Crayola did not invent the crayon. Records show that Europe was the birthplace of the “modern” crayon. The first crayons were made from a mixture of charcoal and oil. Later, powdered pigments of various hues replaced the charcoal. It was discovered that substituting wax for the oil in the mixture made the sticks sturdier and easier to handle. Crayola Crayons were invented by Binney & Smith in 1902 and first offered for sale in 1903. Alice (Stead) Binney, a school teacher and wife of co-founder Edwin Binney, suggested the company manufacture an inexpensive alternative to imported crayons of that era. The trade name Crayola was coined by Mrs. Edwin Binney who joined the French word “craie,” meaning stick of chalk and “ola” from the word “oleaginous,” meaning oily. Crayola Crayons are made primarily from paraffin wax and colour pigment. The Crayola brand celebrated its 100th anniversary during 2003 and today we manufacture over 3 billion crayons each year.
How can I revive dry Crayola Markers that accidentally were left with their caps off?
If your Crayola markers have become dry because the marker caps were left off for a brief time, we have some suggestions that may help! To revive water-based markers, such as Crayola regular, washable, or Ultra-Clean markers, you can try dipping the tip in warm water for about 5 seconds. After recapping the marker, we suggest waiting 24 hours before trying the marker again. If Crayola Gel Markers seem dry after remaining uncapped, try rubbing the marker back and forth on the drawing surface several times. If the marker still doesn’t work, replace the cap for 2 – 3 hours and then try using it again. If unsuccessful, you can dip the tip in warm water for about 5 seconds. After recapping the marker, wait 24 hours before attempting to use the marker again. Visi-Max Dry Erase Markers and Take Note! Dry Erase Markers are not water-based like traditional Crayola markers, and cannot be revived if they are allowed to dry out.
Popular Questions
While the marker barrel and cap are recyclable, not all parts of the marker are. Because the marker components are securely sealed during the manufacturing process, we don’t recommend trying to remove the marker nib and reservoir. The marker caps can be recycled at facilities that accept #5 plastic.
Green is more than just a colour to us! Click here to learn more about Crayola’s environmental initiatives.
Crayola Canada’s community relations program supports non-profit organizations located across Canada, with an emphasis on the arts and education.
How To Apply
Requests for donations must be submitted on your organization’s letterhead with your contact information by email, fax, or mail. If sending your request by email, you will receive an automatic reply acknowledging that your email has been received. If you do not receive this confirmation within 5 business days, please call Amanda Pascoe at Crayola Canada.
Email:apascoe@crayola.com
Phone Number: 1.800.342.6534 ext. 2252 or 1.705.324.6105 ext 2252
Fax Number:1.705.324.3511
Mailing Address:
Crayola Canada
Donations Department
P.O. Box 120
15 Mary St. West
Lindsay, Ontario
K9V 4R8
Attn: Amanda Pascoe
What To Include
We ask that you include the following required information in your letter:
- Date of your event
- If you require confirmation earlier than one month prior to your event, please provide us with a time frame needed to receive a response.
- Details of your event
- Shipping Address
- Telephone and fax number, if we need to contact you
- Contact person’s name, phone or fax number, and email address
- What you would like to receive – i.e., door prize, art supplies for craft area, etc.
Please be advised that it may take up to three weeks for your request to
be reviewed. Only organizations selected to receive a donation will be
contacted.
Crayola® Model Magic® can be sealed once your piece is completely dry. It generally takes 24 hours to dry to the touch; 72 hours to dry completely. Once dry, an acrylic varnish can be used. We recommend testing its compatibility before applying it to a finished piece. Sealing your work will not waterproof it. Exposure to water and outdoor elements will have a negative effect on Model Magic, so we recommend displaying your sculpture indoors.
If you have additional questions, we would love to hear from you! Feel free to call or text us at 1−800−272−9652 weekdays between 9 AM and 4 PM Eastern Time.
