Paper Mate has always been a brand of choice in my home. I am an extreme lefty and find that when I use Paper Mate products, I’m not left with smeared paper and a tinted left hand. Trust me…there’s nothing worse than having to re-write a paper, or refill a form because it’s destroyed by trails of smeared ugliness.

I have always trusted the quality, admired the styles and adored the prices from Paper Mate. I know that when I do purchase a pack of pens or pencils; they are going to last for a long time (as long as the kids don’t steal them) and that they’ll perform the way I expect them to.

Now, if you’re anything like me and love what Paper Mate has to offer, then get a load of this!

Paper Mate has recently launched a new line of biodegradable pens and mechanical pencils. The quality, style and price of the new line is no less that what you’ve come to expect from the brand; only this time, you can plant the instruments when you’re done!

Take the ‘Plant a Pen’ Challenge!

Because they’re made from corn-based material; it leaves little to nothing behind! The entire refill components (included with each mechanical pencil) and a majority of the pen and pencil components are biodegradable. The instruments become compost in about a year. Each pen or pencil pack purchased will also include instructions on how to disassemble the parts for planting.

We recently received a pack of pens and pencils, from the new line, to try for ourselves. the kids and I will be planting the biodegradable parts in our garden. I think it’s going to make for a fun ‘year long’ activity with the kids. The girls are already excited about it and can’t wait to add a post above the ‘grave spot’ so that they can dig the dirt up, every once in a while, and see how the whole ‘biodegradable’ thing works. 

This new pens and pencils are the latest addition to the re:think product line from Paper Mate. In this group of instruments, you’ll also find recycled and terracycled products.

With the recycled line; you’ll find products that are made from 67-100% recyclable materials. These products include correction film, ball point pens and wood case pencils.

The terracycled products are actually from people like you and I who sign up an organization (at www.terracycle.net). What happens is; once you’ve signed up you simply raise money for your chosen charity or non-profit organization of choice. You do this by collecting old and used Paper Mate writing instruments. Use their program to ship all the writing instruments to TerraCycle (at no cost to you or anyone in the organization). In the end, each person has contributed to sparing landfills and has helped in collecting money for the select charity/non-profit organization. TerraCycle will then ‘upcycle’ and recycle the Paper Mate instruments and package them into new, fun and innovative products in the future.

So now that you’ve heard about Paper Mate’s latest product line and the Plant a Pen Challenge; What will you do?

Disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Paper Mate and received the products necessary to facilitate my review. In addition, I received a gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate