Now that 2019 is winding down,
we’re taking a look at the past 10 years and picking out our top pens
and stationery trends of the decade.
It was hard to choose just one pen, so we have bonus picks for each year as well.
Let’s dive right in!
2010: The Pentel Pocket Brush Pen
Art challenges gained popularity in 2010,
encouraging creativity with daily drawing prompts.
Many artists love to use the Pentel Pocket Brush Pen,
with its springy bristle tip and pigmented waterproof ink.
Pentel definitely set the standard for affordable pocket brush pens!
Bonus Pick
In 2010, Uni released the Jetstream 4&1 Multi Pen in 0.5 mm.
Previously only available in 0.7 mm,
pen lovers could now enjoy using smooth Jetstream ink
in a finer tip size.
2011: The Sakura Pigma Micron Pen
Following the 2011 trend of incorporating mindfulness into your life,
Sakura collaborated with Zentangle to feature their Pigma Micron Pens.
These pens contain Sakura’s patented Pigma ink.
Reliable, pigmented, acid free, and archival quality, they’re perfect for illustrations
and casual doodles!
Bonus Pick
The Kuretake Zig Cocoiro won the ISOT Stationery award in 2011
because of its customizable body colors and refill styles,
including a rollerball pen, a felt brush tip, or a bristle brush tip.
2012: The CW&T Pen Type-A
It’s the pen that launched a thousand ships --cough--
we mean, Kickstarters.
CW&T created the Pen Type-A, a machined pen designed to house the iconic Hi-Tec-C refill.
Now you can find a variety of machined pens on the market.
Click the card to see our favorites.
Bonus Pick
Pilot debuted the Juice Gel Pen in 2012,
and we loved collecting all of the fun, bright colors.
Since then, the line has expanded to include the Juice Up and Juice Paint Pens.
2013: The Tombow Dual Brush Pen
Brush lettering took off in 2013, thanks to felt tip brush pens like the Tombow Dual Brush Pen.
They’re easier to control than bristle tips, making lettering more accessible for beginners.
With over 100 colors,
the Tombow Dual Brush Pen gives hand letterers plenty of options to play with.
Bonus Pick
In 2013, Pilot designed the beginner-friendly Kakuno.
It has fun features like a cute smiley face on the nib that faces up when you write,
and a triangular grip section to help guide your fingers.
2014: The Staedtler Triplus Fineliner
You couldn’t go anywhere in 2014 without seeing people filling in adult coloring books.
The most popular pens to use were fineliners, like the Staedtler Triplus Fineliners.
They have a huge range of colors
and super precise tips to get into the tiny corners of intricately drawn spreads.
Bonus Pick
Another beginner-friendly fountain pen, Platinum’s Preppy line underwent a redesign in 2014
and then again in 2017.
Its smooth-writing nib, affordable price at only $5,
and assortment of tip sizes and colors secured its spot on this list.
2015: The Pilot FriXion Gel Pen
Pilot’s FriXion Gel Pen won the Good Design Award in 2015,
but pen nerds have known about its “erasable” ink for years.
The ink is thermosensitive
and reacts to the heat caused by friction
as you rub over it with the eraser.
It’s perfect for using in planners and journals!
Bonus Pick
Kaweco really outdid themselves with the 2015 debut of the Liliput Fireblue Fountain Pen.
Each pen is constructed from tempered steel
and hand torched to give it a spectacular finish.
Click the card to learn more!
2016: The Zebra Sarasa Dry Gel Pen
In 2016, study channels like studyquill started gaining traction on YouTube.
That same year, everyone’s favorite study pen, the Zebra Sarasa Gel Pen,
got an upgrade with the Sarasa Dry.
It dries instantly on most papers, making it a game changer for students and lefties.
Bonus Pick
In 2016, LAMY released the Lx fountain pen and the Safari pen in Dark Lilac.
Both pens made a huge splash in the fountain pen community,
especially the Dark Lilac, which sold out right away.
This year, LAMY added a new color, Marron, to the Lx line.
2017: The Uni-ball Signo Gel Pens
People were obsessed with pastel hues in 2017,
so it’s no wonder that Uni-ball released these new Signo colors.
The Signo line has been a mainstay of the stationery world for ages,
thanks to its ink quality and selection of colors.
The white pen in particular is one of our best sellers!
Bonus Pick
Speaking of white pens, Sakura’s White Gelly Roll was so popular that in 2017,
they released two more sizes in bold and fine to give journalers and artists more options.
2018: The Pentel EnerGel Infree Gel Pen
Demonstrator pens had a moment in 2018 -- and we aren’t mad about it.
Pentel came out with a new EnerGel model called the Infree,
which features a clear barrel so you can see the ink color inside.
EnerGel ink is one of our favorite gel formulas: it’s quick drying, vibrant, and crisp.
Bonus Pick
Our bonus pick for 2018 is the TWSBI GO fountain pen.
TWSBI is always innovating, and the GO is no exception.
It has a built-in plunger to make filling the pen a breeze,
and the translucent body lets you admire the ink inside.
2019: The Kuretake Zig Clean Color Dot Markers
The 90s came back in full force in 2019.
90s kids all owned stamping pens, but Kuretake kicked it up a notch with their Clean Color Dot Markers.
The squishy dot tip can make circles from 1 to 5 mm wide
or you can use it to make expressive brush-like strokes.
Bonus Pick
The Zebra Mildliner’s soft, pastel hues continue to inspire millions of planners,
journalers, and students.
It’s only fitting that we pay homage to the brush version that released this year--
it was arguably the most anticipated release of 2019!
What trends do you think 2020 will bring?
Let us know what your favorite pens of the decade are in the comments below.
Shop all of our picks and more at JetPens.com.
Thanks for watching!