Virtual Booth

Rice husk is an abundant agricultural residue that is frequently treated as waste, while conventional plastic pens contribute to persistent plastic waste. Husk Write: From Rice Husk to Pen is a student-led sustainable innovation developed to address both issues by transforming rice husk into the outer body of a writing pen. The innovation uses cleaned and dried rice husk, ground into fine powder and combined with cornflour and water to form a mouldable mixture. The mixture is pressed into a reusable pen mould around a standard ink refill and subsequently hardened to form the pen body. A prototype was produced and tested for writing performance, physical handling and practical usability. The prototype was able to write smoothly and was observed to be lightweight, strong and comfortable to hold. The project demonstrates the potential of agricultural residue to be incorporated into a useful everyday school product while reducing reliance on conventional plastic pen bodies. The innovation also promotes environmental awareness among students by linking scientific investigation, material reuse and sustainable product design. Further development is recommended to improve durability, optimise the formulation, develop different colours and designs, and investigate larger-scale production. Husk Write supports the principles of responsible consumption and production, climate action and environmental education, and provides a practical example of how a small school-based innovation can contribute to sustainability.

Keywords: rice husk; biodegradable pen; agricultural waste; sustainable innovation; eco-friendly stationery; circular economy

YOU TUBE LINK : https://youtu.be/yw8ZxwKxjkc