Crayola

Crayola makes tools for art.

They make wax crayons. They also make markers and clay. These tools are safe for kids to use.

Two men started the company. They first made colors for big jobs. Later, they made chalk for school. They even won gold medals for their work.

A woman named Alice helped name the crayons. She picked the name Crayola. It comes from a word for chalk. It also comes from a word for oily.

Crayola makes many colors. Some boxes have only a few. Other boxes have many colors. Some boxes even have 120 colors!

You can find their tools in many lands. They are in over 80 countries. They are very famous all over the world.

Crayola is a famous brand for art tools.

They are best known for their wax crayons. The company started a long time ago. Two men named Edwin Binney and Harold Smith founded it. At first, they made colors for big jobs. They made red colors for barn paint. They even made black color for tires.

Later, they made chalk for school. They won a gold medal for dustless white chalk.

Alice Binney helped name the famous crayon brand. She used a French word for chalk. She also used a word that means oily.

Crayola makes many different tools. They make markers, paint, and clay. They even make Silly Putty. Most of their products are safe for kids. You can find Crayola in over 80 countries. Many people know the brand name. In 1998, the United States even made a stamp for them.

They are a big part of art history.

Crayola is a famous American company that makes art supplies.

They are best known for their colorful wax crayons. People use these tools to draw and create art at home or in school. The company is based in Forks Township, Pennsylvania. Today, Crayola is a part of Hallmark Cards. Many people around the world know the name. In fact, 99% of households in the U.S. recognize the brand.

They sell their products in over 80 different countries.

The company started with industrial colors rather than art tools. They first made red pigments for painting barns. They also made black chemicals to help make tires. Later, they moved into making school supplies like chalk and pencils. Edwin Binney experimented with materials like cement and talc. This led to the first dustless white chalk. This new chalk won a gold medal at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair. They used this gold medal on their boxes to show quality. This helped make their brand very famous.

Two men named Edwin Binney and Harold Smith founded the company. They met while they were serving in the U.S. Marines. In 1902, they became a corporation called Binney & Smith. Edwin's wife, Alice Stead Binney, helped create the Crayola name. She was a former schoolteacher who knew about art. She combined the French word "craie" for chalk with "ola" for oily. This name described the wax crayons they were making. Their first wax crayons began selling on June 10, 1903.

Crayola has grown by adding many new colors and tools over time. In 1926, they bought the Munsell Color Company to get more colors. By 1958, they released a 64-color pack with a built-in sharpener. This was a very important moment in their history. They also bought the rights to Silly Putty in 1977. In 1978, they introduced their first markers.

They even have a special color called "Bluetiful." This color was found by scientists working with electronics. Today, they make many different sets, from small packs to huge 832-count boxes.

You might see Crayola products in many places in your life. They are used in classrooms and at home every day. The crayons are made to be nontoxic and safe for children.

You might even see them on television shows like Sesame Street. In 1998, the United States Postal Service even made a stamp for them.

You can even visit the Crayola Experience in Pennsylvania. It is a large place where you can learn how crayons are made. It is a fun way to see how art and science work together.

Crayola LLC is a prominent American manufacturer specializing in art supplies.

While the company is best known for its iconic brand of wax crayons, it produces a wide variety of creative tools. These include markers, colored pencils, paints, modeling clay, and even Silly Putty. The company is headquartered in Forks Township, Pennsylvania, within the Lehigh Valley region. Since 1984, Crayola has operated as a wholly owned subsidiary of Hallmark Cards. The brand maintains an enormous global presence. Crayola claims 99% name recognition among consumer households in the United States. Furthermore, the company markets and sells its products in more than 80 different countries.

The history of the company began with industrial chemistry rather than art. It was founded by Edwin Binney and Harold Smith, who met while serving in the U.S. Marines. Initially, the Binney & Smith Company produced industrial pigments. They manufactured red iron oxide for barn paint and carbon black chemicals to make tires black and durable. In 1900, the company won a gold medal at the Paris Exposition for its "carbon gas blacks." That same year, they began producing slate school pencils. Edwin Binney later experimented with materials like cement, talc, and slate waste. This research led to the invention of the first dustless white chalk. This product earned the company another gold medal at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair.

In 1902, Binney & Smith incorporated as a formal business entity.

That year, they introduced the Staonal marking crayon. On June 10, 1903, Edwin Binney and his wife, Alice Stead Binney, developed their famous line of wax crayons. Alice, a former schoolteacher, coined the name "Crayola." The name is a combination of the French word *craie*, meaning chalk, and the suffix *-ola*, meaning oily or oleaginous. The suffix was a popular commercial trend at the time, seen in words like *granola* and *Victrola*. Following their success in St. Louis, the company adopted a new packaging strategy. They placed their gold medal image prominently on product boxes. This design remained a recognizable feature of their packaging for over 50 years.

The variety of Crayola products has expanded significantly through strategic growth.

In 1926, the company purchased the Munsell Color Company. This acquisition provided 22 new colors, which were eventually integrated into the Crayola Gold Medal line. In 1939, they released the "No. 52 Drawing Crayon," which was their largest assortment at that time. The company reached another milestone in 1958 with the introduction of the 64-color pack. This set featured the first built-in crayon sharpener. Smithsonian curator David Shayt described this 64-color box as a "watershed" moment for the brand. In 1977, the company acquired the rights to Silly Putty, a bouncy silicon rubber compound. They also introduced markers in 1978 to celebrate their 75th anniversary.

Crayola offers a massive range of color counts and specialized sets.

Retail packages often come in multiples of eight, such as 8, 24, or 64 counts. However, they also produce bulk "Classpacks" containing 832 crayons for schools. Some specialized sets are even larger. For example, a 152-crayon set was released in a yellow carrying case in 2013. The company also manages a revolving library of colors. While they have produced 148 standard colors, they occasionally retire old ones to make room for new ones. In 2017, the color Dandelion was retired and replaced by a new hue called "Bluetiful." This specific color was discovered by scientists during electronic experiments at Oregon State University.

The brand has left a significant mark on American culture and history.

In 1998, the United States Postal Service issued a 32-cent commemorative postage stamp to honor the brand. Crayola crayons were also inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 1998. The company has appeared on famous programs like *Sesame Street* and *Mister Rogers' Neighborhood*. In 1996, Fred Rogers even molded the official 100 billionth Crayola crayon. Even the food industry has engaged with the brand. At the 50th anniversary of the 64-color box, Chef Michael Symon created an eight-course menu where every dish matched a specific Crayola color.

Today, the company continues to innovate for different age groups and needs.

They launched "My First Crayola" in 2011, featuring triangular crayons and flat-tipped markers for small hands. In 2015, they introduced "Color Escapes" kits designed for adults to help relieve stress. They also released the "Colors of the World" line in 2020 to include nearly 40 different skin tones. For those who want to see the process in person, the Crayola Experience in Easton, Pennsylvania, offers a hands-on look. This discovery center showcases how crayons are manufactured and includes a "Crayola Hall of Fame" to display retired colors. Through these various products and experiences, the company connects art, science, and play.