The Best Brands of Eco-Friendly Writing Pens

Good Tuesday (a company which makes recycled paper notepads) also sells nice refillable pens to use them with.

Writing Pen Safety Tips

Keep pens & pencils away from young children & pets. Avoid gifting plantable pens to homes with pets, as many contain wildflowers or herbs that are not safe near animal friends. Learn more on pet-friendly gardens.

Kaweko Perkeo Rollerball Pen

Kaweko Perkeo Rollerball Pen is an affordable and stylish pen in several colour choices. It offers smooth writing, and a 16-sided barrel to prevent the pen from rolling, and uses international standard rollerball refills, meaning it will last you years.

The snap-on cap securely closes to protect the tip and prevent ink from drying out. The grip section is designed for comfort, and slightly textured for a firm hold.

Gel Ballpoint Pens

The Gel Ballpoint Pens have a 0.5mm tip for smooth writing with black ink. Made in Japan from wood with a metal mechanism, this pen is also refillable.

Why Choose Eco-Friendly Writing Pens?

Each day, millions of plastic writing pens end up in landfills, polluting soil and water. Plastic also requires fossil fuels to make, and produces greenhouse gases.

Most pens are also sold in plastic packaging (often in quantities more than needed (like packs of 10, when you only need one or two usually).

Where to Recycle Plastic Pens and Pencils

Terracycle offers a free writing instruments recycling programme, sponsored by industry. Just order a box for your office, school or community then everyone can deposit unwanted pens, pencils, highlighters, correction fluids, felt-tips pens and erasers.

You can also download a poster to display near the recycling box, and all items are sent off to be made into other things (like park benches).

A Pack of Eco-Friendly Ballpoint Pens

This pack of eco-friendly ballpoint pens are made from recycled paper, with medium nibs and comfortable non-slip grip and a smooth even flow writing experience. Sold in a pack of 10 with black ink, the pens are also easy to recycle.

At end of use, just soak the pen in hot water for around 2 minutes. Unravel the paper shaft, remove the stainless steel ink chamber, and recycle all the parts appropriately. Each pen is tightly hand-rolled down to the nib.

Tom’s Studio (Refillable Fountain Pens)

Fountain pens have moved on from the ones that required fiddly ink pots that leaked down your shirt.

Tom’s Studio was founded by a craftsman who after watching his wife use a plastic mass-produced calligraphy pen, did not feel it matched the quality of her beautiful work. A former furniture designer, he decided to create something better.

The Fountain pens have 6 interchangeable nibs, a reassuring weight and a clever cap design, for a lighter more comfortable writing experience. The Shimmer Inks are all nontoxic and vegan-friendly.

If you do leak ink on your shirt, immediately cover with a little salt and dab with a wet paper towel, then brush until the stain disappears.

If that doesn’t work, blot the stain and soak with a sponge and a little rubbing alcohol for 15 minutes. If that doesn’t work, mix cool water with oxygen bleach and soak for 8 hours, before laundering.