24 March, 2022
Be Gentle On The World With Eco-Friendly Pens
There are many benefits in aligning your company to being eco-friendly. One way you can do this is when you purchase pens, buy eco-friendly ones. There is no need nowadays to buy plastic pens. There is a large range of pens now made from materials that have either been recycled or are more environmentally sensitive. Did you know most plastic pens are made from polystyrene? It is used because it is a low-cost plastic that is easy to mass manufacture. The downside is it releases chlorofluorocarbon gasses and this is where it gets a little scary. This gas has roughly 1,200 times the greenhouse gas effect of carbon dioxide. Not only that but hardly any pens are recycled. They mostly end up in landfills for years to come. You can avoid all of this by buying an eco-friendly pen. There are four main types on the market currently
1. Bamboo Pens
2. Recycled Paper Pens
3. Recycled Plastic Pens
4. Wheat Fibre Pens
Each style has its own benefits, so we thought we’d highlight each one to help you decide what would work best for you
1. Bamboo Pens: Bamboo is a fast-growing plant. In fact, it is one of the fastest-growing plants in the world. They can grow to full size in just 3-4 months. The other advantage is bamboo does not need pesticides or chemicals to grow and it is naturally anti-bacterial thanks to a substance called “bamboo Kun”. It prevents bacteria and microbes to grow on the bamboo. Pens made from this material are biodegradable. The bamboo material itself is strong and durable with a lovely natural appearance. They can be both pads printed or digitally printed with full-colour graphics and come in a great range of shapes and sizes.
2. Recycled Paper Pens: These pens have been made from recycled paper that was destined to go to waste. They are made by having layers of paper bound together, layer on layer. If you have a large promotion coming up, it’s hard to beat these as the pen of choice. Natural colour due to the kraft paper used they are ideal for both small and big promotions.
3. Recycled Plastic Pens: Made from PET material, this style of pen has gained headway in recent years. They are made from the recycling of clear, plastic drink bottles. The bottles are cleaned and their labels and caps removed. They are then shredded into flakes where the flakes are cleaned again to ensure purity. After this, they are turned into chips or pellets which can then be melted down and poured into the mould to make the exterior of the pen. Rather than the plastic bottles going into landfills, they get a new life as a pen.
4. Wheat Fibre Pens: In the last 5 years or so we have seen a wave of wheat fibre products come onto the market and pens are no different. It is typically made from agricultural waste that is turned into pellets that can then be melted down to form the shape of the pen. It is fully compostable, though the jury is out slightly on this as it appears it needs to reach a temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit before it starts to break down. Made from agricultural waste, it does have fewer toxic chemicals which is a benefit.
There are many benefits to ordering any of the above styles of pen and any of them will help align your company as being eco-friendly and in today’s society, that is a great way for any company to operate, so consider purchasing some for your next promotion and getting your log printed on the barrel.
The Printed Pens Team