Drawing Pencils (made from recycled newspaper)

This pack of wood-free pencils includes five high quality HB pencils with 2mm nibs, hand-rolled using bright colours of recycled newspaper. The pencils are made by artisans at a social enterprise in Sri Lanka, to give good jobs and income, then sold by a small Fair Trade company in West Sussex.

Recycled newspaper pencils cut down on waste and save trees. Each box gives old papers a new life, reducing landfill and need for new timber.

Why choose eco-friendly pencils?

Millions of pencils exist across England, whether for drawing, sketching or just scribbling notes in offices, the kitchen or at school. But was with most things, this comes with environmental consequences.

Years ago, most pencils contained lead (which were toxic to all creatures including us). But today most pencils are made from soft cedarwood (easy to sharpen). However, this has caused mass deforestation, with around 82,000 trees cut down each year to make the world’s 14 billion or so pencils.

Add to that the toxic paints used to colour the nibs and outside (and the plastic packaging) and you can see the issues. Plus when pencils are littered, their slim size means they get missed by filters, and often end up in the sea, where they can puncture and harm marine creatures, especially soft-bellied ones.

Cedar wood is usually from ‘sustainable forests’. But this still means great mono cultures of trees grown with pesticides. And most cedar is from California, so that’s a huge carbon footprint in shipping the wood here to make pencils that often people never use (one may be taken out of a pack, and the rest thrown in a drawer).

And due to the paints used to coat them, they don’t just break down (you can’t put them in compost bins). So that’s more landfill waste to last for hundreds of years.

Keep pencils away from young children and pets, and never litter them (they end up in the sea, and you will know how it hurts, if you ever accidentally stabbed your hand with a pencil or pen.

Most plantable pencils use seeds from abroad (not native species) and many flowers, herbs and onions are toxic to pets. Only use them if made with native seeds, and for pet-free homes/gardens.

Where to recycle plastic pencils and pens

Terracycle offers a free writing instruments recycling programme, sponsored by industry. Just order a box for your office, school or community then everyone can deposit unwanted pens, pencils, highlighters, correction fluids, felt-tips pens and erasers.

You can download a poster to display near the recycling box, and all items are sent off to be made into other things (like park benches).

Pencils pots made from recycled newspaper

These pencil pots made from recycled newspaper (also in round versions) are naturally colourful, and made by artisans in India. They can colours with your office!

Every recycled newspaper pencil pot looks a bit different, thanks to the mix of headlines, photos, and the original print. You rarely get two that look exactly the same.

Many people think paper won’t last, but these pencil pots are surprisingly strong. Most can handle pens, scissors, and other desk items without bending or breaking. Unlike glass or metal pots, these are lightweight and safe even for children to use. If they drop one, it won’t shatter or dent floors.