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, and Dual-Ended Doodle 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.
Color Wonder Markers, Fine Point Doodle Markers, Project Metallic Outline Markers, Signature Blending Markers, Signature Metallic Outline Markers, Take Note! Dry Erase Markers, Ultra-Fine Doodle Markers, and Visi-Max Dry Erase Markers are not water-based like traditional Crayola markers. They cannot be revived if they are allowed to dry out.
Colour-Change Doodle Markers cannot be revived with water. Instead, try replacing the cap for 72 hours before attempting to use the marker again.
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.
Our experts have a few tips to help your creativity bloom with the Crayola Paper Flower Science Kit.
For Best Results:
- Protect clothing & work surface before starting.
- Wipe water and ink spills immediately.
Cleaning Tips:
- Rinse and dry all pots, covers, funnels and watering can.
- Recap ink bottles and markers.
- Wipe away any spills from work surfaces.
Looking for refills?
- Need another bouquet? White coffee filters – they are the perfect alternative to paper petals because they mimic the wicking process of the ink into the paper.
- Have left over ink? To make your creativity bloom again, rinse the used cores and tips under running water to clean up as much of the ink as possible. Just be sure to wipe up any ink right away and let the cores and tips dry thoroughly. We’ve found this craft hack works best when the ink is fresh and hasn’t had too much time to set.
Need more helpful hints? Feel free to call or text us at 1−800−272−9652 weekdays between 9 AM and 4 PM Eastern Time.
What are skin tones?
Your skin tone is the genetic amount of melanin, naturally occurring dark brown or black pigments, in the outermost layer of your skin. Skin tones can change over time for various reasons.
What is your skin tone?
There are 3 traditional skin tones: Light, Medium, and Deep.
- Light or fair skin tone: Contains a small amount of melanin within the skin.
- Medium skin tone: Contains a fair amount of melanin within the skin, is a neutral colour, and has a beige appearance. This skin tone is often referred to as an “olive” colour.
- Deep skin tone: Contains a large amount of melanin within the skin.
What are undertones?
Undertones are the natural colours underneath the surface of your skin. Because undertones are under the surface of the skin, you can have the same skin tone as another person, but have a completely different undertone. Undertones are not based on skin tone. For instance, a light skin tone can have a warm undertone and a deep skin tone can have a cool undertone. Also, undertones remain the same, even when you tan. There are 3 traditional undertones: Rose, Almond, and Golden.
- Pink, blue, and/or red hues under the skin = Rose, pink or cool undertone
- A mixture of warm and cool hues typically the same colour as your skin tone = Almond, neutral or olive undertone
- Peach, yellow, and/or gold hues under the skin = Golden or warm undertone
What is your undertone?
You can identify your undertone by using the colour of your veins. In natural light, what colour are the veins under your skin on the inside of your arm or wrist?
- Blue and/or purple veins = Rose or cool undertone
- Colourless, same colour as your skin, and/or a combination of blue and green veins = Almond or neutral undertone
- Green and/or olive veins = Golden or warm undertone
Tips for selecting your Colors of the World skin tone crayon colour:
- Check out the colour panels on the side of the Colors of the World crayon box.
- Match: Use crayon box colour panels or create colour swatches.
- Select: Pick colours closest to your skin tone.
- Colour: Draw your #TrueSelfie with your unique colours!
Another way to find your skin tone crayon is to colour a small area on a piece of paper with the crayon colours closest to your skin tone. Compare the areas with the inside of your arm or wrist, and select the crayon colour that best matches your skin tone.
We have some tips to help you get the very best results while cleaning your Scribble Scrubbie Pets. For Best Results: Gently scrub your pet under running water after play and let it air dry before storing. Use the scrub brush to help release marker inks from the tiny fibers (flocking). DO NOT PLACE SCRIBBLE SCRUBBIE PETS IN A DISHWASHER. Let your pets dry before a second use. Colouring on damp pets allows the ink to wick under the fibers, making the colour harder to rinse away. Still See Colour on Your Pet After Scrubbing Under Running Water? If colours have been left on your pet for several days, you may need to soak it in water for 20-minutes. If the stain persists after a 20-minute soak, soak overnight. Always Keep in Mind: The fresher the colour, the easier to clean. Soap has little effect when cleaning your pets. Fresh colouring typically requires a rinse under the faucet, while concentrated colouring may require light scrubbing under a faucet or an overnight soak. Follow the tips below. 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. If you would prefer to send us an email, visit our contact us page.
Crayola Crayons are made primarily from paraffin wax and colour pigment. Paraffin wax is made especially for Crayola by companies who extract it from products like wood and coal. Pigments come from various sources. They can be natural or man made substances. Pigments can be found in the earth, minerals and/or made in laboratories. These raw materials are purchased from outside suppliers and are stored in our warehouse awaiting production. All of our raw materials are delivered by truck with the exception of paraffin wax, which is delivered in railroad cars. Further information is considered proprietary. If you need more information, please call us at (800) 272‑9652 weekdays between 9 AM and 4 PM Eastern Time. A representative will be happy to assist you.
The wife of the founder of our company, Alice (Stead) Binney, coined the name CRAYOLA Crayons. The name comes from “craie”, the French word for chalk, and “ola” from oleaginous. This has been our trademark name since 1903 when our company was founded and remains one of the most important pieces of our heritage. The first box of Crayola Crayons was produced in 1903 as an 8 count box. It sold for a nickel and contained the colours red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, brown and black.
