At our annual vendor fair the Staples table was loaded with swap, and among the items they were featuring was this Paper Mate Biodegradable ballpoint pen. The components are made from a corn-based material which, when planted in soil or composted, will degrade within about a year.First thing for me always is aesthetics: do I like the way it looks? The answer is yes, I love the cream and mint colors. The pen is a bit bigger than I would like barrel-wise and the 1.0mm tip as well. Overall, it looks good, writes well, and is a keeper (until I want to get rid of it, and then I won't be worried about recycling).
Paper Mate's Biodegradable line also features a mechanical pencil, which a friend of mine picked up. That too looks nice and works well, so both are definitely something to think about if you're looking for green office products.
I just wanted to say thank you for posting on your blog so frequently; it is easy to run out of reviews to read, so I love the fact that I can check back here and get see new items so often.
ReplyDeleteI probably won't buy this pen, but it would be excellent if Pilot, Uniball, and Zebra starting doing this.
Take care,
Alex
Thanks for the kind words and feedback. I probably wouldn't have bought this pen either, but as a freebie it's perfect. :)
ReplyDeleteHi there, Love the blog - great writer
ReplyDeleteWhy did you say you would not buy this pen from papermate? Something wrong with the pen or the brand?
But you would if it came from some other brand like Zebra (which is a not a major brand)?
Papermate's performance is subpar, in my opinion and, to be fair, I typically dislike the Zebra ballpoints, also.
ReplyDeleteIf Zebra did a biodegradable Sarasa Clip .4 gel, I would be thrilled. I do like the F-701 ballpoint, but I am looking forward to a potential G-701 that I've heard rumors about.
The F-701 is a quality product, but the ink is a bit grey, which is typical of ballpoints.
Alex