Answer:  

ZEBRA CO., Ltd. Customer Service kindly answered the question above.
  
 
Classification of pens
Before answering the question, let us explain the classification of pens.
  
Mainly, there are three ways to classify pens:

1. Classification by ink (solvent)

2. Classification by colorant

3. Classification by mechanism
   

1. Classification by ink (solvent)

• Oil-based ink, the solvent is organic solvent (usually alcohol)

• Water-based ink (the solvent is mainly water)

2. Classification by colorant

• Dye type, which can be dissolved in solvent

• Pigment type, which is insoluble

3. Classification by mechanism

• Marker pen

• Ballpoint pen

Pens are classified by the combination of these: for example, oil-based dye marker pen, or water-based pigment ballpoint pen.
 
These are characteristics of inks and colorants:
 
Water-based ink
Low toxicity.  There is hardly any odour.
 
Oil-based ink
It is possible to control drying characteristics by choice of solvents.  For example, the marker pen is quick-drying, and low-volatile solvent is used for the ballpoint pen in order to prevent the end of the pen from drying. 
 
Dye type
Bright color. There are many colors.
 
Pigment type
Excellent water resistance and light resistance.
  
Using these features, we manufacturers are selling so many kinds of pens to respond to customers’ requests.
  
Pen which can resist for both water and alcohol
I guess that this questioner is probably asking about the marker pen, so I will explain about the marker pen.
   
As for dye type pen, dye itself is dissolved in solvent, as I mentioned above.  Since the solvent for this type of pen is water or organic solvent (mainly alcohol), it is very difficult to create a dye type pen which can resist both water and alcohol.  However, in the case of the pigment type pen, it is possible in principle to create such a pen using pigment since pigment itself does not dissolve in solvent.
  
Practically, we need to think about not only colorant but also resin.  The resin plays a role in the laying down of ink on a non-absorbing surface, just like adhesive.  
 
Since resin used for oil-based ink is oil soluble, the resin is dissolved in alcohol.  So it is not alcohol resistant.
 
There are two types of water-based marking pen; the so-called “pen” which can be only be used for writing on paper, and the “marking pen” which can be used for writing on non-absorbing surfaces as well as paper.  However, it is only the “marking pen” that contains resin.  In general, the resin used for water-based ink is a water-based resin emulsion.  The feature of water-based resin emulsion is that the resin is resistant to water after the solvent evaporates and the resin is solidified. Therefore, it is possible to create a pen which can resist both water and alcohol, by using an alcohol resistant resin emulsion.
 
We are producing some products which have the features above.  These pens are water-based pigment type markers.  After the written line is dried, it has both water and alcohol resistance.  Since the membrane of the written line is so thin, however, the written line might be removed if you rub the surface with water or alcohol.
 
We can say that the water-based pigment type ballpoint pen also has both water and alcohol resistance, if the target for writing is only paper. 
 
 
Acknowledgement
We would like to thank an anonymous ZEBRA CO., Ltd. Customer Service Representive for their kind answer.
 
 

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