What's New + Zero-Waste Back to School Product Recommendations
Excited to share more in the coming weeks/months as the logistics take shape.
In brief, we are entering into a partnership with a remarkable group - honestly can't wrap our heads around how the stars aligned here at our 11.5th hour.
This partnership will allow the opportunity for the products Wisdom developed to reduce waste in schools + classrooms (and offices + homes) to continue to be produced and offered to individuals and schools alike.
While we work to put all of this together, the following product is in stock and available for pre-order now (shipping as of 9/1):
Zero-Waste Binder Kits
Zero-Waste Binder Replacement Covers
Unlacquered Colored Pencils
In time (possibly for Spring Semester) we will reintroduce our line of notebooks.
Back to School Shopping Lists are long and full of largely disposable plastic garbage that will exist on the planet for the rest of time as we know it.
This new partnership is going to afford us the time to get back into schools to work on systems change and education, in order to reshape the approach to School Supply Shopping - we look forward to sharing as we go.
In the meantime, a few tried and true product recommendations:
*But first, dig through junk drawers, old backpacks, and storage cupboards to see how much you already have and can reuse. Sort it and get it all organized BEFORE heading out to purchase anything new.
Avoid anything spiral bound - spirals turn paper into landfill 😣
Unpainted Pencils
General's Cedar Pointe Pencils: It doesn't get more favorite than these for us.
One of the last pencil factories in the U.S. (New Jersey) - the pencils are made start to finish in the U.S., and the quality is tip top top.
Opt for the box of 12 rather than blistercarded pack of 5 in order to skip the plastic packaging.
Notebooks
MUJI: Avoid the spiral-bound versions - those are landfill - but the non-spiral notebooks are a nice quality.
Binder Dividers
SMEAD 5 Tab: These come boxed in sets of 20. Get one and split with a friend or two. They are totally plastic free and 100% Recyclable.
Pencil Tins
JetPens: Hinged metal tins. You can line them with a piece of felt or wool (like we used to for our pencil tin sets) in order to keep the contents from rattling around inside. You can use a rubber band (the kind used to hold a bunch of asparagus or broccoli from the supermarket work best) to keep the tin's contents secure while jostling around in a backpack or bag.
Highlighters
Sharpie China Markers: Skip forever garbage plastic highlighters (plastic marker recycling is not a real thing) in favor of old-school China Markers. They work beautifully to highlight on paper, they don't bleed through, and there are no caps to leave off. There is a learning curve involved in removing the paper wrap to reveal more of the bright yellow wax, but there was a learning curve to figure out how to tie your shoes too - don't be deterred by learning new things.
Pens
Zebra F701: This is our favorite pen. It's all stainless, and has stainless refills. It will likely come packed in plastic because that is the way of the world right now.
At the same time, most of us have enough pens in junk drawers and around the house to last the rest of our lives, and could opt to never buy another pen.
Natural Rubber Erasers
Koh i Noor: A little obscure, but this is our favorite. Made in the Czech Republic by Koh i Noor - same natural rubber formulation for the past 125+ years.
Zero-Waste Weekly Planners
Wisdom Supply: Our weekly planner business is on a new website dedicated to planners only.
We will share more details soon - thank you for your patience!
If you have any questions in the meantime, you can always reach me at:
heather@wisdomsupply.org
