VENT for Change Make a Mark Recycled Pencils (3)
The VENT for Change Make a Mark pencil is a woodless pencil made from recycled CD cases at the maker's own factory in Worcestershire, England. It has a hard graphite core and sharpens in a standard sharpener. A pack of three cost £2.79 (about US$3.68) on November 5, 2026, in our $ band (under $5).
On this page
Product facts
- Product
- Make a Mark Recycled Pencils (pack of 3)
- Brand
- VENT for Change
- Brand origin
- United Kingdom
- Made in
- United Kingdom (Worcestershire, England)*
- Material
- Recycled CD-case plastic barrel (no wood), hard graphite core
- Good for
- Price range
- $under $5 per pencil (multi-packs divided by the count)
- Colors
Charcoal
- Rate it
Notes on these facts
- Made in United Kingdom (Worcestershire, England): The product page says the pencils are made in the brand's own pencil factory in Worcestershire from recycled CD cases, and the sleeve in its photo says made in the UK from recycled plastic. These are the maker's statements; we have not seen the factory. Source. Price: example listing.
- Colors: names per VENT for Change (Make a Mark pencil listings and the maker's group photo), checked November 5, 2026. Color names are the maker's listing names. Tints were sampled from the pencils in the maker's own group photo and are approximate; the maker's photo also shows grey and purple packs that we did not find as single-pack listings. Tints are representative, not measured. Shops stock different colors.
- How we test and disclose samples: How we test stationery.
- Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026. Conversions to US dollars are approximate, at October 2026 rates (US$1 = ¥158 = ₩1,330 = NT$32.5 = CN¥6.7 = SEK 9.9 = DKK 6.7 = ₺49.6 = C$1.41 = A$1.43 = CZK 21.7; €1 = US$1.12; £1 = US$1.32; CHF 1 = US$1.21).
Key takeaways
- The maker says the pencils contain no wood: the barrel is recycled CD-case plastic, with a hard graphite core, and it still sharpens in a traditional sharpener; each pack holds 3.
- VENT says they are made in its own pencil factory in Worcestershire, England; the pack sleeve in the maker's photo reads made in the UK from recycled plastic.
- Each pack holds 3 pencils with the Make a Mark script and the VENT logo printed on the barrel, sold in single-color sleeves.
- On November 5, 2026 a pack of three cost £2.79 (about US$3.68), in our $ band (under $5), about £0.93 (about US$1.23) a pencil.
- The maker gives no pencil length, diameter, hardness grade or eraser detail, and we have not tested one.
What are the VENT for Change Make a Mark pencils?
They are woodless pencils whose barrels are made from recycled CD cases, sold in packs of three by the UK brand VENT for Change. The maker finishes each with the Make a Mark script and the VENT logo, and describes the core as hard graphite. The pencil is also the brand’s origin product: its About page says that in 2014 its founder bought a run-down pencil factory that made pencils from recycled CD cases, and that sales of the pencils fund education projects. We read the maker’s own shop on November 5, 2026.
What are the specs?
The maker lists the material, the pack size and where they are made, but no dimensions.
| Spec | Maker says |
|---|---|
| Pack | 3 pencils in a one-color card sleeve |
| Barrel | Recycled CD cases, no wood |
| Core | Hard graphite grey writing core |
| Sharpening | Sharpens in a traditional sharpener |
| Make a Mark script and VENT logo | |
| Made | Own pencil factory in Worcestershire |
| Length, diameter, grade, eraser | Not stated |
Because the maker gives no length, our drawing is not to scale. For how wooden pencils compare, see best wooden pencils for writing.
How does a pencil with no wood work?
The barrel is recycled plastic, so there is no wood to split, and the maker says a standard sharpener still works. The maker’s wording is “no wood at all yet they sharpen with a traditional sharpener”. It does not explain how the core is held or whether the plastic leaves a rough cut.
A sharp, new blade is the safest choice to sharpen plastic cleanly, but that is our general advice, not the maker’s. See best pencil sharpeners for blades that suit different barrels.
The graphite is described as hard, with no HB, 2B or other grade, so the line darkness is the main unknown.
Who is the Make a Mark pencil for?
It suits someone who wants an everyday writing pencil in a bright color for a few pounds, because the maker sells packs of three at £2.79 (about US$3.68).
- Daily writing: the maker sells these as writing pencils in packs of three at £2.79 (about US$3.68), in our $ band, with a hard graphite core.
Skip it if you need a stated hardness grade, a length or an eraser: the maker gives none of them for this pencil.
What does it cost, and what colors does it come in?
A pack of three was £2.79 (about US$3.68) on November 5, 2026, in our $ band (under $5), at US$1.32 to the pound. That works out at about £0.93 (about US$1.23) a pencil. The shop showed the pack as in stock and offers free UK shipping over £30 (about US$40).
The shop listed six single-color packs: charcoal, pink, red, orange, yellow and green. The tiles above come from the pencils in the maker’s group photo, and screens vary. The photo also shows grey and purple packs that we did not find as single-pack listings.
Where are they made, and what is unverified?
The maker says its own pencil factory in Worcestershire, England. The sleeve in its product photo says made in the UK from recycled plastic. We did not verify the factory, the CD-case source or the claim that they sharpen cleanly, and we have not written with one.
Frequently asked questions
What are VENT for Change pencils made of?
The maker says recycled CD cases, with no wood at all. The core is described as a hard graphite grey writing core. The maker does not say what grade of graphite or which plastic it uses beyond the CD cases.
Do they sharpen in a normal sharpener?
Yes, per the maker, which says they sharpen with a traditional sharpener despite having no wood. It does not name a sharpener type, so a sharp blade is the safer choice for plastic.
How many pencils come in a pack?
Three, in a card sleeve in one color. The maker's photo shows the sleeve with a window at each end so you can see the pencils.
How much do they cost?
£2.79 (about US$3.68) for the pack of three on November 5, 2026, which is about £0.93 (about US$1.23) per pencil, in our $ band. The maker's shop gives free UK shipping on orders over £30 (about US$40).
What colors are there?
Six single-color packs were listed on the maker's shop on November 5, 2026: charcoal, pink, red, orange, yellow and green. Its group photo also shows grey and purple packs.
What hardness are the pencils?
Not stated. The maker says only a hard graphite grey writing core, with no HB or other grade, so check the line on a scrap before you commit to a pack.
Do the pencils have an eraser?
The listing does not mention one, and the maker's photos show the far end finished with ring print rather than a ferrule, so assume not.
Where are they made?
VENT says in its own pencil factory in Worcestershire, England, and the sleeve in its photo says made in the UK from recycled plastic. We have not verified the factory.
Sources
- VENT for Change (maker): Recycled Make a Mark Pencils, Charcoal (description, materials, factory, pack of 3, £2.79; read November 5, 2026)
- VENT for Change (maker): Recycled Pencils, Orange (colors and group photo; read November 5, 2026)
- VENT for Change (maker): About VENT (pencil factory history and what each sale supports; read November 5, 2026)