Starting with Sustainable Stationery: A Beginner’s Guide

Rarely do people stop to think about what the pen they’re using is made of, or how the paper they’re writing on was sourced. However, the truth of the matter is we all need to be more mindful of the everyday products we use — including stationery. From a stack of important papers at work or a journal used to pour every precious thought into at home, these items have an environmental impact.

Whether you’re a parent purchasing back-to-school supplies or a part of a new business set on building an eco-friendly workplace, there are effectual approaches to go about sourcing sustainable stationery.

First, there are a lot of different ways stationery can be made to be more environmentally friendly. It could be how the materials were sourced, the exclusion of plastics in the manufacturing and packaging processes, or the use of natural chemicals as opposed to cheaper, toxic ones. Unfortunately, there is little industry regulation and no official definition for what “environmentally friendly stationery” entails. That being said, there are things to look for as a consumer when browsing the considerable number of options. We’ll go over things to look for in the graphic below!

Sustainable Stationery Supplies 101 from Pen Boutique, a provider of fountain pens for sale