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Ditch the Plastic with Refillable Pens – Zero Waste Lifestyle

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One of the easiest ways to living a zero waste lifestyle is to replace any disposable products you use with reusable ones. Obviously, this is not something that you can do all on one go but even if you make one switch a month, after a year you’ll be well on your way to zero waste.

Over the last 5 years or so I’ve made lots of switches including…

As well as helping me to live a more sustainable lifestyle these switches have also saved me money in the long run.

One switch that I’ve been wanting to make for a while now is to a refillable pen for my office. In the past, we have always used those cheapy plastic ones, which never seem to last very long and you always seem to lose them!

Ditch the Plastic

So why make the switch? Single-use plastic accounts for half of the 300 million tons of plastic we produce each year. Plastic never goes away, every single piece of plastic that has been made still exists on this planet.

A few weeks ago I was contacted by a company called Pen Heaven. They sell a selection of luxury pens including ballpoint pens, fountain pens and rollerball pens.

Pen Heaven

Fountain Pen Converters 

What caught my eye on their website was that they also sell fountain pen converters. They’re a little tube that you put inside your fountain pen which you can fill with ink yourself. The converters are reusable.

That means that you can buy ink in a glass jar and just reuse the same cartridge instead of throwing away the ready-made plastic ink cartridges. The converters can be used with the majority of fountain pens.

fountain pain converter

Does anyone else remember the nightmare that ink cartridges were at school?. Mine used to continually break in my pencil case and create a right mess in my school bag or am I just old?

Ditch the Plastic with Refillable Pens #ZeroWaste #ZeroWasteLifestyle Personally, I didn’t even know that fountain pen converters were a thing but I’m so happy with mine. It means I can reuse the same pen over and over again.

When I’m finished with the glass ink jar, which I’m guessing will take me a while, I’ll put it in the recycling. Disposable pen problem sorted!

Another plus for using ink from a jar is that you have much more colour options to choose from.

Pen Heaven have a handy guide on their blog of How To Use a Fountain Pen Converter.

The best bit is if you already own a fountain pen then you only need to buy one of the converters. Prices start from £3.90.

As a side note apparently I’m now ‘in fashion’ because I use a fountain pen as a large majority of millennials are switching to them. I think the last time I was in fashion was back in the 90’s with my Tamagotchi!

‘Fountain pens are back in fashion as millennials turn to handwriting in an attempt to escape the digital age, according to market insiders.’ Telegraph

Fountain pen with feather

Sustainable Ink: Converting to Ditch Single-Use Plastic

In a world that is drowning (quite literally) in plastic, online gift emporium, Pen Heaven, are urging lovers of cursive to ditch the single-use ink cartridge, in favour of the old-school converter.

Pen Heaven are advocating the use of bottled ink and converters for all conscience writers.

Here’s what Pen Heaven have to say about disposable plastic…

‘With single-use plastic accounting for half of the 300 million tons of plastic we produce each year, it’s clear we need to use less ‘disposable’ plastic and employ a more sustainable approach.

As sales of the classic fountain pen continue to increase, with more people reverting to handwriting in an attempt to elude the digital world, Pen Heaven are advocating the use of bottled ink and converters for all conscience writers.’ Pen Heaven  

If you don’t already have a fountain pen then it might be worth investing in one for your home. There are hundreds of different types out there.

Lamy Studio Fountain Pen 

I opted for the Lamy Studio Steel Fountain Pen, in grey. It also comes in black and imperial blue.

Lamy fountain pen

‘With its propeller-shaped clip, comfortable tapered profile and contemporary brushed steel finish, this fountain pen reminds us how marks of true brilliance can pop up in even the simplest things.’

Lamy fountain pen - Pen Heaven

‘Typifying Bauhaus design with form following function, the Studio was the winner of the Good Design Award 2005 and the If Design Award two years running. Part of Lamy’s premium collection, this design is sold with a pen converter to be used with one of the brands many ink colours. From £46.80.’

I love writing with it and also knowing that I’m one step closer to zero waste.

So what about you? Would you consider making the switch to a refillable pen? 

Gina Caro

Pen Heaven This is a collaborative post with Pen Heaven: Pen Heaven, founded in 2008, offer a comprehensive range of writing instruments and leather journals offering in-house engraving and embossing. Specialists in classic brands such as Parker, Cross and Lamy, Pen Heaven.

3 thoughts on “Ditch the Plastic with Refillable Pens – Zero Waste Lifestyle”

  1. thank you so much Gypsy Soul for this article which I found while researching zero waste pens. I had not heard of Pen Heaven, but now have bought from them a Fountain Pen, Pencil, Converter, and ink bottle with a beautiful horse on top! I am so excited to start writing with my forever pen and pencil. Thank you so much.

  2. yes they do and their service is first class, really superb and super efficient. I look forward to buying my refill pencil lead and ink jars with them, and will probably buy another fountain pen so I have one for work and one for home. Thank you again so much for this article, I had been searching for ages for zero waste pens, so what a happy relief to find your article!

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