What does DBA stand for?
Titled for the legal term 'DBA' or 'Doing Business As', the name of our company indicates a different way of doing business. We are not just 'doing business' but rather doing business as a means to larger concerns and interests. We are doing business as designers, ecologists, socially responsible individuals, architects and so on. In this way the name DBA is a placeholder for the many hats that we wear - It is a placeholder that defines a potential for not only producing objects or ideas, but producing them in a specific way that reflects our ethos as a company.
Why is the DBA Pen 98% biodegradable and not 100%?
Our first priority in designing the DBA 98 Pen was to create an excellent writing experience. For this reason we have selected the finest roller-ball nibs available, constituting the 2% of non-biodegradable material. Other pens that claim biodegradability consist of non-biodegradable pen components in a biodegradable shell. DBA has taken the initiative to redesign the entire pen, from the biodegradable reservoir to the non-toxic ink - all of which adds up to being the most ecological pen on the market.
How should I dispose of my Pen?
Can I throw my DBA pen into my backyard compost?
If the pen is biodegradable, why can't I just throw it in the trash?
Most landfills are designed to seal garbage in an air-tight environment in order to minimize toxic runoff. Unfortunately, this also means that aerobic microorganism cannot survive, and biodegradability becomes nearly impossible. Studies show that almost nothing biodegrades in landfills - including food. For this reason we chose to make a pen designed for composting.
Why not create a recyclable pen?
Most pens are made from a mixture of materials, which often includes steel, polypropylene, nylon, polyester and a number of chemicals. Because of their material complexity, they are too difficult to recycle. For this reason DBA chose to develop a biodegradable alternative.
Why did DBA choose to make a disposable pen? Wouldn't a refillable Pen be more ecological?
While there are already many great refillable pens on the market, we found that nobody was making a truly ecological disposable pen - never mind one that looks and works great. And because disposable pens are so widely used, DBA believes that a truly ecological alternative will have the biggest positive impact possible.
Why is the DBA Pen better than other pens claiming to be biodegradable?
Though other pens on the market claim to be biodegradable, none of them account for their ink cartridge. These pens contain non-biodegradable ballpoint ink cartridges with an unlabeled ink. Most ballpoint pens use petroleum-based inks with dangerous biocides. The DBA Pen is unique in that the ink reservoir is 100% biodegradable and the ink meets the highest standards of non-toxicity, which is safe for both people and the environment.
