Crayola crayons are one of the most iconic and recognizable brands of crayons in the world. Since their invention in 1903, Crayola crayons have become a staple in classrooms, homes, and art studios across the United States and beyond. But how exactly were these famous crayons invented? The story of the invention of Crayola crayons is an interesting tale of creativity, business savvy, and a bit of luck.
Crayola crayons were invented by cousins Edwin Binney and C. Harold Smith in 1903. The two men owned a pigment company called Binney & Smith which produced colorants for industrial purposes. At the time, most crayons were made with pigment and oil mixed with chalk or charcoal and tended to be dusty and low-quality. Binney and Smith saw an opportunity to produce higher-quality wax crayons for art education in schools. After years of experiments with different waxes and pigments, they settled on a paraffin wax and safe powdered pigment formula. The first Crayola crayons, called Crayolas, contained 8 colors and sold for $0.05 per box.
The History of Binney & Smith Before Crayola Crayons
Before inventing Crayola crayons, founders Edwin Binney and C. Harold Smith had been in the color business for decades. Their company Binney & Smith was founded in New York City in 1885. Binney had a background in chemistry and developed an inexpensive black pigment called carbon black which was used in newspaper ink. This helped the company grow quickly as the use of carbon black expanded to other applications like shoe polish and automobile tires.
In 1900, Binney & Smith moved their operations to Easton, Pennsylvania to be closer to sources of raw materials like limestone, slate, and silica. At the time, they were primarily making industrial pigments for customers in the rubber, food, and paper industries. However, Binney noticed that many schools were ordering large amounts of their pigments, particularly reddish-orange ocher, to make homemade chalk crayons for students. This gave him the idea to produce wax crayons specifically designed for education use.
The Invention and Early Success of Crayola Crayons
After noting the demand from schools for color pigments to make chalk crayons, Binney and Smith began experimenting with paraffin wax, industrial pigments, and other ingredients to formulate quality wax crayons. Different waxes and pigment blends were tested extensively. They settled on a formula using paraffin wax for its smoothness and non-toxic powder pigments for bright colors.
The first Crayola crayons were produced in 1903 containing 8 colors – black, brown, blue, red, purple, orange, yellow and green. They were sold in boxes of 8 for just a nickel and branded with the name Crayola, meaning “chalk and oily” derived from “craie” (French for chalk) and “ola” for oleaginous or oily. Teachers loved them for their smooth laydown and vivid colors compared to traditional chalk crayons. Within a few years, Crayola crayons has become the most popular brand of crayons in America.
| Year | New Developments |
|---|---|
| 1903 | First Crayola crayons released with 8 colors |
| 1904 | Binney & Smith filed trademark for the brand name Crayola |
| 1905 | Crayola crayons box size expanded to 12, then 18 colors |
| 1913 | Crayola crayons product line expands to include industrial crayons |
| 1928 | Crayola crayons box size grows to 24 different colors |
In 1904, Binney & Smith trademarked the Crayola brand and begin rapidly expanding the Crayola product line. The original box of 8 crayons was replaced with larger boxes of 12 and then 18 different color crayons, so students had access to a greater variety of hues. They also produced industrial crayons for marking crates and barrels. By 1928, the standard Crayola crayon box offered a 24 count crayon pack for kids.
Advancements in Crayola Crayons
Over the decades, Binney & Smith built on these early successes by enhancing their Crayola crayon products in terms of quality, variety, and convenience. Some of the major innovations and product developments include:
– *Non-Toxic Formulas* – In 1926, Binney & Smith released improved non-toxic crayon formulas making Crayola the first brand parents could confidently let kids use knowing the crayons were safe if accidentally ingested. This safety assurance was highly valued.
– *Built-in Sharpener* – In 1939, Crayola began offering crayon boxes with a built-in sharpener for the first time. This allowed kids to sharpen dull, broken crayon tips without needing a separate sharpener.
– *Specialty Crayons* – Over the years, Crayola introduced specialty crayons like watercolor crayons, fluorescent crayons,Outline markers,and Silly Putty to expand beyond regular coloring. These brought new and unique art capabilities.
– *64 Crayon Box* – In 1958, Crayola released its biggest crayon box to date, containing 64 different colors all pre-sharpened. This became the flagship Crayola product that is still popular today.
– *Multi-Cultural Crayons* – In 1992, Crayola introduced a new line of 8 skin tone crayons representing a diverse range of races and ethnicities to promote inclusion and mirror multi-cultural classrooms.
Through reliable quality, new innovations, and clever marketing, Crayola cemented itself as the preeminent brand in coloring and art supplies for children by the mid-1900s. Their iconic green and yellow boxes of crayons became a staple of American childhood.
The Business Impact of Crayola Crayons
The invention and massive popularity of Crayola crayons dramatically transformed the Binney & Smith company. In the early 1900s when Crayola launched, Binney & Smith was still primarily a pigment supplier earning just 20% of revenue from crayon sales. As Crayola crayons became the top school crayon brand, their sales soared. By the 1920s, Crayola crayons accounted for 50% of total company revenues. Today, Crayola crayons and art supplies make up the bulk of revenues for the company now called Crayola LLC.
Crayola’s growth into a business powerhouse also fueled expansion in Easton, PA where their headquarters and main factory are still located today. Binney & Smith built new production facilities and hired many local workers to produce the millions of Crayola crayon boxes to keep pace with demand. At its peak, the Crayola factory employed over 2,000 workers and produced 12 million crayons per day. Crayola became the largest employer and benefactor for the economic development of Easton.
Beyond direct sales, Crayola crayons have had massive cultural influence. The iconic Crayola box is now in nearly every American household with children. “Crayola” has become synonymous with coloring for kids. Studies show doodling with Crayola crayons boosts creativity, helps children develop fine motor skills, and gives kids an artistic outlet. The story of Crayola crayons is one of the most successful examples of an industrial product transforming childhood education and culture.
The Future of Crayola LLC
Today, Crayola LLC continues to grow and thrive as the maker of Crayola crayons and other creative tools. Crayola crayons are now sold in over 80 countries with more than 100 billion produced since 1903. However, Crayola has expanded far beyond crayons to become a global arts and crafts brand. Their products include colored pencils, markers, modeling clay, paints, and various craft kits under the Crayola brand name. Crayola has also embraced digital tools like apps, online games, and computer drawing tablets that bring their trademark creative experience into the digital age.
While crayon manufacturing is now outsourced to facilities in Mexico and China to reduce costs, Crayola maintains its commitment to quality and safety. Their 120-count box of Crayola crayons remains one of the top-selling school and activity kits. Through new mediums and continued innovation, Crayola seems poised to continue inspiring creativity and expression in generations to come just as their classic crayons have done for over a century.
Conclusion
Crayola crayons were invented in 1903 by Edwin Binney and C. Harold Smith after identifying a need for higher quality classroom wax crayons. Their paraffin and pigment formula created smooth, vibrant crayons far better than traditional chalk versions. Crayola cornered the school crayon market in the early 1900s by producing affordable crayons with safety assurances parents valued. Advancements like built-in sharpeners, specialty crayons, larger boxes, and non-toxic formulas made Crayola the premier crayon brand. The massive success of Crayola crayons transformed Binney & Smith into one of the largest art supply companies that still produces innovative creative tools under their iconic brand. Crayola crayons became staples of childhood and school classrooms, fostering creativity and expression for generations.