Lochby Pocket Journal

Founded by Chris Elfering in 2019, Lochby creates rugged, thoughtfully designed journals, notebooks and everyday carry goods for people who like to create, explore and work with their hands. The brand grew out of Chris’s previous venture, Bond Travel Gear, where his experience as a US Army officer inspired a focus on durable, practical equipment built to withstand everyday use.

The turning point came when Chris discovered fountain pens and rediscovered his love of journaling and sketching. Frustrated by notebooks that lacked both durability and fountain pen-friendly paper, he saw an opportunity to combine his interest in analogue creativity with his experience designing hard-wearing travel gear. The result was Lochby's first products: the Field Journal and Tool Roll, designed to protect and organise the tools people use to capture ideas.

The name, Lochby, loosely translates to 'lake town' and is a reference to Chris’ hometown of Minneapolis, often known as the City of Lakes. The bee motif also reflects ideas of industriousness and community, which have become part of the brand’s visual identity.

Durability and adaptability remain central to the Lochby approach. Many of its products are made from hard-wearing waxed canvas, reinforced stitching and practical hardware, with modular designs that allow notebooks, pens and everyday tools to be organised in a way that suits their owner. The soft goods are assembled in Vietnam by skilled makers, while the products are designed around a global network of specialist materials and suppliers.

Today, Lochby sits at the intersection of stationery, everyday carry and analogue creativity. Its products are designed to be used, travelled with and adapted over time - encouraging people to step away from screens, slow down and make space for the simple, tactile act of putting pen to paper.