It is difficult to provide an exact shelf life for Crayola products because it depends on how and where they have been stored. Our products are generally tested on the basis of how they are used, rather than how long they have remained unused. We stand behind the Crayola brand name and will work to take care of any quality issue you may encounter. If you have any further questions, please call (800) 272‑9652 weekdays between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM Eastern Time and a representative will be happy to assist you.
Where can I get historical information about your company for a school report?
We are flattered you are interested in learning about Crayola! The company began as Binney ; Smith when cousins Edwin Binney and C. Harold Smith took over the pigment business owned by Edwin’s father. Early products included red oxide pigment used in barn paint, carbon black for car tires, slate pencils, and “dustless” chalk. After noticing a need for safe, high quality, affordable wax crayons, Crayola produced the first box of eight crayons in 1903 and sold them for 5 cents. The trade name Crayola was coined by Mrs. Edwin Binney. She joined the French word “craie”, meaning chalk and “ola” from the word “oleaginous”, meaning oily. The first box of crayon colours consisted of red, yellow, blue, green, orange, violet (purple), brown and black. To learn more, check out the below sites that Crayola maintains. Be sure and visit these for a variety of information about our company and its products: http://www.crayola.ca/ http://www.crayola.ca/about-us.aspx http://www.crayola.ca/about-us/company-profile/history.aspx We also offer a photocopied booklet titled “Story of a Rainbow”, which contains detailed early history. To receive a copy in the postal mail, please call (800) 272‑9652 weekdays between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM Eastern time. “Edwin Binney: The Founder of Crayola Crayons” is part of the Lives and Times Series, published by Heinemann-Raintree. The book offers history behind the founding of Binney ; Smith and can be purchased through Barnes ; Noble or Amazon.com.
Popular Questions
With the health and safety of our community in mind, the Crayola Canada 2022 Annual United Way Sale has been canceled. Crayola Canada continues to develop alternatives to support the United Way.
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.
Crayola offers an innovative program called ColorCycle that converts old markers into energy as well as wax compounds for asphalt and roofing shingles. The process repurposes the entire marker, regardless of the different kinds of plastics or how they are assembled. You can learn more about this program and all of Crayola’s other environmental initiatives at www.crayola.com/colorcycle.
Crayola products are typically sold through a network of distributors and retail stores. For information on direct purchasing requirements in Canada, please check out our Wholesale Purchasing page.
To export products internationally, please contact the appropriate international office for assistance.
Crayola does not authorize resellers in any online marketplace.
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 uspage.
