Wink Pen

Somewhere between a fountain pen and a traditional dip pen, there’s the Wink: a refillable pen that writes not only with ink, but also with alternative liquids like wine, juice, and tea. Drawing inspiration from the glass dip pens that gained popularity in the 1920s, it's the first significant advancement in glass pen technology since the metal scarcity of WWII. Each pen functions as a demonstrator, with a transparent body that gives users a peek into the inner workings. The piston filler uses a simple twist-to-refill and ink-release system, and the handmade glass nib—besides being lovely to look at—serves as a unique feeding mechanism. The result? A beautiful, sustainable take on the writing instruments we use every day. Here’s how it works.

The Wink Pen takes its name from the concept of using wine as ink, but actually, the pen can be loaded with virtually any liquid that possesses a staining property. The idea of using alternative liquids first came about while founder Jessica Chan, a Portland, Oregon-based industrial designer, was working on a concept for a sustainable printer in 2013. The manufacturing of Wink Pens is done primarily in the US with some materials sourced in other countries. The injection molding is done in Oregon, the textiles and steel in Asia, the glass tubing in Canada, and the pistons in the Netherlands. Finally, each nib is individually handcrafted by skilled glass workers in Colorado.