Tri-colour touchscreen pen voted best Belgian souvenir

A touchscreen pen in the colours of the national flag has been voted the winner of Belgian Beauties, a competition to find the country’s best souvenir. The competition was launched as part of the Handmade in Belgium programme, which is sponsored by Unizo, the organisation that represents the self-employed.

The stylus (pictured), designed by Alain Bontinck of AB Wooddesign in Avelgem, West Flanders, comes in a wooden case and costs €52. The competition, which was co-sponsored by DHL Express, was organised because “tourists so often head home with a souvenir ‘Made in China’ even though there are so many worthwhile, unique and craft products that represent our country as well,” a Unizo spokesperson explained.

The touch-pen is for use with tablets, smartphones and laptops using touchscreen technology and is made of three types of wood providing the colours of the Belgian flag: wenge for black, oak for yellow and African coralwood for red.

AB Wooddesign makes and renovates wooden furniture, as well as creating wooden decorations and small gifts. The company received a cash prize of €1,000 for winning the competition, handed over by Queen Mathilde.

In second place came Floral, a silver pin in the colours of the flag, designed by Karin Carmeliet, which refers to the Belgian tradition of giving flowers. Third place went to Ceci n’est pas une lampe, a candle that opens up like a flower as the wax melts. The design, by Inge-Lise Vermeire for Bika Kaarsen, resembles a lamp, with a non-functioning wire and switch in the form of the letter B.

photo courtesy Unizo