think again, try again

we don't claim to have solved the puzzle of ethical production. what we offer instead is a commitment to overthinking—examining each decision, questioning every material, and considering the true cost of making things in a world already overflowing with stuff.

our approach is built on acknowledging contradictions. we make notebooks while questioning consumption itself. we strive for sustainability while recognizing that no product has zero impact. we work within systems we wish to change.

the notebooks we create won't save the planet, but the thinking behind them might nudge us all toward more considered choices. here's how we navigate the messy business of making things:

made local

the Agus Arís studio is based in Westport, Co. Mayo. Here we print, bind and finish all of our products. We believe that products should be made locally in order to reduce emissions and increase transparency.

to use again

made local

our production happens entirely in ireland, reducing transport emissions and supporting local economies. we know the names of the people who handle our materials. we visit the workshops where our covers are pressed. we understand the true geography of our supply chain, not just its financial contours.

we choose local even when it's more expensive or complicated, not because it's perfect (nothing is), but because proximity allows for accountability. when production happens nearby, its impacts become harder to ignore.

asking questions

perhaps our most important practice is persistent questioning - of industry standards, of our own habits, of the stories we tell ourselves about what sustainability means.

who benefits from this production method? who bears its costs?

what assumptions underlie this decision? what alternatives might we consider?

how could this be better? what are we overlooking?

what would happen if everyone made things this way? what would happen if no one did?

we don't expect to arrive at final answers. the questions themselves are valuable - shaping our thinking, challenging our assumptions, keeping us honest about the compromises inherent in making physical objects in an imperfect world.

this questioning isn't a marketing strategy. it's the foundation of how we work, sometimes slowing us down, often making things more complicated, but always pushing us toward more thoughtful choices.

we hope to inspire this form of thinking within those who use our books for their learning.