He turned a woodworking hobby into a M’sian brand for handmade pens that start at RM500

They say the pen is mightier than the sword. And at times, it might just be prettier, too. 

Xzotic Pens, for one, creates such pens. A homegrown brand, it produces beautiful personalised, hand-turned writing instruments that feature real wood, many of which are sourced locally. 

And the person behind these lovely pens is one Duncan Ross. 

A one-man brand to a full-fledged business

When asked about how he found his way to Malaysia, Duncan’s answer was: “An aeroplane.”

Quite the jokester, Duncan actually first made his way to Malaysia in 2006 to visit some friends that had migrated here. After much consideration, he felt drawn to Malaysia and ended up moving to Penang with his family. 

18 years later, they’re still here. Currently, they’re on the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) visa. 

Prior to this move, though, Duncan had been living in South Africa, where he’s from. He had a career in military logistics, but always had an interest in woodworking too.

“I have been passionate about woodwork for over 40 years; I studied it as a subject from primary through high school and have had it as a hobby ever since,” he explained. Moving to Malaysia, he quickly fell in love with the wide variety of local timbers.

While working with wood wasn’t anything new to him, creating hand-turned pens was. It was through a friend’s introduction that he became interested in the craft. 

The learning process involved lots of trial and error, bolstered by Duncan’s experiences in the field. But it soon became a passion, as he realised that wood and pens went well together. From soft wood to hard ones, there was a time and place to use it when producing writing instruments.

At first, it was only a hobby, but people started requesting to purchase his creations. 

So, Duncan decided to start Xzotic Pens. 

Running a business as a creative 

Xzotic Pens has actually been on Vulcan Post’s radar for a while, but when we first reached out, Duncan hadn’t officially registered the business just yet. 

However, that changed a few years ago, when Duncan decided to incorporate the business. 

“When I researched wood pen makers around the world, I noticed a common trend—they were mostly ‘one-man bands,’ with the entire business relying solely on the skills and talents of a single individual,” he explained. 

This is something Duncan doesn’t want to follow, though, as he wanted to empower others with his skills. “I believe that if I possess a skill or talent, it’s only right to use it to uplift and enable others to grow.”

However, running a business doesn’t come easy for him. Duncan shared that the journey has been riddled with many learning curves and challenges. Every step forward has been exciting, though, the founder shared.

The price of creativity 

Xzotic Pens’ products typically range around RM500, which might be a shocking sum to some.

This is something Duncan faces regularly. While some high-end pen enthusiasts say their pens are way under-priced, many may wonder why anyone would pay RM500 for a pen when they can buy one for RM5. 

Seeing both sides, Duncan believes that it’s all a matter of balance. Xzotic Pens strives to price products justly—ensuring the business remains sustainable without overpricing the customer. 

“I’ve reached a stage where I no longer feel guilty about charging what I do because I’ve come to understand and embrace that just creativity itself has a cost,” he said. 

It’s not just about the materials or even the crafting process. It’s about the time spent selecting the right piece of wood, the hours invested in building up the skill, and developing the overall artistry. 

That said, Duncan finds it important to maintain a level of affordability, as he wants his creations in the hands of as many pen enthusiasts and users as possible. 

“However, I cannot compromise on profitability—that’s simply non-negotiable,” he determined. “The real challenge lies in striking the right balance: setting a price that is accessible while still honouring the time, skill, and overheads involved in crafting each pen into a finished product.”

Penning down the future 

“Do people still use pens?” 

This is a question that Duncan gets on the regular. 

The answer? Yes. 

While the world continues to advance, the founder believes there’ll always be a natural instinct to connect with the human touch. 

Furthermore, in the same way people collect and admire vintage cars and watches, there remains a strong appreciation for fine writing instruments like hand-turned fountain pens. 

“During our recent pop-up market, we sold more fountain pens than rollerballs, which confirms that there is still a thriving market for these timeless instruments,” Duncan commented. 

Additionally, Xzotic Pens’ creations have several unique qualities that make them stand out among other brands, most notably due to the use of wood.

They’re also handcrafted and customisable, quite the rarity in today’s world. The pens are also designed to be ergonomic with a larger diameter. 

Touching on his profit margins, Duncan shared that different pen styles come with varying margins. On average, though, they maintain about 30% profit. 

Looking ahead, Xzotic Pens aims to secure larger-scale orders, particularly in the corporate gifts sector or bulk consignments.

Up until late last year, the team faced limitations in handling larger orders due to capacity constraints. With the recent acquisition of additional lathe machines and additional manpower, though, production capabilities are now expanded. 

Xzotic Pens is also looking at ways to enter Singapore without going through retail outlets, as rental and overheads in Singapore are rather high. 

From one craftsman to the next

Running a business and making living as a craftsman is no small feat. While Duncan believes he cannot call himself a well-oiled business machine yet, he had some heartfelt comments to share with others in his position. 

“I stepped into business as a total novice, having to learn everything about running a business from scratch,” he said. “I’ve also sought advice from a number of businessmen/women and sifted through what works for me (though not necessarily for others).”

The first step is to find a market gap. Try to create a product that has very little competition from other craftsmen.

Next up, get yourself a bookkeeper and a good company secretary, especially if you’re new to business. “I cannot over-emphasise this point,” Duncan said.

Then, get on social media as fast as you can. No social media presence means no visibility, which in turn means no sales.

“I’ve been told to invest everything into the business, even if my family eats Maggi Mee every night,” he shared. “But I’ve also been told, ‘How can the business survive if you’re dead? You need to eat.’” 

The conclusion? You need to find a healthy balance. 

Finally, he shared some personal advice. 

“If you have a talent or gift in craftsmanship that you’ve been blessed with, don’t keep it to yourself—teach others and equip them too,” he said. “You are blessed so that you can be a blessing.”

The craftsman believes that if you’re good at what you do, you won’t be afraid of someone stealing your ideas. Even with the same recipe, others’ food may not taste as good as yours.

“You will face criticism,” Duncan shared. “But don’t give up.”

After all, he never did, and look where Xzotic Pens is now. 

Featured Image Credit: Xzotic Pens