Pen World | Laban Pen Co.: Stroke By Stroke

BY NICKY PESSAROFF; PHOTO CREDIT @Skybambi 

Slowly and steadily, Laban Pen Co. has grown into a major writing instruments and accessories manufacturer.

    Even in the cold of winter, John Hu would take his daily plunge into the unpredictable waters off the east coast of Taiwan, not returning until he completed at least a one-kilometer swim. The schools of fifish did not hold his interest, the stings of jellyfish did not distract him. The founder of Laban Pen Co. had a goal, and he was determined to meet it. As Laban Brand Manager Mark Hu says, John kept breathing, kept moving forward.

This daily swim happens to stand as an excellent extended metaphor for the path that Laban Pen Co. has taken in its almost 45-year existence. Along with his brother Charles, John got his start in 1981 as a business-to-client manufacturer of fine writing instruments and writing instrument parts. In 1991, John fulfilled his dream of crafting fine writing instruments under his own brand name, Laban Pen Co.

Success and recognition soon followed. In 1997, the young company entered into a partnership with Musei del Vaticano to produce high-quality gift pens for the Papacy. In 2004, the exquisitely carved Dragon Pen won the United Kingdom’s prestigious Royal Academy of Arts Lewis & Clark Award for best fine writing instrument. In 2009, Pope Benedict XVI used a specially made Laban antique silver fountain pen to commemorate his visit to Israel. Numerous Pen World Readers’ Choice Awards followed in the 2000s.

    Then came the flagship Laban fountain pen, the 325, in 2016; the Antique II, based on the pen used by Pope Benedict, in 2017; and the Greek Mythology ink collection in 2021. The Skeleton Rainbow was unveiled in 2021, only to be one-upped by the Laban Formosa in 2022. Finally, in 2024, Laban has entered into a partnership with U.S. distributor Luxury Brands of America, and since then, Laban pens have become ubiquitous.

“When John founded Laban in 1981, his goal was to create highquality, beautifully designed writing instruments that would appeal to collectors and everyday users,” Mark Hu reflects. “In 2024, Laban has stayed true to this vision but has also evolved by incorporating modern design elements and expanding its product range.”

Indeed it has. In so many ways, Laban is a throwback to the Golden Age of fountain pens. Like the major U.S., European, and Asian brands of that time, Laban does a little bit of everything. Also like those companies, Laban embraces both old world and modern manufacturing techniques: everything from classical urushi application
to cold enameling to die casting to CNC machining. Whatever method best suits the pen, Laban has the capacity to use it.

The materials used are similarly varied. Brass and resin, mother of pearl and abalone shell, gemstones and aluminum, gold and silver and ruthenium plating, urushi lacquer and metal powders—name a material, and Laban has likely used it. It’s the reason why defining the Laban aesthetic is difficult. With so much variety, Laban’s products defy easy categorization. The aluminum-bodied Solar fountain pen is modernist and shares visual qualities with Golden Age German fountain pens.

The brass-bodied Antique and Antique II collections appear to be a hybrid of European and Japanese design elements. And of course, urushi fountain pens like Golden Age and Night Lotus use only traditional Japanese urushi techniques.
There is method to this variety, Mark explains: “Working with a variety of materials allows us to explore different design possibilities and cater to a broader audience. Each material brings its own characteristics and challenges, and by mastering them all, we can offer a diverse range of products that showcase our versatility and commitment to quality.”

    But what comes through more than any other aesthetic element—at least to this author—is the Golden Age of Italian fountain pen making. Considering Laban’s long connection to the Vatican, this shouldn’t come as a surprise, and yet it does: how did a Taiwanese brand find itself so strongly influenced by Italian fountain pens of the 1920s through the 1950s? Mark explains, “John has traveled extensively through Europe over the past 45 years, attending business shows and visiting numerous historic sites.” He explains that many of Laban’s B2B partnerships were with brands in Western Europe. “We draw inspiration from their elegance, craftsmanship, and timeless designs. Additionally, our products are inspired by various artistic and historical movements such as Art Deco, Renaissance art, and traditional Taiwanese culture, creating a unique and diverse aesthetic.”

The cartridge/converter-filling Laban 325 collection is the most prime example of what Laban does so well. First of all, it’s marketed as an excellent writer due to the reliability of the cartridge/converter filling system and high-quality stainless steel or 14 karat gold nib. Stainless steel nibs are offered in extra-fine, fine, medium, broad, or 1.1 mm stub, and 14 karat gold nibs come in flex-extra-fine and flex-fine.

Classically tubular in shape, the Laban 325 is identified through its elegant
gold trim matched to contrasting barrel, cap, and end pieces. Most every Laban 325 fountain pen or rollerball has an ivory resin cap, barrel end, and section, contrasted with a colorful resin barrel. The exception is the Cambridge, which has an ivory resin barrel matched to black accents.

Although it was initially created in 2017, the 325 has exploded in popularity over the past couple of years. A starting price of only $160 for a pen branded as a great everyday writer certainly helps, but according to Mark, that is not the reason for the 325’s popularity.

“The Laban 325 quickly became our flagship pen because it captures the essence of Laban through its harmonious blend of aesthetics and technical precision. It features intricate design elements and luxurious materials while embodying the quality and craftsmanship that Laban is known for,” Mark says.

    The Laban 325 on our cover, Damask, is unique in that its green, crimson, and purple barrel sleeve is celluloid rather than resin. Laban describes it as a “living writing instrument.” In part, the company is referring to the connection to Damask flowers and the Victorian textile patterns they inspired. But it also refers to the sensorial elements of the 325 Damask: you can literally smell the celluloid. Laban describes the smell of true celluloid as an “ever-changing aroma…a deep medicinal scent upon friction, akin to camphor but with a hint of earthy aroma.” The colors also seem to shift with use and under different light sources.

In part, a pen becomes a “flagship” when it reaches a certain level of ubiquity, and the Laban 325 is certainly ubiquitous, in large part due to Laban’s first-ever partnership with a U.S. distributor. Representation through Luxury Brands of America means that Laban pens and accessories are carried at nearly every major pen shop in the United States, and marketing for Laban both online and in print is stronger than ever. “Partnering with Luxury Brands of America was a strategic decision that enhanced our presence in the American market,” Mark says. “Their expertise and established distribution network have significantly boosted our sales and visibility in the United States, allowing us to reach a broader audience more effectively.”

Still, a distributor these days needs a full suite of products to promote, and more than ever for a major pen producer, that means a line of proprietary inks. Laban has done inks in the past, and well—pH neutral, light fast, fountain-pen-friendly, richly
saturated.

But the two ink series it released in 2021 and 2022 were a departure. Mark stresses that the quality is the same or even better: “vibrant colors, smooth flow, and excellent performance, making them ideal for fountain pen users.”

    But the subject matter is unique. The Laban Greek Mythology I and II series of fountain pen inks pay homage to the Gods of Olympus: 10 inks total comprised of Apollo Orange, Artemis Navy Blue, Aphrodite Pink, Demeter Brown, and Poseidon Green in Series I; Ares Red, Hermes Sky Blue, Athena Grey, Hera Dark Green, and Zeus Purple in Series II. The square, glass 50-ml bottles come in box packaging featuring illustrations of the Greek gods holding fountain pens. Each color harkens to a quality of the god. For example, Athena’s color is inspired by Homer’s description of her gray eyes, Zeus’s Phoenician purple is an ancient sign of ruling power, and the blood red of Ares alludes to his warlike nature.

Mark makes clear that the importance of the Greek Mythology ink line to Laban’s overall plans cannot be overstated: “The Greek Mythology inks marked a pivotal moment for Laban, highlighting our commitment to the ink market and expanding our brand’s identity. We chose figures from Greek mythology because they represent timeless stories and characters that resonate with many people.”

That is the essence of Laban. The world is a big and varied place, and Laban is determined to create a writing instrument that appeals to any hand. The Solar cartridge/converter-filling fountain pen is an excellent entry-level pen due to its great balance, lightweight aluminum body, uniquely knurled section, and SRP of only $80. The resin-bodied Rosa collection gives customers a classically European-styled fountain pen featuring beveled ends, an elegant cap ring, and colorful bodies at a price point of only $140.

Filigree series like the Formosa, Skeleton, and Spider collections each have clear demonstrator or semitranslucent bodies with intricate metal overlays on the cap and barrel. And even there, Laban shows great variety. In addition to classic gold or silver plating, the 2019 Best Metal Mastery RCA-winning Laban Skeleton Rainbow comes in a striking iridescent finish over the brass filigree that takes on different characteristics depending on the light. The Laban Formosa pays tribute to the mountains and seas of Taiwan’s northeast coast through a semitranslucent blue acrylic body overlaid with a polished silver filigree—a design that is at once classical and modernist.

It is also a chance for consumers to carry an intricate filigree pen at a price in the low three figures.

    And there’s more: new colors of gray, green, and white in the brass-bodied Antique II line at a price point just over $100. The Antique series in stunning gunmetal,rose gold, and gold carries a similar price point. Even Laban’s urushi writing instruments remain in the low four figures.

For Laban, a luxurious writing experience shouldn’t carry a luxurious price, which is why Laban manufactures nearly all of its pens and components in house.
Many of the company’s employees have been there for decades, and there is a strong esprit de corps among the individuals. Laban’s growth has been fluid and organic, but it has also been conscious, and it feels as if something has changed for both Laban and its consciousness among the pen public since 2020. Mark Hu agrees.

“This indeed feels like the beginning of a new chapter for Laban,” he says.
“Looking ahead, we envision Laban as a leading luxury pen and accessories brand
with a reputation for quality, innovation, and timeless design, continuing to inspire
writing enthusiasts around the world.” In other words, Laban’s plan is to continue doing exactly what has made it so successful thus far. Just as its founder, John Hu, would take his daily plunge in the ocean no matter the weather, stroke after steady stroke, so too does Laban continue its journey with the stroke of every new pen.

Visit laban.com and luxurybrandsusa.com.