Archive | writing instruments RSS feed for this section

Javalina Eco, One of the New Wheat Pens

22 Feb
The Javalina® Eco is the perfect match for companies looking to have a greener impact. Feel good about adding your brand to a pen composed of reclaimed wheat stalks. With the natural speckled cream barrel and bright accented trim color, your message is sure to catch everyone’s attention. Plus, create the best user experience with our ultrasmooth black writing ink

Hub pens calls this body type the Javalina. But in all honesty, nearly all manufactures have this body design. Koozie Group has the Dart, PCNA sells as the Cougar, and funny enough Primeline also calls their pen the Dart.

So why are we talking about one of the most common pen bodies in the promo business?

Because the wheat plastic Javalinas, or Darts, or whatever name you want to call these pens, have started to arrive. And since we throw out so many millions of plastic pens each year, every little bit helps.

So why all the excitement for wheat plastic. Google it. “When Wheat Straw is used to make plastic, it becomes compostable and can decompose in a home or commercial site. As it decomposes at a rate similar to paper, wheat straw plastic leaves behind no toxic material, so the compost can be used for future plant growth.”

If you are looking for a better understanding of this material, the 7 Things To Know About Wheat Straw page at S”wheat is a good primer. (S”wheat is in the business of making bottles out of Wheat Straw).

Wheat Straw plastic is not so new to the industry. It is used in everything from pens, to mugs, to speakers. But maybe like the adoption of bamboo, we will continue to see more items made from Wheat Straw material.

If you are interested in this product to promote your own business, or if you wish to see some samples, email info@proformagreen.com for information and pricing.

And as always, if you really want to do something sustainable, do not buy promotional products. All products are consumption at one level or another. So if you must buy, 1) Buy local (i.e. made in USA), 2) Buy useful, long lasting items, 3) Buy sustainable/recycled/recyclable products if possible.

K’arst Woodless Graphite Pencils

18 Jan

So if you remove the wood from a pencil, is it still a pencil. It seems the folks at K’arst believe so, and have introduced the K’arst Woodless Graphite Pencils to the promotional products industry for 2022.

From the manufacturer, “The K’arst Woodless Graphite Pencils come as a set of five solid graphite pencils. Made of 100% pure graphite with 2B hardness, it’s the best lead grade for the K’arst paper products. Matte coating to keep your fingers clean. Includes retail gift box.”

Not sure how I feel about this one. With a wide selection of pencils now having FSC credentials, are wooden pencils really something that is a concern. As mentioned in the last post, I am much more concerned with pens, and the plastics they are made of.

However, the K’arst Woodless Graphite Pencils do have two things going for them. They look very, very cool, and they are from a well know brand name.

I think as a client gift for architects, fashion, or design related companies, the K’arst Woodless Graphite Pencils is a great item to showoff with. Even the packaging looks cool.

Imprint for the K’arst Woodless Graphite Pencils is on the packaging only. But, again, that packaging really lends itself to making the pencils a higher perceived value gift. My daughter is very into art and drawing, and honestly, my first thought when I saw these was to get her a sample.

If you are interested in this product to promote your own business, or if you wish to see some samples, email info@proformagreen.com for information and pricing.

And as always, if you really want to do something sustainable, do not buy promotional products. All products are consumption at one level or another. So if you must buy, 1) Buy local (i.e. made in USA), 2) Buy useful, long lasting items, 3) Buy sustainable/recycled/recyclable products if possible.

Oasis Bottle-Inspired Pen

2 Mar

Plunger Action. PET Material. Available With Black Or Blue Ink.

Plunger Action. PET Material. Available With Black Or Blue Ink.

So let’s say a recycling company needs something to give away at a trade-show. They wanted to promote their stance on environmental awareness, while showing something relevant to their industry, i.e. what happened to all those blue water bottles people put in their blue bins each day.

Well, enter the Oasis Bottle-Inspired Pen, made of recycled plastic, the same PET that most of those bottles get turned into, showing a small example of the full circle of recycling. Bingo, this fits their message perfectly. Print with the text, “I used to be a water bottle” or “Same Desk, New Shape” or simply “I’m Recycled”  to cement the message with each give-away.

Aside from the PET body, the Oasis Bottle-Inspired Pen is a conventional click pen with action plunger. it is available with black or blue ink. The casing of the Oasis Bottle-Inspired Pen is a translucent blue, again, in keeping with the look and concept of made from water bottles. The imprint area is 1 ¼” W x ⅜” H.

If you are interested in the Oasis Bottle-Inspired Pen to promote own business, or to get a sample, email info@proformagreen.com for information and pricing.

And as always, if you really want to do something sustainable, do not buy promotional products. All products are consumption at one level or another. So if you must buy, 1) Buy local (i.e. made in USA), 2) Buy useful, long lasting items, 3) Buy sustainable/recycled/recyclable products if possible.

Rustico Made in the USA

10 Mar

TOMS Shoes recently launched a branded journal built upon Rustico Leather’s Small Writer’s Log.

TOMS Shoes recently launched a branded journal built upon Rustico Leather’s Small Writer’s Log.

ASI Dallas was the first time I had seen Rustico leather products. Let me tell you they are amazing and I can see why they keep winning awards for their artisan-based, fully custom, handmade in the USA product line (and yes they even hand-make the paper in the journals).

And if your products are requested to be designed for a movie about Abraham Lincoln. Well that is just cool. (No the other movie about Lincoln)

“Over the years Rustico has taken on some pretty unique custom pieces for the film and entertainment industry. Perhaps, none as hauntingly mysterious as this custom leather journal produced for the 2012 American action fantasy horror film, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. If you haven’t seen the movie by now or read the mashup novel by the same name, the real-life figure Abraham Lincoln is portrayed in as having a secret identity as a vampire hunter. For the film promotion, Rustico was commissioned to create a leather journal with the movie logo embossed on the front and a secret chamber for a silver bullet on the inside. The ultimate weapon against vampires!  If you’re looking for a custom piece for your organization, corporation or event please consider Rustico. We specialize in designing and creating custom leather pieces that fit your needs. Click here to view more custom pieces at our website or call 1.866.426.4957 for more information.”

.

If you are looking for more information on Rustico call the number in the paragraph above or visit their website. If you are interested in these custom items to promote your own business contact your local promotional items vendor or email info@proformagreen.com for information and pricing.

Tags: , ,

More Color and Dokumental Ink with the Eco Kaleider

7 Sep

Shepenco is a fourth generation family owned business offering promotional pencils and pens from their location in Shelbyville, Tennessee since 1933. As more sustainable materials have become available for the creation of writing instruments, Shepenco has developed one of the largest line of eco-friendly writing products in the industry.

This new Italian design ECO KALEIDER™ offers a new colorful look in biodegradable pens. Step up to a Parker refill with Dokumental ink, for the best writing eco-friendly retractable ballpoint pen you will ever pick up.

What that means for your marketing project is more choice and more colors. Shepenco currently offers 14 sustainable material promotional pens and 10 sustainable material promotional pencils in their standard line.

Take for example the Italian designed Eco Kaleider that I was checking out at a Proforma convention in New Orleans. This biodegradable – plant based plastic – pen comes in four color mixes, none of which are boring black. So we have barrel and cap mixes of Blue/Red, Green/Orange, Purple/Yellow, Yellow/Orange.

And do they write? YES, they write. Why does everyone ask me that?These pens, all Shepenco pens, write excellently. Why would a seventy year old company bother to develop sustainable writing tools if they did not conform to the Shepenco core duty, i.e. a writing utensil that writes?

Indeed the Eco Kaleider can even be upgraded to Parker refills loaded with Dokumental ink, basically one of the best writing inks there is coming out of Germany and used in a whole lot of pens that cost a whole lot more than the Eco Kaleider.

What I am trying to say is this “eco” pen, upgraded with Dokumental ink, likely writes better than any pen currently on your desk. So yes they write, if you’re still a skeptic ask for a sample, and get over it.

Here is a bit of video from the Shepenco booth at the Proforma Convention in New Orleans. If you are an ASI member with questions about Shepenco Joyce Allen is the contact to talk to. If you are interested in these items to promote your own business contact your local promotional items vendor or email info@proformagreen.com for information and pricing.

Tags: , ,

%d bloggers like this: