Factors Which Affect the Price of a Quality Pencil
- Type of wood: Traditionally cedar wood is regarded as the top quality wood.
- Quality of the wood: Californian Cedar slats are supplied in different quality grades. Grade 1 is the highest quality. The straightness of the grain and dryness of the wood are examples of the quality factors.
- Purity of raw materials (graphite, clay etc.): Processes which take extra time or extra thorough cost more. The more purification the higher the impact on cost.
- Number of coatings of lacquer: The more coatings a product has, the greater the number of passes through the machine, the greater the cost in materials and time. Faber-Castell uses environmentally safe, water-based varnish.
- Number of identification lines printed on the side of each pencil: The extra finishing requires extra origination work which has a cost.
- End of each pencil (plain cut, dipped once, dipped twice or more, rubber-tipped):To simply cut the end of a pencil is quick and easy compared to the time and cost of additional processes to improve visual appearances and quality.
Highest Quality is Guaranteed!
- All Faber-Castell Art & Graphic Professional Art Pencils are Made in Germany. High-quality, very lightfast pigments are more cost-intensive than pigments with average lightfastness. A higher percentage of pigments is more cost-intensive than fewer pigments in a color pencil as well.
- A thicker, more break resistible lead can hold more pigments. Moreover 20% more wood is needed than with thinner pencils. The eco-friendly water-based varnish is costly and complex, production time is also more expensive because of longer drying times, but much more environment friendly.
- Faber-Castell is the only manufacturer who produces with solvent-free varnish.