Sustainable and creative: STAEDTLER makes pencils from “Upcycled Wood”

High-quality pencils from the smallest wood chips in order to make full use of wood as a raw material and thus save resources

“Made from Upcycled Wood”: STAEDTLER will mark its upgraded pencils made of wood chips with this note from 2022
“Made from Upcycled Wood”: STAEDTLER will mark its upgraded pencils made of wood chips with this note from 2022 © STAEDTLER Mars GmbH & Co. KG

Flower vases made of bottles, wine crates as bookshelves, costumes made from leftover fabric: Upcycling gives old objects and supposedly useless materials a new purpose. It is a creative way of upgrading, saving resources and protecting the environment. STAEDTLER uses this principle to manufacture its pencils from “Upcycled Wood”. In addition to the classic coloured pencils and pencils made from wooden boards, the writing and creative goods manufacturer also produces high-quality pencils from the smallest wood chips in order to make full use of wood as a raw material and thus save resources.

Inspiration through upcycling

Upcycling recycles residual or waste materials and transforms them into something new. While the original material loses some of its value during recycling or downcycling, it is upgraded during upcycling.

“Many people know upcycling from hobby projects, for example when old cans are decorated and turned into colourful pen holders,” says Britta Olsen, Head of Brand & Communications at STAEDTLER. This principle combines creativity with sustainability and served as an inspiration for STAEDTLER’s specialproduction technology. Pencils under the label “Made from Upcycled Wood” are made from wood chips, which are produced as a by-product in the wood industry. “Even the smallest wood residues find a new purpose,” says Britta Olsen.

STAEDTLER was inspired by upcycling for the production of the pencils “Made from Upcycled Wood” and upgrades wood chips from the German wood industry to coloured pencils and pencils. © STAEDTLER Mars GmbH & Co. KG

Resource-saving pencils made from wood chips

STAEDTLER processes wood chips for pencils “Made from Upcycled Wood”, which are produced duringsawing and planing processes in the German wood industry. These are ground and turned into high-quality pencils in a granulate. This wood comes from PEFC-certified, predominantly German forests(PEFC/04-31-1227), which are managed in an ecologically, economically and socially sustainable manner.

All products “Made from Upcycled Wood” are “Made in Germany” – the extraction of wood chips from German sawmills and production therefore takes place in the same country. This keeps transport routes short and saves energy. STAEDTLER also pays particular attention to sustainable production processes beyond the production of pencils “Made from Upcycled Wood”. For example, the writing and creative goods manufacturer has been using 100% green electricity at all German locations since 2021, including for all pencils “Made from Upcycled Wood”.

Efficient use of wood

Wood is the heart of STAEDTLER pencils and coloured pencils – both for the classic wood-cased pencils made from wooden boards and for pencils “Made from Upcycled Wood”, such as Noris colour.

“Wood is central to us. That’s why responsible use of this resource is all the more important to us,” says Britta Olsen. According to the German Federal Agency for Civic Education almost a third of the world’s land is forested, but the forest population is continuously declining. “For pencils ‘Made from Upcycled Wood’, we need less new raw materials because the wood chips used are a residual product. With this production technology, we can use wood even more efficiently,” says Britta Olsen and continues: “It’s in our hands to take responsibility and preserve the environment for future generations.”

About STAEDTLER

STAEDTLER is one of Germany’s oldest industrial companies. The group ranks among the world’s leading manufacturers and suppliers of writing, colouring, drawing and modelling products. With its products, STAEDTLER inspires the creativity of its customers throughout their life: from their first attempts at colouring in early childhood to products for creative work. The writing and creative goods manufacturer offers a wide range of high-quality products for all ages and demands, constantly developing new approaches to connect analogue tradition and digital innovation. STAEDTLER headquarters are located in Nuremberg. It currently employs more than 2,300 people in 26 countries worldwide – of which approx. 1,200 work in STAEDTLER’S domestic market. For production the company stays true to its roots and counts on quality “Made in Germany”: nearly two-thirds of all STAEDTLER products are manufactured in Germany.

Source

Staedtler, press release, 2022-02.

Supplier

Staedtler Mars GmbH & Co. KG

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