Blackwing shows how its pencils move from Japan to California
The premium stationery brand’s new short film follows graphite, lacquer and final assembly in its pencil production process.
By Hana Yoshida · Markets Reporter
2 min read
Blackwing has released a short narrated film showing how its pencils are made, from graphite work in Japan to final assembly in Stockton, California. The video gives customers and collectors the brand’s first public look inside a production process that has long been part of its premium stationery appeal.
The film begins on location in Japan with the graphite formulation stage. It then follows the pencils through pressing and cutting before showing the lacquer process, where multiple coats are applied by hand to create the smooth finish associated with the brand.
Final steps take place at Blackwing’s headquarters in Stockton. There, the pencils are tipped, imprinted and packed by hand for sale, according to the company.
The release puts manufacturing detail at the center of Blackwing’s consumer pitch. Premium pencil and notebook brands have found an audience among buyers who treat analog tools as design objects as well as everyday writing instruments, and Blackwing has built much of its identity around that market.
Alexander Poirier, Blackwing’s vice president of development, framed the process as a deliberate contrast with faster production cycles. “A lot of folks these days are obsessed with speed and efficiency. We’re obsessed with taking the time to get the details right,” Poirier said.
Blackwing traces its roots to the 1930s. The company says its flagship Blackwing 602 pencil was used by prominent winners of Grammy, Emmy, Pulitzer, Tony and Academy Award honors during the 20th century.
The pencils were discontinued in the 1990s, creating a secondary market among collectors. Blackwing says individual pencils were selling for more than $40 before the brand returned.
California Cedar Products revived Blackwing in 2010, drawing on what the company describes as a century of pencil-making experience. Since then, the brand has expanded beyond pencils into notebooks, sharpeners and other stationery products.
The new Japan-to-California pencil manufacturing film also reinforces Blackwing’s positioning as an analog lifestyle brand. Its stated focus is on slowing down, using high-quality goods and bringing more intention to work and creative routines in a digital era.