Publications
Even though not everyone chews their pens and pencils, this gives a clue as to why this lid has a hole in it: for in case you chew your pen and accidentally swallow the lid and choke on it.
In 1991, Bic had already incorporated this hole in the design of their pens.
But be warned: this measure isn’t foolproof. The best practice remains to keep your pen in your paws and out of your mouth.
Read more: This is what that tiny pocket in your jeans is actually for
Fast facts about Bic
- Bic is an abbreviation of the name of founder Marcel Bich. He and partner Edouard Buffard started manufacturing fountain pens and mechanical pen components in Clichy, France in 1945.
- They weren’t the first manufacturers of ballpoint pens. That distinction belongs to Bíró, which patented their invention in 1938 in Paris.
- The tiny figure in the logo is known as the “BIC Boy”. It originally depicted a schoolboy with his head shaped like a ball and holding a pen behind his back.
- The popular Bic lighter made its appearance in 1973. It’s said the lighter can be used up to 3 000 times.
- Colour crayons became part of Bic’s stable in 1979 after it took over French company Conté. Today there are more than 280 Bic products on sale in 160 countries.
- If you were to draw a continuous line with a Bic ballpoint it would be 2-3 km long.
Sources: thesun.co.uk. bicworld.com, statisticbrain.com
