Today, the majority of writing materials are produced industrially, though building on age-old artisanal skills and longstanding knowledge traditions. The same is true of the high-tech instruments used in the material study of written artefacts, which are often customised to highly specific research needs. In Hamburg in particular, the production of writing materials has historically been and remains a key piece of the local economic, cultural, and manufacturing landscape. The proximity to companies active in this field opens up for us new perspectives for the material and historical study of written artefacts. Meanwhile, companies, including those producing equipment for cultural heritage work, can benefit from our expertise in the qualitative and quantitative analysis of writing materials from across world regions and historical times. In these synergies, innovation and social and cultural sustainability progress hand in hand, as envisioned in the UN’s Agenda for Sustainable Development.