Tono&Lims: Sharing Stories, One Color at a Time

These ink-making partners building a community are focused on more than crafting ink, they are

- BY AZIZAH ASGARALI

From left-color swatch of Tono&Lims Limited Editions Line "True Love" fountain pen ink and box packaging to its right along with box packaging for Puddle Story Line "Blessings from the Earth, Tenderness from the Sky" and "The Time is Ripe and Goes Around" inks; "Sunset in the Universe" Friendship Series and Crystal Line Respect Collection "The Milkmaid" 30 ml glass bottles are below and to the right.

In the vibrant world of fountain pens and stationery, a Japanese-Korean brand, Tono&Lims, is quietly making a name for itself with a unique approach to ink creation. Tono&Lims was founded in December 2018 by Takashi Ono and Tae-kyun Lim, and they aren't just selling ink—they are curating experiences, fostering a passionate community, and translating artistic inspiration into tangible color. Their story began with a shared passion and a desire to bring something new to the fountain pen world.

Their shared vision led to the founding of Tono&Lims at a stationery event in Japan where Ono, a passionate collector of fountain pens, inks, and stationery, met Lim, whose family brought generations of experience to the ink industry of South Korea. Recognizing their mutual passion and seeing the potential for a collaboration, they agreed to build an ink brand rooted in their combined expertise and vision. The name itself reflects this partnership: “Tono,” Ono's nickname, and “Lims,” representing the Lim family’s legacy. The Tono&Lims collaboration blends tradition with innovation.

While the fountain pen ink market already held established players, Tono&Lims developed a niche for users to explore. The brand's mission is to create inks unbound by convention, allowing Ono and Lim to manifest the colors they envision.