Eco-friendly Pen Knife Made in Sheffield from Recycled Ghost Nets
- Feb 10
- 7 min read
At Ecotribo, we believe in creating tools that tell a story - tools that are beautiful, functional, and environmentally conscious. Our eco-friendly pen knife, handcrafted in Sheffield by distinguished master craftsmen, does just that. It’s not just a knife - it’s a connection between the waves that shape our coastlines and traditional steel craftmanship.
Why a Pen Knife?
Pen knives are among the most classic and enduring everyday tools. Historically, these compact folding knives were used in everyday tasks and have since evolved into versatile tools for outdoor explorers, makers, gardeners, and collectors alike. Sheffield - known the world over as the home of steel and cutlery - has been forging knives for centuries. Today, its heritage lives on through artisanal makers like A Wright & Son – Sheffield Knife Makers (Official Site), whose knives epitomise quality, tradition and everyday utility.
By choosing to make our pen knives in the home of knife making, we support local skills, reduce transport emissions, and ensure every knife is made with care rather than compromise.
The Craft Behind Every Knife
Our eco pen knives are handmade in Sheffield, the historic epicentre of British blade-making. The Ghost net materials are collected and processed at our Devon microfactory. These knives are forged and finished using techniques passed down through generations - a process that embodies precision, patience, and pride in ones craft.
The blades and springs are first cut out of sheet steel, using blanking tools and a 50 ton press. These are then marked, drilled, nail nicked and straightened before hardening and tempering.
Blade blanking tool - these come in all shapes and sizes, according to each pattern.
There can be as many as 5 or 6 such tools per single bladed pocket knife.
Blanking out the linings ready to have the holes pierced in them.
The assembled parts are then prepared on the bench prior to assembly.
After the blades have been hardened and tempered they are ground to an edge then cleaned up ready for assembly.
The cleaned parts are ready for assembly, they are the blade, spring, 2 linings, and 2 bolsters which have already been soldered on the linings, 2 rose wood scales and the wire used to rivet the knife together.
The assembled knife with wire sticking out both sides ready to be cropped off and "knocked up".
The assembled knife is then "knocked up" at the bench using a hammer and an anvil called a "stidy". All this is done by hand with the upmost skill so that the knife still "walks and talks", the term used to describe the opening and closing.
The assembled knives in a tray ready to be ground glazed and finished.
Using a Linisher with different grade emery belts, the cutler then grinds and shapes the knives to the required finish.
After a fiinal polish and sharpening the blade on a whet stone this is the finished pocket knife.
Forging the Blade
Every blade begins with high-quality carbon steel - selected for its ability to take a fine edge and hold it through repeated use. In traditional Sheffield fashion, the steel blanks are heated, shaped, and hammered to form the robust backbone of the knife. This step combines metallurgy with masterful hand control, producing blades capable of enduring daily tasks without compromising performance.
Hardening & Tempering
After shaping, each blade undergoes a controlled heat-treating process. This step is crucial: it strengthens the steel and balances flexibility with hardness - giving our pen knives a superior edge that resists chipping and dulling. All of this is carried out by trained Sheffield cutlers in small batches for maximum quality control. For this range we specifically chose Carbon Steel for its extreme sharpness and ability to keep it sharp easily.
Assembly & Handle Fitting
This is where innovation meets sustainability.
Rather than conventional materials like wood or synthetic resin, our pen knife handles are crafted from recycled ocean plastic - specifically ghost nets and ropes collected from the Isles of Scilly by our coastal cleanup teams. These nets are often lost or abandoned in the ocean, continuing to trap and kill marine life silently. By removing them and transforming these harmful materials into durable knife handles, we turn pollution into purpose.
Our Materials: From Ocean Cleanup to Knife Handle
While the blades honour Sheffield’s past, the handles represent our future.
Collecting Ghost Nets with Coastal Crews & Charities
We work directly with ocean and beach cleaning crews, sailing expeditions, and coastal charities, supporting their work through monthly donations, shared recovery efforts, and long-term partnerships. These organisations remove dangerous ghost nets and marine debris while running coastal outreach and education programmes that empower local communities to protect their shorelines.
This isn’t a one-off clean-up - it’s an ongoing commitment to supporting those on the front line of ocean protection. Check out our beach cleaning stories of renewal and regenation.
Each one of our products is made from waste collected from our coasts directly protecting wildlife and the coasts we love. No greeenwashing, pure transparency from shore to shelf.
Where others make vague claims of eco or ocean plastic materials we show you via our Ecotraceability QR code exactly where it came from, and how, where and with whom we process and make our products.
No greeenwashing, pure transparency from shore to shelf with our ground-breaking ECOTRACEABILITY®
The White Isles of Scilly: A Unique Source
This particular batch of pen knives is made from ghost nets recovered from the White Isles of Scilly - a small, uninhabited group of islands just beyond the main Scilly archipelago. Exposed to Atlantic currents, these islands act as natural collection points for lost fishing gear, making them both pristine and vulnerable.
Working alongside Clean Ocean Sailing and our plastic-pirate friends, we recovered and transported 5.5 tonnes of ocean plastic back to the mainland for recycling. What was once drifting at sea - silently harming marine life - is now transformed and reimagined into the handles of tools designed to last a lifetime.
5.5 Tons of Ghost Nets brought back from the Isles of Scilly to the mainland for processing
Meticulous Processing, Not Greenwashing
Once ashore, every net and rope goes through a careful, labour-intensive process:
Deep cleaning to remove salt, sand, and organic matter
Manual separation by polymer type to ensure material integrity & strength.
Precision shredding and processing into our material
Sheet pressing under heat and pressure to create dense, durable slabs
"No two are the same. Every piece is formed by a different stretch of sea, making each knife truly one of a kind."
These pressed sheets retain subtle variations in colour and texture - shaped by sun, salt, and time at sea. They are then cut, shaped, and finished into pen knife handles that are tough, tactile, and completely distinctive because no two are the same. Each one is as unique as the seas they came from which you can track using our unique traceable QR code on each product.
Step 4: Grinding, Polishing & Final Touches
Each blade and handle undergoes meticulous grinding and polishing - shaping edges, smoothing surfaces, and refining the finish until it meets the exacting standards of the craft. The result is a knife that feels comfortable in the hand, sharp at the edge, and striking in appearance.
Step 5: Quality Inspection
Before any knife leaves the workshop, it passes through stringent quality checks. Each blade action, edge grip, and handle finish is inspected by our master cutler to ensure your pen knife isn’t just sustainable - it’s built to last a lifetime.
Sustainability at the Heart of the Craft
What sets our eco pen knives apart is not just where they’re made, but how and why they’re made:
1. Reclaiming Ghost Nets
Ghost nets - discarded fishing nets that drift in the ocean - pose a significant threat to marine ecosystems. Our teams collect these nets from remote beaches including the Isles of Scilly, where the winds and currents wash them ashore. Instead of allowing this ocean plastic to degrade into microplastics, we recycle it into robust knife handles, giving new life to what was once hazardous waste.
2. Made in Sheffield — Reducing CO₂ Emissions
By manufacturing locally in the UK - in the very heart of the historic cutlery industry - we drastically reduce carbon emissions associated with overseas manufacturing and long global supply chains. Every knife we make avoids the transport footprint typical of mass-produced imports. The materials we use are quality Sheffield Steel and ghost nets found on our shores. We don't get involved in cross sea trade of plastic pellets which so often ,and sadly, end up falling overboard when transported, causing havoc on our coasts.
3. Keeping Craftsmanship Alive
Traditional knife making is a rare and valuable skill. Sadly its been a dying skill in the home of knife making, until now. By commissioning and collaborating with Sheffield’s master cutlers, including long-standing artisan makers like A Wright & Son (operating since 1947), we help sustain these crafts for future generations.
We are atists and designers and believe in beauty and craftsmanship over bottom lines - in making things properly, not cheaply, and valuing skill, care, and time over speed and scale.
A Shining Star. A Knife with Purpose
Our eco pen knives are more than tools - they are symbols of:
Sustainable innovation: transforming ocean waste into tools that support everyday life.
Local production: celebrating quality British craftsmanship and reduced emissions.
Durability and design: built to last, to be used, and to be treasured.
Supporting our environment: Each product directly helps protect wildlife and prevents waste from breaking down into microplastics.
Perfect for Everyday Carry and Gift Giving
Whether you’re an outdoor enthusiast, a collector of fine knives, or someone who cares deeply about the planet, our eco-friendly Ghost Net Sheffield Pen Knife makes a perfect companion. It’s practical, it’s striking, and every piece tells the story of ocean cleanup, heritage craft, and mindful manufacturing.
🌍 Join the Movement
By choosing our sustainable pen knife, you support marine conservation, local manufacturing, and the preservation of traditional crafts - one knife at a time.
Explore the range of products with purpose and carry with you a tool that truly makes a difference.
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