Some eco-friendly pens are still considered disposable. That’s because they’re made from sustainably produced, biodegradable, or post-consumer recycled materials. Pens made from fast-growing bamboo or agricultural waste corn or wheat are considered sustainable and biodegradable. You’ll also find pens on the market made from recycled plastic bottles and recycled cardboard. Fountain pen nibs need much less pressure to write than a ballpoint pen since they have liquid ink. Just moving the tip evenly across the paper should yield the best results. Higher cost is often among the top reasons people give for not making a more sustainable choice. If you can buy in bulk, you can save money overall. Thankfully, Simply Genius pens are affordable, functional, and partly biodegradable. They’ve made several improvements over a typical plastic pen, reducing the amount of plastic by more than half. These lightweight ballpoint pens have barrels made of recyclable cardboard. The tips and ends—in five colors—are made of a 50/50 mixture of BPA-free plastic and wheat stalk. ABS is derived from petroleum and is not biodegradable.

Let’s look at some of the best options for zero waste pens. You can read more about why these pens have been chosen below. Most likely no. Modern fountain pens are normally ready-to-go once they've been loaded with ink. Can I take my fountain pen on an airplane? Here are some questions and problems you may come across now that you are entering the fancy world of those who write with fountain pens. Can a Left-handed person use a fountain pen?Ink converters require bottled ink to fill your fountain pen, so you'll likely have to buy that separate, but there are so many options out there for fountain pen ink. More and more cities and states are passing legislation to ban plastic bags and straws, but rarely do we think about the impact of the ink pen. Most of us own too many of them, even if it feels like you can never find one when you need it. Almost none of those pens are recyclable because they’re made of a combination of different types of plastic, metal, and ink. A large portion of them will end up in the landfill…and in that weird place in your car that is just out of reach. The ones that don’t make it to the landfill will eventually become part of the microplastics problem, polluting our oceans and land.

Most definitely! Though it will take a little bit of getting used to. How you hold the pen and where you position your writing hand will be much more critical for a lefty. Standard holds may cause the hand to drag through the wet ink and smear. From her initial role as an Engraver to becoming the Production Manager, Sam's journey has been marked by her passion for the history, manufacturing, and the unique value of gifted writing instruments.The environmental impact doesn’t end there though. Consider the ink left in pens and how this contaminates soil and water. Add in the environmental cost of raw materials and production, and you’ll soon realise pens have a hefty environmental footprint. Can you recycle pens? Fountain pens are a top choice when considering the environment because they could theoretically last a lifetime, but they are also more expensive and require one to handle bottled ink. B2P stands for Bottle-2-Pen. They’re made in the United States from domestically sourced recycled plastic bottles. The Pilot B2P Refillable Retractable Gel Pen and B2P ballpoint pens are made from 89% and 83% recycled plastic bottles, respectively. They’re refillable so you can cut down on plastic waste that way too. Some manufacturers have tried to improve their environmental efforts by making new lines of pens from recycled materials. Although not fully sustainable, they’re an improvement over the majority of pens on the market. There’s nothing more satisfying than writing with a fountain pen. A rewarding experience, putting pen to paper and seeing your words flourish is only enhanced with this unique writing instrument.

The pigments themselves haven’t changed much over the years. When researching pigments, many focus on how long the pigments will last without fading or degrading. To earn the top overall spot, we chose a pen that is a demonstrated hit with customers, having a smooth glide while also being easy on the environment and affordable. Conscience Concepts Cork Retractable Ballpoint Pens are a great choice to get you started using eco-friendly pens in your home, office, school or just about anywhere else. Perfect for greetings cards or jazzing up notebooks, the Shimmertatic ink range from Diamine results from several years of research and development. Each ink contains gold or silver metallic particles to complement the ink colour, adding a satisfying shimmer to your handwriting. A graduate of Regent University with a degree in English Literature and a special interest in Old Norse literature, dive deeper into Sam's world and discover why she's your trusted guide in the realm of gift pens.

The clip and tip of the pen are made from wheat straw, an agricultural byproduct, which also keeps the wheat straw from being incinerated and contributing to greenhouse gasses. It is difficult to determine what else is mixed with the wheat straw to hold it together. It is likely some type of plastic (see similar Simply Genius pens below for comparison). But the use of wheat straw byproduct is still better than all plastic materials. Remove the nib of the pen from the bottle, reassemble the barrel of the pen, and your pen is ready for use. If you want to be on the safe side or if you are traveling with an antique, remove the ink from your pen, and store your pen in a separate bag before you fly. Can I use my pen in freezing weather?