Pick the pen by the job it has to do
The right pen falls out of the job it's doing, and there are three jobs we see again and again:
On a true high volume run, the cheaper plastic pen is genuinely the right call, and we'll say so. It carries a full color logo at scale for less, and that's exactly what a giveaway needs. We brand pens for more than 20 different business industries, so whatever your use, there's a pen that fits it.
If a gift is the goal, start with our pen and writing gift sets. For a sustainability led giveaway or office option, take a look at our eco and recycled pens.
Custom branded pens come in two materials, plastic to scale and metal to gift
Custom branded pens come in plastic or metal, and the gap between them is how much they feel worth, not only price. Here is the split at a glance:
| Plastic |
|---|
Choose plastic for high volume giveaways, where a full color print and a low unit cost matter most. Choose metal for a gift handed over in person, where the weight and a permanent engraved mark signal value.
Pad print puts your full color logo onto the barrel and works best on plastic. Laser engraving etches a permanent single tone mark that works best on metal and won't rub off, though it can't hold your brand colors.
Trade show and conference giveaways usually go to plastic pens. Client, closing, and executive gifts usually go to engraved pens. Everyday office and reception restock usually goes to a sturdier mid range pen. We serve more than 20 industries, so your use is covered.
Minimums are as low as 1 unit, though some items are higher. Even a single sample to test the print is welcome.
Yes. A digital proof comes with every order, and nothing is printed or engraved until you approve it.
| Best for | High volume giveaways | A gift handed over in person |
| Cost per unit | Low, scales your reach | Higher, but feels like value |
| Decoration | Pad print | Laser engraving |
| Color | Full color logo | Single tone |
| The mark | Printed on the barrel | Permanent, won't rub or wash off |
The decoration follows the material. A plastic pen takes pad print, where a soft silicone pad presses your logo onto the curved barrel, so it can carry full color. A metal pen takes laser engraving, where the laser etches the mark permanently into the barrel, so it won't rub or wash off.
Engraving carries a single tone, so custom metal pens hold one color rather than an exact brand color or a multi color logo. That's the trade you make for a mark that lasts, and it's the kind of thing we'll walk you through before you choose.
For the executive pick, start with our specialty and corporate pens.
We advise the timing and approve every pen before it's made
You approve a digital proof before anything is printed or engraved, so the control stays with you. Every order includes that proof, and nothing gets made until you sign it off. We advise the timing honestly rather than promise it to a fixed date, because lead times vary by pen and decoration method, and it's our job to advise you correctly.
Minimums are as low as 1 unit, so a small first order or a single sample is welcome. You were likely handed this with someone waiting on it, so a dedicated account manager makes contact within minutes and you're not deciding alone. Behind every order sits a combined 30 years of work in the promotional merchandise sector, so the choosing is done with you.
Send us your logo, or even a rough sketch, and tell us what the pens are for, and we'll come back with the matched pen and your custom logo pens, branded and ready to approve. If what arrives doesn't match the proof you approved, we make it right.
Talk to us online
Call us on +1 862 226 2694
Email inquiries@fortyfourmerchandise.com
