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.
Is gluten/wheat an ingredient in Crayola products?
Crayola® Dough*, Glitter Dots, and Easy Peel Crayon Pencils are manufactured with wheat (flour) as an ingredient and therefore are not considered gluten free. All other Crayola products, including Silly Putty, do not contain wheat or other grains known to be a source of gluten.
Multiple Crayola products are produced in the same manufacturing facilities and on the same machinery. While there is a slight chance of cross-contamination, the machinery used to manufacture Crayola products is cleaned between production runs in a manner that meets or exceeds all regulations.
If you have additional questions, 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.
*Some Crayola dough products manufactured by our partner A1 Toys are gluten free, while others are not. Please read the packaging carefully to determine if dough is gluten free.
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® 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.
