Every day around the globe people of all ages are injured and killed by illegal firearms. As well as the awful loss of human life, armed violence costs billions of dollars a year and is particularly harmful in developing countries. We’re partnering with Humanium Metal to help stop the spread of these illegal firearms and transform them into commodities for peace. Each Humanium Metal ingot weighs about 4.5 kg (9.9 lbs), which is approximately the equivalent of how much a fully loaded Kalasjnikov weighs. Imagine a material that is not only made from recycled materials but, further than that, also helps to prevent violent crime and pave the way for a more peaceful, sustainable world. This material is Humanium Metal, and we’re proud to announce a new project we’ve been working on for the last twelve months using this incredible new material: A Good Humanium Metal Pen. Early sketch of A Good Humanium Metal Pen. Upcycling something terrible We first heard about Humanium Metal before it officially launched. It’s a beautiful idea that takes something terrible, illegal firearms, and recycles them into something new that can be used to create good in the world. Worldwide roughly one person a minute is killed by an illegal firearm, a shocking fact. The initiative operates in developing countries to help communities who face overwhelming psychological, social and economic difficulties as a result of gun crime, but almost never receive sufficient support. The way it works is by taking illegal weapons, seized by local authorities, and recycling them to create a new element, Humanium Metal, that can then be used to make new products. These new products are then sold and the money raised is used to fund projects that stop the spread of illegal weapons and help rebuild the societies they’ve torn apart. There are more than 500 million illegal firearms in the world, so that’s a lot of metal. A symbol of peace We’re dedicated to finding new materials that work for both humanity and the planet. For us, Humanium Metal represents something extraordinary in that it takes an item created for killing and allows it to be upcycled into something that will be a strong symbol of peace. This as well as providing much-needed investment in communities that are being held back by gun violence. That’s why we knew we wanted to get involved in this project and eventually we came up with the idea for A Good Humanium Metal Pen. We decided on a pen because it is in line with our mission of developing sustainable everyday items and because we wanted to create something that can be used as a symbol, like when signing documents of cooperation, peace treaties, or even climate treaties. As a social impact startup ourselves, working on sustainable projects supporting communities across the globe through A Good Foundation, we’re grateful for the opportunity to be able to take part in such a fantastic circular project and do our bit to make a positive impact in communities blighted by violent crime.We just received our latest prototype and we’re hoping to have the finished product available sometime after the summer. In the meantime, here’s a sneak peek. 3D rendering of the design. Photo of our latest prototype – from our product development team. Our partners for this project True to our beliefs, we’re well acquainted with our partners on this project. Humanium Metal is run by IM, a Swedish non-profit organisation founded in 1938. Their long-standing mission is to help people in vulnerable situations and free the world from poverty and exclusion. They work closely with local partner organisations across the globe to promote social and economic inclusion and help build strong civil societies. IM and Humanium Metal empower youths to choose violence-free paths. Humanium Metal is part of IM’s strategy to contribute to the fulfilment of the United Nations Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and ‘connect the private sector, right-holders, civil society, consumers and governments in a virtuous cycle for peace and security.’The work for Humanium Metal is carried out with support from local governments, authorities and organisations. Production processes meet industrial standards and comply with Fairtrade policies.Since its inception in 2016, the project has carried out vital work in two countries and won numerous international awards, garnering praise and support from internationally renowned peace advocates such as the Dalai Lama and Hans Blix. A little more about the communities we’re supporting Humanium Metal is helping people affected by armed violence in developing countries. First of all illegal weapons are seized and therefore can no longer do any harm. Then the money raised from the sale of the products made from Humanium Metal goes into more weapons destruction programmes and to support victims of gun-related violence through IM’s projects on the ground. Through A Good Humanium Metal Pen, we can empower communities to reclaim public spaces as violence-free zones. Currently, the initiative operates in Central American countries such as El Salvador. An otherwise vibrant country of great natural beauty, El Salvador’s development has been badly affected by armed conflicts, with many of its citizens living in a world of poverty that we in the Western world find it difficult to imagine. In 2016, a total of 6565 people were reported as murdered, more than 100 times higher than a similar-sized country like Denmark. How can a country achieve its development goals against a backdrop such as this? The answer is, it can’t.IM partners with local organisations in El Salvador to give people the means to rebuild their lives, rehabilitate and reintegrate with society, get an education, help women support themselves and become financially independent, prevent gang warfare and young people joining gangs, provide platforms for public debate, and stop the spread of illegal firearms and the damage they cause. A more peaceful, sustainable future Without peace and prosperity, we cannot hope to build a truly sustainable world for everyone. Environmental sustainability cannot be achieved – or even worked towards – without social sustainability. With A Good Humanium Metal Pen, we’re glad to be able to provide support to stem the terrible destructive force of illegal weapons and put countries on a path to a more peaceful and sustainable future. Sign-up for a non-binding waiting list - we notify you when it is ready to order If you have any questions or fun ideas about this (or anything really) feel free to get in touch with Emilia Cullborg, who runs our Communication & Community Outreach.