Arbos: Italian stationery pioneer champions recycled materials and museum collaborations

Founded in 1988 by Sergio Paolin, Arbos is an Italian stationery company based in Solagna, Valbrenta, near Vicenza, specializing in products made from recycled materials. The company's name derives from 'albero' (tree) and its logo is a leaf collected by Paolin. Arbos has been a pioneer in recycled paper in Italy, later expanding to reuse leather, fabric, and paper straw. Its philosophy is based on the 3Rs: respect for people, respect for the environment, and research for beauty. Arbos obtained B Corp certification, recognizing its environmental and social standards. Its factory was built on a reclaimed former landfill and two lime kilns. Since 2010, Arbos has collaborated with museums including MUSE (creating a line of notebooks linking both names), FAI, the Rete museale di Massa Carrara, Musei reali di Torino, and the Museo Ebraico di Venezia. It also produced merchandising for the University of Padua. Arbos works with designers and illustrators, such as the Comics collection with short stories by Milo and Poledo by graphic designer Silke de Vivo, and 'LIGO il quaderno geniale' bound without glue or staples using a cardboard that also serves as a pen holder.