we had to invent it

we had to invent it
“The pencil - what my grandfather used to call by the Latin name ‘lapis’ - has always been part of my life. HB, 2B, 4B, 6B
for soft shades; 2H for technical drawings. Micro leads, maxi leads. And then, the opportunity to design MY PENCIL.
How could I ever say no?”
Marta Giardini
Designer of Perpetua - The Pencil.
Perpetua - The Pencil
A real revolution in the world of writing! For the first time ever, recovered graphite was combined with a chemical compound making it harder, shock-resistant, and clean, as it does not dirty your hands.
Perpetua is a European registered patent on both product and production process and is the only pencil 100% Made in Italy.
Recycling while writing
Intuition turns into inventing research in how to use tons of graphite powder,
a waste of the industrial production of electrodes, otherwise destined to be
put underground.
While writing, you are disposing of Perpetua’s 15 grams of graphite. In fact,
its exclusive production technology makes the traditional wood casing
unnecessary: an eco-sustainable system that reminds us that trees must be
cut down to make standard pencils.
So, Perpetua is not only a new style of writing but also a new style of living,
respecting the Planet and being aware that small actions can make a big
difference.
Photo © Marco Bertolini
Not a single tree was cut down to make Perpetua - The Pencil
The material
Perpetua is made of Zantech®, an innovative material made of 80% graphite powder, recovered from the industrial production of electrodes, otherwise destined to be put underground.
section: A-A1
a flat side prevents it from rolling away...
0 9 mm (0.35 in)
HB hardness
A
weight: 15 gr.
A1
design Marta Giardini
length: 19.5 cm (7.68 in)
Its unique features
Perpetua has a flat side that prevents it from rolling away, it does not break
if dropped – all this with no protective varnishes or further processing. It
can be sharpened, but it writes when blunt. Its food-grade eraser (FDA),
available in 10 different colors, forms a single body with the writing part.
The pairing of rubber and graphite is fruit of invention and it occurs during
moulding without any kind of glue.
Its versatility enables everyone, from children to astronauts, to use it.
It is non-toxic, therefore suitable for children, and it conforms to the way
they draw and write, without breaking.
It may be used on spacecrafts and space stations because Perpetua is the
only pencil whose technological features prevent graphite micro-particles
from dispersing and short-circuiting on-board instruments.
Photo © Marco Bertolini
The packaging
Perpetua always comes with its exclusive FSC certified black cardboard packaging.
The “O-RINGs” are made in Italy, with natural rubber extracted from the plant, dyed with natural ingredients, and transformed into multicolored bracelets to wear.
The color chart
The eraser of Perpetua is available in ten colour variants: yellow, orange, red, fuchsia, dark blue, light blue, lime green, bright green, white, and black.
The display stand
The display stand,exclusive for retail outlets, has a 30cm (11.81in) diameter black rubber base and an aluminum
crowner. Double-sided Hy Lite in Italian and English describes the history and values of Perpetua.
The pack supplied to stores includes 64 pencils, 8 per colour. Perptua’s experience become seven more unique thanks
to the video contents of the QR Code.
The awards
In December 2013 Perpetua is the winner of the edition of SETTE GREEN AWARDS, in the Best Sustainable
Inventions category. The competition is organized by Sette (the weekly magazine of Corriere della Sera, one of Italy’s
leading newspapers), Conai (Italy’s packaging recovery consortium), and E.ON. Its aim is to award those who tangibly
contributed ideas and projects to safeguarding the environment in 2013.
In April 2014 Perpetua accepted the Special Mention as BEST PRODUCT of the 7th edition of the PREMIO IMPRESA
AMBIENTE, promoted by the Rome Chamber of Commerce, in co-operation with Unioncamere (the Union of Italian
Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Trade and Agriculture) and with the support of the Italian Ministry of Environment, Land
and Sea.
NewYork, February 2015: Perpetua was nominated in the Green Innovation category at the 2014 BEST OF YEAR AWARDS,
organized by Interior Design Magazine and dedicated to the best design projects worldwide.
In October 2015 Perpetua was selected by ADI Design Index 2015: this is the first step toward the Compasso d’Oro
(Golden Compass) Award, the world’s most prestigious design award.
is a revolutionary way of re-thinking materials and objects. Through research, imagination, innovation, and technology,
scraps of raw materials – otherwise destined to destruction – are given a new life. New design objects – useful, original, functional,
and innovative – are made in full respect of people and the planet. Perpetua – The Pencil is the first of them.
is an idea by Alisea Recycled & Reused Objects Design. Since 1994 “reusing” and “recycling” raw and recovered
materials have made it a reference point in the production of design objects.
Perpetua - Back to School and Work
Perpetua – The Pencil is for everyone! For both left - and right-handers.
The versatile idea behind its Special Pack “Back to School and Work” takes into account not only the hand you use for writing, but also the hand you use for sharpening the pencil, although Perpetua
also writes if it is broken or blunt.
The concept
The question “Which hand do you write with?” will be replaced by “Which hand do you sharpen
your Perpetua with?”.
Just choose: A yellow sharpener if you are left-handed and a red sharpener if you are righthanded.
We propose two versions, because we have also taken into account the hand that you more
likely use for sharpening.
A dedicated packaging describes Perpetua’s unique and extraordinary qualities to both children
and adults.
The Pencil Sharpener
For Perpetua, we wanted the sharpener produced by Stabilo. Founded in 1885, it is the first
writing company to design a complete line of ergonomic tools with ad hoc characteristics for
those who write with their right hand and for those who use their left hand.
Perpetua’s sharpener has a solid and resistant blade that ensures a smooth, accurate cut
and supports the hand’s movement.
Perpetua - Glitter Edition
With Perpetua Glitter Edition, Perpetua - The Pencil becomes a jewel. Like a charming and outgoing young lady, Perpetua loves to enhance her character and to express her style through those small,
essential details that make her unique. This time, Perpetua surprises with the sparkling and original Glitter Edition look: the decoration of Perpetua Glitter is obtained by the combination of creek’s
sand - sifted and cleaned - and flakes of recycled colored aluminum.
Its decoration
The decoration is applied entirely by hand thanks to a technique from the goldsmith’s craft italian
tradition, the same used to glaze silver and gold jewels.
Nature, recycling, artisan know-how and goldsmith’s craft give life to a design object ideal for writing,
perfect for an exclusive gift or to be collected.
Its colors
Perpetua Glitter Edition is available in 7 colored decorations: gold, dark silver, light silver,
bronze, red, blue, and black.
Tailor Made
Perpetua “Tailor Made” is the department of ALISEA in charge of developing communication and promotional projects for both companies and individuals through customized items of Perpetua-The
Pencil. Several innovative customization techniques transform both Perpetua into an exclusive object and the way corporate values such as environmental awareness, innovation, design exclusively
Made in Italy are communicated.
Perpetua - The Pencil & Arclinea
Perpetua Special Edition for the Grand Opening of Arclinea Hong Kong Showroom, a leader in
the design and technology of Italian kitchens.
Perpetua - The Pencil & Hotel Excelsior Venice Lido Resort
The historic Venetian hotel has chosen Perpetua as an exclusive item specifically designed
for its customers and for anyone who loves classy accessories and to respect the
environment.
Perpetua - The Notebook.
From the world of Perpetua – The Pencil, a new object comes to life: Perpetua - The Notebook. Perpetua changes your style of writing!
Perpetua - The Notebook is different from the others.
The Material
The cover is in ECOPHILOSOPHY, an embossed paper created in the sixties originally for
industrial bags that had to contain and stock heavy and moist products, such as flour, bran,
glue, and cement. It is a special material, able to resist to wear, tear, and highly water-repellent.
Today, “for the very first time”, Perpetua-The Notebook adopts the Ecophilosophy paper in an
alternative and original way.
The covers in Ecophilosophy paper are printed with environmentally friendly inks in a solar
power plant.
Perpetua - The Notebook:
Its “O-Rings”.
The two “O-RINGs” elastic bands that seal Perpetua-The Notebook are made in Italy, with
natural rubber, and coloured with natural ingredients.
has re-interpreted “O-RINGs”, hydraulic seals originally just black, for the first
time and has transformed them into multicolored bracelets to wear.
Photo © Marco Bertolini
info
Alisea Recycled & Reused Objects Design
Via Saviabona 56 - 36010 Cavazzale (VI)
Tel. +39 0444 597691
Fax +39 0444 1830491
www.alisea.it - www.perpetua.it
Not a single tree was cut down to make Perpetua - The Pencil, and this leaflet.