufactured by a company called Repap. These notebooks have the quality and aesthetic associated with finely made journals from companies like Moleskine, Ciak, and Cartesio.