What is Stationery? Definition, Uses, Types vs Advantages

The word ‘stationery’ is a collective term referring to writing equipment and office materials, including certain machinery. The term is derived from the ancient profession of the stationer, who provided bookbinding, copying, and publishing services at fixed spots near universities.

Stationery shops contain a variety of products which are not limited to writing aids. Over time, stationery has come to include anything and everything required to assemble a project by oneself, including materials required for engraving and embossing.

Key Takeaways

1. Stationery refers to writing materials such as paper, envelopes, pens, and pencils.
2. Stationery can be used for personal or professional purposes, such as letter writing, note-taking, or business correspondence.
3. Stationery is designed with decorative elements and can vary in quality and style.

Uses and types of stationery

Types of stationery can be divided into office and school supplies depending upon the use of the product in question. Listed below are the basic purposes for which stationery can be used.

1. Visual aids – An important function of stationery is to provide highlighters for visual aids. Such highlighters may be bright ink, brightly coloured sticky notes, post-its, and stickers with messages. The bright colours ensure better chances of remembering important details and are useful in all situations.
2. Beautification – You can make any drab-looking project, file, notes, and paperwork more accessible and approachable through stationery products. Sketch pens and coloured tapes are useful when it comes to study notes as well as charts. This category also includes colouring aids.
3. Marking – Stationery is most useful in marking out important sections that require quick access for future reference.
4. Tools needed for work – All the basic products found in an office qualify as stationary. Hole punches, printer cartridges, A4-sized sheets, and all sorts of writing equipment are essential to any establishment and are considered stationary.

Advantages of using stationery

1. The ‘charm factor’ of using stationery has been found in many studies to be why these products are in such demand. Aside from essentials, these are also treated as luxury products to a certain extent and can relax learning and working processes.
2. Any business, to function smoothly, requires the availability of sufficient office supplies. Stationery ensures that work is completed properly and on time.
3. Using folders, files, marker pens, and other related products has numerous organisational and storage benefits. This increases efficiency and hence profit margins and overall productivity.
4. Using superior quality products and stationery ensures your finished project is finer, more accurate, and more cohesive.
5. Stationery products, if bought in bulk, cost much lesser, and it is guaranteed that the material will not be wasted because of its regular use. Even if the products are not used regularly unless it is of a nature such as glue, it is not perishable.

Disadvantages of using stationery

1. Because it is an ever-expanding industry, there has been an unforeseen rise in fancier stationery products that have become more specialized and less durable.
2. Basic stationery is required and essential to a degree for all, but the rise of consumerism and the growing demands for inessential stationery products has resulted in unnecessary buying. It is common to find multiple unused journals, diaries, and luxury pens in households that are not conducive and disadvantageous from the consumer’s end.

References

1. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses_hons/1235/
2. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09720502.2017.1420559

Last Updated : 11 June, 2023