ReWrite Ballpoint Pen

Every year the stationery industry produces ~480,000 tonnes of plastic stationery. ReWrite is on a mission to clean 500,000kgs of plastic from our oceans by 2030, while cutting the need for on-going plastic production in the stationery category. The design challenge was to develop an ergonomic, aesthetic, affordable and sustainable alternative to the traditional plastic ballpoint pen using 100% recycled ocean waste plastic - a material that had never been successfully used to create a pen. This pen needed to be comfortable for daily use whilst also being easily identifiable, a crucial aspect for branding and customer loyalty.

Partnering with a certified ocean clean-up organisation, ocean-bound plastics were collected, recycled and refurbished. Through rigorous testing and iteration (viability & safety) a 100% recycled ocean plastic polypropylene was identified, suitable for injection moulding(pen body) and extrusion moulding (ink insert) at commercial quantities, a major breakthrough. After extensive customer research, our ballpoint pen was designed for ergonomics (two 0.4mm writing-grip grooves), functionality (length, weight, nib size) and a distinctive visual aesthetic and matte texture showcasing the recycled materials. The result is first of its kind - an ergonomic, aesthetic and affordable pen, that rewrites the sustainability story of the stationery category.

A sustainable breakthrough; The ReWrite ballpoint represents a major product design milestone in the development of sustainable alternatives in the stationery category. Showcasing how product design can push the boundaries of sustainable materiality, affordability and social enterprise - giving consumers the option to make an impact. Environmentally, so far ~200kg of ocean plastics has been removed, driven by the initial sales of the ballpoint pen. Profit for planet; Commercially the development of this product will enable ReWrite to drive revenue that will fund the cleaning of our oceans. While, unlocking the opportunity for continued product range development.

Recyclability - Our pens are 100% recyclable through the Officeworks and Terracycle programs that are accessible nation-wide (Australia). Water buoyancy - An initially unplanned benefit of our material and construction methods is that all our pens are highly buoyant in water. Helping our users keep them out of the ocean, if they were ever to accidentally fall in.