Before Crayola® Crayons were introduced, we produced black marking crayons in 1900. These early crayons, made with dry carbon black and various waxes, are now known as Staonal® Marking Crayons, widely used in industrial settings.
Recognizing a need in schools for safe and affordable wax crayons, Binney & Smith created the first box of eight Crayola Crayons in 1903. Sold for a nickel, this box included red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, brown, and black. The Crayola name was coined by Alice Binney, wife of company founder Edwin Binney and a former schoolteacher. It combines the French word for "chalk" ("craie") with "ola," meaning "oily."
Want to know more about our colorful history? Check out the details at Crayola.com.
If you have additional questions, we would love to hear from you! Feel free to call or text us at 1-800-CRAYOLA weekdays between 9 AM and 4 PM Eastern Time. If you would prefer to send us an email, visit our contact us page.
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