FAQ

"BIC" is actually a shortened version of founder Marcel Bich's name. Click here for a complete history of BIC.

The little guy standing next to the BIC® logo is the "BIC Boy". He was originally drawn as a school boy, with a head in the shape of a ball, holding a pen behind his back.

BIC Graphic Europe handles the branding and printing of our products in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Please visit the BIC Graphic European website on www.bicgraphic.com. for more information.

BIC Graphic USA handles the branding and printing of our products for North, Central or South America. Please visit the BIC Graphic USA website for more information: www.bicgraphic.com.

BIC does not sell its products directly to consumers. However, BIC products are readily available from the 3.2 million retail outlets that stock BIC worldwide; they including grocery stores, pharmacies, mass merchandisers and stationery stores.

However, if you are a U.S. consumer, you can purchase a selection of hard-to-find writing instruments, correction products and shavers directly from BIC by visiting www.WheresMyBIC.us. Please note that we do not sell lighters through this website.

SOCIÉTÉ BIC is publicly traded on the Euronext Paris market. BIC shares are available to individual investors via their stock brokers. The stock is not traded in U.S. dollars, but in EUROS (the European monetary unit). Up-to-the-minute stock quotes are available in EUROS on BIC’s share price page..

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to enquire about becoming an international distributor.

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to enquire about becoming a U.S. distributor.

In 1988, BIC launched Parfum BIC®, the world’s first fine French perfume that combined high quality with affordable pricing and a stylish, portable design. The four BIC® perfumes –JOUR and NUIT for Women, BIC for Men and BIC SPORT for Men- were produced in France, and introduced in Europe, North America and some African and Middle East markets. Manufacturing and distribution of BIC® perfumes stopped in 1991, with the exception of a few markets, including Iran and Russia, where it is still manufactured and/or distributed.

Refills are available at a variety of retail and stationery supply outlets. If you are a U.S. consumer, you can also order refills at www.BICRefills.com.

We do not sell product component parts. We only sell the finished products to distributors and retailers.

We advise that you do not store a BIC®pen with its point facing down. We recommend protecting the point when the pen is not being used. In the case of retractable pens, the point should be retracted when not in use, and in the case of pens with caps, these should be replaced over the pen's nib after use.

There is a hole in the barrel of BIC® Cristal® pens to equalize the pressure inside the pen with the pressure outside the pen. These vents, or holes in the pen barrels, basically help to prevent ink leakage. Approximately 90 percent of all pens are vented to prevent leakage. The pens that do not have vented barrels contain sealed ink systems and are pressurized.

In addition to preventing pen leakage, BIC® caps have been designed with holes to meet international safety standards that have been put in place to minimize the risk involved when children accidentally inhaling and swallow pen caps. The majority of these vented caps, for example the BIC® Cristal®, have a little hole in the top to comply with existing safety standards.

In some countries, we package certain mechanical pencils with replacement leads. Additionally, you can also visit your local stationery store for generic or BIC lead refills in the size you require. If you are a U.S. consumer, you can order refills at www.BICRefills.com.

In some countries, we package certain mechanical pencils with replacement erasers. If you are a U.S. consumer, you can order refills at www.BICRefills.com.

A BIC® pen can write up to two to three kilometres (two miles) of writing before it runs our of ink.

The Silver BIC® Cristal was a limited edition pen only manufactured between 1989 and 1992. It is no longer available.

All BIC® lighters meet or exceed ISO 9994 international safety standards. In addition, all BIC® Lighters sold in the European Union, North America and Oceania are child resistant. However, as with any lighter product, they should be stored and kept away from children. No lighter is 100% child-proof as there is no substitute for proper adult supervision.

All BIC® Lighters (pocket and multi-purpose) are non-refillable.

We recommend that our consumers refer to the usage instructions available on the lighter or its packaging. For any further questions, please contact us.

Warning: BIC recommends taking extreme caution regarding films and other documents that may be found on the Internet, or elsewhere, about lighters. BIC reminds our consumers that manipulating lighters outside of intended normal use is dangerous.

You can get up to 3,000 lights from a full-size BIC® Lighter.

The availability of BIC® Lighters varies by country. They are sold in convenience stores and tobacco shops, as well as in supermarkets, drugstores and discount stores. We do not sell lighters directly to consumers.

Yes you need to use creams and gels if you want to achieve a good and comfortable shave. Applying a cream or gel before shaving moistens your skin and softens and lifts hairs for easier shaving.

The amount of times you use the same shaver varies according to your skin and beard type, but on average, you should be able to use your shaver for about a week. Some people will have to change their shaver every couple of shaves, while others can get up to 15 shaves from one shaver. A denser beard can cause the blades to dull more quickly, while lighter, finer hair has less impact on the blade.

You should always shave in the direction of hair growth (not against the grain). Shaving in the opposite direction may inflame and irritate your skin. Remember to shave carefully with short, controlled strokes in hard-to-reach areas.

You can prevent skin from feeling dry after shaving by not using soap, as this can dry out skin. Apply a shaving cream or gel before shaving to soften skin and lift hairs. After shaving, apply a moisturizing cream to lock in moisture.

To avoid irritating spots whilst shaving we recommend you use a “transparent" or "translucent” shaving gel that is available in some countries.

Each package contains one handle, two cartridges (the one that is on the razor and the one in the cartridge dispenser) and a shower holder. The large number “4” displayed on the packaging indicates the number of blades in the cartridge (or shaver head) and not the number of cartridges in the dispenser.

The BIC® Original shaver is still offered in some markets. However, it was discontinued in the U.S. in March 2007 and if you prefer a single blade shaver, may we suggest our BIC® Sensitive Shaver or BIC Lady Shaver.

The BIC Metal Shaver is still being manufactured, however it has limited distribution in the U.S. If you are a U.S. consumer you can order this shaver directly from BIC on www.WheresMyBIC.us.

Important: A word of caution before trying any of the ink removal methods suggested below: some surfaces and fabrics may be permanently damaged by the use of hair spray, rubbing alcohol or all-purpose cleaners. If in doubt, test on a "hidden" area first. There is no guarantee that these removal methods will be effective.

Writing instrument ink is designed to write on paper or other writing surfaces. It contains certain ingredients that could stain certain types of materials and fabrics. Although we cannot guarantee or be responsible for any stain removal method, we would suggest you try the following methods:

For Ballpoint ink we recommend an alcohol-based hair spray. The alcohol content in the hair spray will break up the ink. If the ink is on clothing, saturate the item with hair spray. Be sure to place an absorbent paper towel or rag under the stain to catch the excess ink. You then need to blot the stain with a rag. Repeat this process until the stain is removed, then wash item as usual.

If the ink is on anything other than clothing, spray the all-purpose cleaner directly on the stain and then wipe off with a clean paper towel or rag. You might need to do this a few times depending on the size of the stain.

Our Roller, Gel and Highlighter inks are water-based and we recommend trying an all-purpose cleaner instead of hair spray.

If the ink is on clothing, saturate the item with the all-purpose cleaner. Be sure to place an absorbent paper towel or rag under the stain to catch the excess ink. You then need to blot the stain with a rag. Repeat this process until the stain is removed, then wash item as usual..

If the ink is on anything other than clothing, spray the all-purpose cleaner directly on the stain and then wipe off with a clean paper towel or rag. You might need to do this a few times depending on the size of the stain.

Dry Erase ink is erasable only on dry wipe surfaces, but is permanent on other surfaces. In certain conditions, it may be possible for the ink to be removed by using an alcohol wipe or alcohol on a cloth or paper towel. If the ink is on clothing, pre-wash the item as soon as possible and then launder as usual.

Permanent Marker ink. Permanent ink is intended to be permanent and cannot be removed. However, in certain conditions, it may be possible for the ink stain to be removed by rubbing alcohol into the stain. If the ink is on clothing, place an absorbent paper towel or rag under the stain. Then gently dab the stain with alcohol using another rag or paper towel. Repeat this process until the stain is removed, then launder as usual. If the ink is on anything other than clothing, rub alcohol directly on the stain and then wipe off with a clean paper towel or rag. You might need to do this a few times depending on the size of the stain.

For All Inks: If these suggested methods do not remove the stain completely, we suggest contacting a professional cleaning company or the manufacturer of the stained item. They may have other suggestions or be able to professionally remove the stain for you.