Caran d'Ache X Nespresso on Sustainable Innovation

For over 100 years, Caran d'Ache has been respectfully perpetuating the art of drawing and writing, Nespresso a pioneering company and the reference in the market for high quality irresistable coffee. Their shared values of innovation, excellence and environmental sustainability made this power partnership the ultimate fit, seeing Nespresso and Caran d'Ache partner for a third time to create a limited-edition ballpoint pen made from recycled coffee capsules. 

The perfect companion for everyday life, the Caran d'Ache + Nespresso 849 ballpoint pen is set to appeal to aficionados of both beautiful and environmentally-friendly objects, pioneering to prove sustainabilty and innovation can indeed come hand in hand.

Following the launches of the Nespresso "Darkhan" and "India" capsules, this year Caran d’Ache and  Nespresso selected the deep, satiny purple of the "Firenze Arpeggio" capsules, which is used to adorn the body of the pen. The Caran d'Ache + Nespresso limited edition is a design-led accessory, which also conveys a message of commitment to sustainable development, an issue dear to both Maisons which has driven this collaboration into fruition. 

So how does it work? Breathing a second life for Nespresso capsules, aluminium is present in its natural state and can be recycled ad infinitum while retaining its original  physical properties. Aluminium protects the freshness, flavour and quality of Nespresso coffees, without the need for additional packaging. Provided they are collected and recycled, Nespresso capsules can quite simply be used in many different forms and shapes again and again. As part of its sustainable global approach, Nespresso has been managing its own system for collecting and recycling aluminium capsules for over 29 years to give the capsules a second life. 

The capsules, which are continuously collected at more than 3,700 Nespresso collection points in Switzerland or through the free "Recycling at Home" home collection service, are taken to Moudon (VD) where the aluminium is separated from the coffee. The coffee grounds are converted into  sustainable energy and natural fertiliser in a biogas plant in the municipality of Valbroye (VD), while the aluminium is melted down and recycled into new products. 

More than just a stylish keepsake, this limited-edition pen demonstrates the benefits  of the circular economy. The brand’s manufacturing process has had to develop specific innovation to avoid compromising the quality of the writing instrument and pioneering across the industry in sustainable innovation. The added bonus? This unique edition is engraved with  "Made with recycled Nespresso capsules" and is packaged in 100% recyclable and glue-free cardboard packaging strengthening the innovative and responsible approach taken by the two iconic Swiss brands. 

It was essential to Caran d'Ache to ensure the writing accessory was just as resistant as the other pens produced by the Maison, ensuring its owner can use it for a lifetime, with the ability to even pass this onto younger generations. A refillable Goliath cartridge is sold individually and available in 4 colours and three widths making the tool perfect for years to come.

A true contemporary icon of the Maison Caran d'Ache, the 849 pen epitomises the cultural and creative effervescence of the 1960s. Since 1969, the ballpoint pen has become one of Caran d'Ache's most emblematic products as well as one of its best-sellers (one of these pens is sold every 5 minutes in retail outlets around the world!).  Easily spotted at first glance thanks to its eye-catching hexagonal shape, it is the  heir to the precepts of industrial design and its ergonomic concerns, for anyone searching for a greener, ecologically conscious crafted token right between their fingertips.