Appreciate the effort that’s went into sharing these sources, thank you!
this post was submitted on 16 Mar 2025
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Buy European
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The topic everyone was impatiently waiting for, we can all agree.
Ballpoint pens and fountain pens
If you did not knew it already the Cristal Bic, the world most used ballpoint pen, is French and even though the brand is now global and have factories in many countries (including the US, among other brands they own the US Waterman), they still made part of their production in the EU, in France and Spain.
(For those like me who worries about plastic/throw away pens, you may not know that Bic has recently started selling an aluminum body that's shaped like the cristal Bic that you can insert a refill in. Also, and for much longer, they make it possible to buy refills for the cheap plastic cristal Bic by packs of 50—so, you can keep using the same single clear plastic body for much longer only replacing the ink. Alas, those refills are not as readily available as the Bic itself.)
If you're interested in Bic history, and want to know more about what they do, they have this PDF available for download.
I'm not affiliated with them, I just have been chewing on one or another of their Bic pens for well over 50 years now and I quite like them. And that is coming from a lifelong fountain pen user...
Fountain pens? One may want to consider the excellent German brand Lamy which offers both cheap and expensive models of fountain pens (and ballpoint pens too, but not as cheap as Bic). Their cheap ‘Lamy Safari’ pictured here was designed in the 80s/90s to help kids proper handwriting and is still, imho, one of the best cheap/beginner-friendly fountain pen one could buy here in Europe. Its also real sturdy while still being easy to fix if anythign was to happen to it ;)
Also, I think they look gorgeous with their bright flashy colors :p
(colored) Pencils
If you're more into pencils, may I suggest you check the German FaberCastell or the Swiss Caran d'Ache? They're very different kind of pencils but they're also both amazingly good, be it their 'cheaper' lines (say, for kids) as well as, obviously, their artist lines (much more expensive too).
Watercolors
For watercolors, I would suggest the Dutch Royal Talens. Their student-grade paint 'Van Gogh' is unbelievably good for its price, as well as their artist-grade 'Rembrandt'. Heck, even their cheapest 'ArtCreation' line is nice (and it also offers truly excellent and cheap sketchbooks)
Obviously, the English Winsor & Newton whose artist grade paints are now made in France if I'm not mistaken, as well as their Cotman student-grade—but if you go the student grade road, I would strongly suggest you give Royal Talens 'Van Gogh' a try, like really, as you may be surprised.
The French Sennelier, they have a honey-based artist-grade watercolors that are so bright <3. They also have a student grade called 'La Petite Aquarelle'.
Last but certainly not least, I would not want to forget the Ukrainian's Rosa. A recent discovery for me (a little over a year ago) which I quite like.
One should also talk about paint brushes for watercolors, and about inks for fountain pens as in both cases there are excellent EU brands, but this is already way too long ;)
Your turn! Do you know any other European brand of pens, pencils or watercolors?
Edit: updated the title from 'in the EU' to 'in Europe'
You're welcome.
Fountain pens? One may want to consider the excellent German brand Lamy which offers both cheap and expensive models of fountain pens (and ballpoint pens too, but not as cheap as Bic). Their cheap ‘Lamy Safari’ pictured here was designed in the 80s/90s to help kids proper handwriting and is still, imho, one of the best cheap/beginner-friendly fountain pen one could buy here in Europe. Its also real sturdy while still being easy to fix if anythign was to happen to it ;)
Depending on where you draw the line, Lamy might no longer count as a European brand, since they were recently bought out by Mitsubishi Pencils.
That aside, you've still got Pelikan, who do make some entry level fountain pens.
Depending on where you draw the line, Lamy might no longer count as a European brand, since they were recently bought out by Mitsubishi Pencils.
Good point. The company is still in Germany, though.
That aside, you’ve still got Pelikan,
I should have mentioned them (I quite like some of their high-end fountain pens)
And the Lamy ballpoints can finally have a decent ink, now that they're making them with the Jetstream ink. Pretty sure it's a Japan exclusive for the moment, though.
Also, KaWeCo. Not quite as big, but really neat fountain pens.
FaberCastell
You have their USA site's link. Might want to change it to this one: https://www.faber-castell.com/
Thx, updated ;)
Not technically pens or paints but Essdee are great for all things prints - think lino print, block or screen print and so on. They're a UK company.
Thx, I didn't know about them. I would love to see more people re-discover anything Lino and small press related... Anything that may encourage them express themselves and maybe try fanzines or 'zines', as young people call them nowadays.
In the 80s, I was heavy into that and that was so exciting. Being much older today, I'm obviously not the target audience of most zines anymore but a majority of the ones I've had an opportunity to read felt a lot less exciting to me. Some are true works of art, no discussion about that, but they're also very often so... politically-correct and so self-conscious, so afraid to cross anyone as to not dare much if anything. But like I said, I'm now much older and not the target audience for zines anymore.
Does the US even make pens? Isn't this like a France vs Japan issue?
Paper Mate, Parker, Waterman, Sharpie, Sheaffer, Eversharp all come to mind.
I highly recommend Rosemary and Co brushes, most of my paintings have been with R&Co, examples in my history.
+1 to that, they have great products. Rosemary & Co.
In France, one may want to check Raphael. I would say theire offer is a bit too complex to my taste but they have some real great brushes ;)
Marcel Bich invented BIC pens and I think it's still French. Apple is American FYI. I feel like it's not mentioned enough.
the brand name doesn't make it obvious but Waterman is also European, fountain pens made in France and founded in 1883
To be honest I thought they were two completely independent branches
Love Caran d'Ache, some real quality ball point pens. The Goliath refill also lasts a long time.
I love my Pilot G2 pen.
Pilot is great, and not just with pens. I love their fountain pens a lot too be it their cheap lines and their much more expensive ones—my all time favorite fountain pen is their larger Falcon (the metal bodied one) with its flex nib. I also quite like my Mitsubishi uni-ball Eye Fine and Micro rollerballs (both waterproof ink, btw) but none of those are made in Europe ;)