Zebra (pen manufacturer)
Encyclopedia
Zebra Pen Corporation is an American
manufacturer of writing instruments. The company was founded in New York
in 1982 as an independent corporation wholly owned by Zebra Co. Ltd., of Tokyo
, Japan
. The company sells a wide range of pens
, pencils, and highlighter
s through retail stores, wholesalers, and mail orders.
".
Upon further research, Mr. Ishikawa found that zebras are gentle animals with a strong family herding instinct. This was an important attribute, since he wanted to build a business in which employees and customers were all part of a family-like culture. The fact that the zebra looks like it is decorated with large calligraphic pen strokes may have also appealed to the visual image he was seeking.
The Z Grip Line:
The Z Grip pens include the F301, F301 Compact, F402, and the F701. The 301 series are characterized by their stainless steel shaft and hardened plastic grip. The 401 has the same stainless steel shaft with a rubber grip. Finally, the flagship pen, the 701 has a knurled grip and is completely stainless steel.
Fountain pens:
In late 2010 Zebra announced production of the V-301, a stainless steel fountain pen that features a cartridge filling system, silver steel nib and stainless steel barrel.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
manufacturer of writing instruments. The company was founded in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in 1982 as an independent corporation wholly owned by Zebra Co. Ltd., of Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. The company sells a wide range of pens
Pens
Pens may refer to:* plural of pen, Fountain pens - writing instruments* Pens * a nickname for the Pittsburgh PenguinsPENS may refer to:* Percutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation, commonly referred to as electroacupuncture...
, pencils, and highlighter
Highlighter
A highlighter is a felt-tip pen which is used to draw attention to sections of documents by marking them with a vivid, translucent colour.A typical highlighter is fluorescent yellow, coloured with pyranine.-History:...
s through retail stores, wholesalers, and mail orders.
Origin of Name
The Zebra trademark was adopted in 1914. Legend has it that Mr. Ishikawa, founder of Zebra Co. Ltd., wanted a company name that would be memorable and also appropriate for their export business to other countries. He took an English/Japanese dictionary and, opening it Japanese style from the back, started with the "Z" words. He stopped at "ZebraZebra
Zebras are several species of African equids united by their distinctive black and white stripes. Their stripes come in different patterns unique to each individual. They are generally social animals that live in small harems to large herds...
".
Upon further research, Mr. Ishikawa found that zebras are gentle animals with a strong family herding instinct. This was an important attribute, since he wanted to build a business in which employees and customers were all part of a family-like culture. The fact that the zebra looks like it is decorated with large calligraphic pen strokes may have also appealed to the visual image he was seeking.
Products
Zebra's line of pens and pencils include "The Original" F-301 and the M-301, which all have a stainless steel barrel and textured grips. The Jimnie line includes plastic gel-ink pens that are in more vibrant colors as well as a correction pen, while the award-winning Saskatchewpen was designed for use in temperatures down to -50 degrees Celsius. Other product lines include Zazzle highlighters, Sarasa retractable gel-ink pens, and Z-Grip pens with soft rubber grips.The Z Grip Line:
The Z Grip pens include the F301, F301 Compact, F402, and the F701. The 301 series are characterized by their stainless steel shaft and hardened plastic grip. The 401 has the same stainless steel shaft with a rubber grip. Finally, the flagship pen, the 701 has a knurled grip and is completely stainless steel.
Fountain pens:
In late 2010 Zebra announced production of the V-301, a stainless steel fountain pen that features a cartridge filling system, silver steel nib and stainless steel barrel.