While the pen market may seem a tad bit archaic, there is nothing old school about the drive to provide a sustainable future for many pen brands. It’s a message that resonates with the global community and, in turn, manufacturers. Being green has become the norm and as brands continue to put in guardrails to provide sustainable options for the business practices.
This should come as no surprise. In some ways, the pen industry has always been a sustainable market. Many of the issues surrounding green initiatives are about reducing single-use items and fast fashion that’s meant to be thrown away, shortening the manufacturing distance from resource to consumer, and avoiding plastics when possible. Many of the top brands design pens for generational use, using quality materials and artisan craftsmanship.
While the pen industry is only one small facet of the overall manufacturing marketplace, it’s good to know on this Earth Day that some companies are moving the needle – or nib – forward.
For instance, Otto Hutt has it directly in their Responsibility statement to remain as green and sustainable as possible. This German brand sits at the apex of heritage tradition and innovative designs, so we are not surprised to see their company values reflect this. By the way, did you know that they use a very smart system to recycle the water in their galvanizing process? I believe Otto Hutt will continue to be a European leader in the sustainability space.
Lamy is another German company that’s continuing to adopt green policies. They do a wonderful job of being very explicit in their protocols on how they remain sustainable. Their site highlights the social and manufacturing practices by the company to promote a low pollution footprint, including packaging, design, and manufacturing practices. They even have a beehive on-site! How cool is that?
And lastly, Montegrappa’s Elmo Ambiente tagline “Calligraphy with a conscience” couldn’t be more true. This Elmo uses plastic waste in partnership with Smile Plastic to create a pen that’s recycling discarded material to create something beautiful. It’s a turning point in the pen industry where manufacturers are looking towards a greener future with available material alternatives that don’t take away from the overall aesthetic quality of the pens.
