Lousy Ink Makes Art Supplies From Recycled Cartridges

Posted by Rob Errera on 02/27/2019

An illustrator’s ink is like blood — a vital fluid essential to an artist’s livelihood, the medium through which they express creative ideas. It’s also kind of expensive...hey, cut a starving artist a break!

Two starving artists Down Under have developed a method for using recycling ink that’s not only earth-friendly but affordable for fruggle creatives. Lousy Ink is the brainchild of local Melbourne artists, Mike Eleven and Oli Ruskidd, who partnered with Australia’s Close The Loop to produce artist’s ink from recycled printer cartridges.

A New Direction In Ink

Lousy Ink is the world's first 100% recycled artist ink. Made from reclaimed inkjet printer ink collected from recycled cartridges, the Australian-born medium offers an ethically-conscious alternative to other artist inks.

Modern ink comes in a variety of forms, the most common being acyclic ink and india ink. India ink was developed by the ancient Chinese, and, though methods have changed, india ink still has a number of applications. Permanent and waterproof once it dries, india ink is often used in artist pens, while tattoo artists use it for black designs.

Eco-Friendly Art

Lousy founders Eleven and Ruskidd share a love for art with purpose, and a vision for a more sustainable future. In 2017, Ruskidd’s uncle, a chemist at Close The Loop, gave Ruskidd a few bottles of recycled ink to test out. From there, Ruskidd and Eleven decided to share this resource with the local art community while spreading the word about more sustainable art-making practices.

From Printer Cartridge To Pen

The company’s Lousy Liner is made from 100% recycled printer cartridge plastic. The refillable pens feature a 0.8 mm tip, black ink, and a refillable inner sponge. The plastic housings of all Lousy pens are also made from 100% PCRPP (Post-Consumer Recycled Polypropylene), plastic sourced from waste inkjet cartridges.

Their Name Is Lousy

Eleven and Ruskidd began their mission by choosing a bad business name.

“Our name is...lousy,” admits Eleven, claiming the two have never run a business before, but are fueled by a passion to raise awareness about ethical art-making and championing their fellow artists.

Since its inception Lousy Ink has revamped its packaging, been stocked and distributed all across Australia, and hosted a number of large group exhibitions. Could conquering America be far behind?

Either way, genuine, brand name ink and toner cartridges need to start their lives somewhere...and that place is here, at the Toner Buzz warehouse! We’re bursting at the seams with brand name printing supplies. Get real-deal, OEM ink and toner here!

Rob Errera

Rob Errera is an award-winning journalist embedded in the world of printers and printing supplies. Rob has nearly two decades of experience writing about cutting edge technology, business trends, and the ever-evolving industry of printing.