Conversations around waste and plastic pollution don't always go much further than single use plastic bags and water bottles. But frustratingly, there are so many aspects of day-to-day living that generate unnecessary waste, and office work-life happens to be a culprit. Stationery, for example, can contributes to the large amount of plastic and paper waste in the UK. Luckily there are sustainable stationery products out there being created to address this.
According to the Recycling Guide, 12.5 million tonnes of paper and cardboard are used annually in the UK. And the Financially Times reports that, "8.3bn tonnes of plastics have been produced since the industry began to expand after the second world war." That's a lot of waste. You might not realise it but your average ball point pen is disposable, the wood used in your pencils might not be sustainably-sourced, and all the office notebooks and printer paper could very well be made from bleached, unrecycled paper.
There are now loads of wonderful companies specifically creating inventive and fun sustainable products. And existing front-running stationary brands are also stepping up and becoming more eco-friendly with their products, so you no longer have to buy stationary that's creating unnecessary waste and pollutes the environment. Here are seven sustainable stationery products you can buy now.
1
3D Printed Sugar Cane Stationary – Batch.works x Paperchase
Batch.works, a London-based 3D printing company, has teamed up with stationary shop Paperchase to create biodegradable paperclips, pen pots, and ballpoint pens using sugar cane. The stationary comes in fun, bright colours and it's all packaging-free!
2
Recycled Newspaper Colouring Pencils – Remarkable
Remarkable has been creating products from recycled goods since 1996. The brand does everything from notebooks made out of coffee cups, to pens made from old CDs. Try out their 12 pack of colouring pencils created from recycled newspapers.
3
Ryman Eco Font
Whilst this isn't stationary per se, Rymans have attempted to make the world's most sustainable font. Teaming up with font experts Monotype, this font manages to use 33% less ink making it much better for the environment. And the best part is it's completely free to download. You can do so here.
4
Bamboo Stapler – Onyx & Green
Much like the growing trend of bamboo toothbrushes, Onyx and Green has created a bamboo stapler. Bamboo is a versatile and sustainable material that can be used in the place of plastic for a wide range of products.
5
Recycled Punched Pockets – eco-eco
No office is complete without pockets for filing. And these ones from eco-eco are made from 100% recycled and responsibly sourced materials. Both the product and packaging are 100% recyclable. Can't say fairer than that.
6
Copier Paper – Cool Earth & Office Club
Office Club and Cool Earth have teamed to create a copier paper that directly helps counteract deforestation. Sales of the paper support indigenous communities and preserve rainforests in Peru. It's even been given the thumbs up from David Attenborough. Cool Earth is PEFC verified and the product has been recognised to reduce environmental impact through its life cycle.
7
Kenco Pencil Case – Protect The Planet
Protect The Planet is all about eco-friendly stationery. The brand's Kenco coffee pencil case is not only upcycled from waste packaging but it can double up as a makeup bag too. And, as its made out of recycled packaging, each pencil case is unique.
