Stationery and craft supplies are consistently among the most-bought categories on AliExpress in Europe. The reason is simple: pens, markers and stickers cost next to nothing, weigh very little, and the choice of colours and formats is wider than in any high street shop. We picked 8 items that people buy by the thousand and looked at who each one suits.
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One important detail: for most of these products you can choose the bundle on the product page, from a single item to a large set. The price on the card is for the simplest option, so check what is actually selected in your basket before you place the order.
For writing and notes
1. Needle-tip gel pens
The clear leader of this roundup, with more than 20,000 sales. Pens with direct ink flow and a fine needle tip give an even line with no skips, which is why students who write a lot by hand like them. Sets range from 3 to 102 pens, enough for you and the whole family for the new school year.
Tip: if you write with your left hand, start with a small set to try. Gel ink does not dry instantly, and on glossy paper a line can smudge.
Price on 21 October: £1.59
Sold: 20 028+ pcs, positive reviews: 98%
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2. Double-ended pastel highlighters
Five markers in a box, each with two tips: a wide one for highlighting lines and a fine one for captions and margin notes. Pastel shades are easy on the eyes and show through the page less than harsh neon colours, so your notes stay readable even after heavy highlighting.
Price on 21 October: £2.46
Sold: 2 044+ pcs, positive reviews: 98%
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3. Transparent sticky bookmarks
The cheapest item in the roundup and one of the most practical. Clear sticky tabs can be placed right over the text in a book or textbook: the lines underneath stay visible, and the note peels off without a trace. Use them as section bookmarks, for notes in library books and for planning in a diary.
Price on 21 October: £1.27
Sold: 5 285+ pcs, positive reviews: 98%
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4. Roomy zip pencil case
A pencil case with several compartments solves the main problem of any pen and marker collection: everything is in one place instead of at the bottom of your bag. The manufacturer states the material is water-repellent. It suits schoolchildren, students and adults who carry a notebook and a couple of pens to work.
Price on 21 October: £3.41
Sold: 5 066+ pcs, positive reviews: 98%
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For drawing and crafts
5. Uni Posca markers
Japanese Posca acrylic markers have long been a classic among artists, designers and customisation fans. They draw on paper, wood, glass, stone, plastic and fabric, and the paint becomes water-resistant once dry. On the product page you can choose the tip size: PC-1M is the finest, for detail; PC-3M is the all-rounder; PC-5M is for filling larger areas.
They are sold individually, so it is convenient to start with white and black and add colours later. Before buying original Posca markers it is always worth checking reviews and the seller’s rating, and here it is high: 98% positive feedback.
Price on 21 October: £2.73
Sold: 4 041+ pcs, positive reviews: 98%
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6. Acrylic brush marker set
If you want lots of colours rather than a single branded marker, this set does the job. The brush-shaped tip lets you vary the line width with pressure, and you can choose a palette of anywhere from 12 to 168 colours. It suits painting stones, wooden blanks, canvas and mugs, and children’s crafts. Almost 9,000 buyers have already ordered it.
Price on 21 October: £5.83
Sold: 8 659+ pcs, positive reviews: 98%
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7. Compact sketchbook
A small 40-sheet sketchbook of thick white card. This format is easy to carry in a bag and sketch on the go, in a cafe or on a walk. The manufacturer designed it for graphite and watercolour, so a light wash of colour will not harm the paper.
Price on 21 October: £1.40
Sold: 3 480+ pcs, positive reviews: 98%
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8. Yoofun decorative tape
Washi tape, a patterned paper tape, is used to decorate diaries, cards, gift wrap and scrapbooks. It peels off and can be repositioned without tearing the paper. The roll is 3 metres long with a colourful polka dot pattern. It is sold in the official Yoofun brand store.
Price on 21 October: £0.83
Sold: 1 891+ pcs, positive reviews: 97%
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How to build a useful set without overspending
The most common mistake when buying stationery on AliExpress is to order 50 items at a pound or two each and then never use half of them. It is better to put together a basic kit for a specific purpose.
- For study: gel pens, highlighters, transparent stickers and a pencil case. This covers notes, work with textbooks and order in your bag.
- For a diary or planner: fine gel pens, pastel markers, washi tape and stickers. That is enough to keep your pages neat without extra spending.
- For drawing: a sketchbook, a couple of Posca markers for accents and a brush marker set for colour fills.
- As a gift: a set of acrylic markers with a sketchbook, or a pencil case filled with pens and markers. Inexpensive, but it looks like a thoughtful present.
One more practical point: the 11.11 sale is about three weeks away. Stationery rarely gets much cheaper, but store coupons and discounts on baskets over a certain amount make it worth ordering several items at once. Add what you need to your basket in advance and check the price on the day of the sale.
Verdict
All 8 items in this roundup sell in large numbers and are well rated: most have 98% positive reviews. If you need just one thing, start with the gel pens or the transparent stickers, which are the cheapest and the most used. For creative work, the best first step is a couple of Posca markers and a small sketchbook.