We all love stationery...so here are some fun facts!

As National Stationery Week continues on for the last couple of days, we thought it would be nice to know some interesting facts about the subject of celebration. From breadcrumbs being used as erasers to the world’s most expensive pen – these stationery facts are worth the read:

1. The average office worker handles around 10,000 sheets of paper every year

It has been calculated that the average tree is capable of producing around 80,000 sheets of paper, which is enough to sustain around 8 office workers every year.

2. The post-it note wasn’t invented, it was created by accident

In 1968, Spencer Silver, who was an employee of 3M at the time, was trying to create a super-strong adhesive. Yet despite his best efforts, all he could come up with was a very weak adhesive that could be removed without leaving behind any residue. This accidental discovery was then used to create the world’s first post-it note.

3. The ballpoint pen first gained popularity because it didn’t leak at high altitudes

In 1938, a Hungarian journalist called Laszlo Biro first invented the ballpoint pen when he filled his fountain pen with ink from a printing press to avoid leaks because it dried faster. However, success for the ballpoint pen first took off when the RAF adopted it during World War II because it wouldn’t leak at high altitudes.

4. The world’s first pencil eraser was made from stale bread

Rubbers have been used since about 1770 (the name was given by Joseph Priestley) and before that time the preferred method for removing pencil lines was to use stale bread. So next time you leave a loaf of Hovis in the cupboard for too long, why not give it a try?

5. If everyone in UK offices saved one staple a day, it would equate to 72 tonnes of metal each year!

72 tonnes in metal weighs just over two train carriages, which is a lot of metal.

6. You would need 477,710 Bic ballpoint pens to draw a straight line to the moon

According to research conducted by Bic in 2008, each of their ballpoint pens can produce up to two miles of writing. As there are 238,855 miles to the moon from earth, it would require nearly half a million ballpoint pens to draw a straight line to our only natural satellite.

7. The pencil has been proven mightier than the pen

After Bic researched the length a ballpoint pen can draw, another group decided to find out how long the typical pencil lasts. They concluded that the average lead pencil can draw a continuous line for roughly 35 miles. However, if you wish to prove this yourself, we’d advise taking your best sharpener along with you.

8. Pen lids cause an average of 100 deaths a year

Chewing on pen lids is a habit many of us have, but unfortunately this habit has caused a significant global death toll. Realising this, many pen manufacturers introduced a small hole in the lid to help prevent choking.

9. The world’s first stapler was created for King Louis XIV

The first stapler known to man was created for the king of France during the 18th Century. Not only that, but according to records, each staple was inscribed with an insignia of the royal court – which is all very fancy, even by the opulent standards set by France’s royal families.

10. The production of a modern laser toner cartridge requires 3.5 quarts of crude oil

Ink cartridges are made of oil, around 3.5 quarts to be precise. A quart is a little more than a litre, which is a big reason why printer ink is so expensive throughout the world.

11. In the UK, 45 million ink cartridges are sent to land-fill sites a year

To help you visualise this fact, that is enough ink cartridges to stretch the length of Hadrian’s Wall (73 miles) 15 times. Or, alternatively, to cover the football pitch at Manchester United’s ground, Old Trafford, 17 times.

12. Paper clips were used to help fight the Nazis

In the Second World War, members of the Norwegian resistance wore paper clips on their lapels as a subtle sign that they were fighting Hitler.

13. The world’s most expensive pen sold for $8 million

The Fulgor Nocturnus, manufactured by the famous Florence pen makers Tibaldi, sold for $8million dollars at a Shanghai auction in 2010. In case you are wondering how it sold for this much money - the pen is decorated with 945 black diamonds and 123 rubies.

14. Yellow fluorescent highlighter ink accounts for around 85% of all sales

Yellow is in the middle spectrum of visible light, and thus works well for people with colour blindness. This is one of the biggest reasons why yellow is the most popular colour of fluorescent highlighter ink. 

15. Typists’ fingers travel up to an average of 12.6 miles each working day

This means that, on average, typists’ fingers could do nearly two-and-a-half marathons each and every working week.