Crayola
American art-supplies brand best known for children's crayons.
Last updated October 7, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Crayola is an American art-supplies brand operated by Crayola LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hallmark Cards. It is best known for wax crayons, but its range also includes markers, colored pencils, paints, modeling compounds, drawing tools, craft products, activity kits, coloring books and other goods intended primarily for children, families, schools and amateur artists. The company also markets professional and educational materials through the Portfolio Series and owns or produces associated products such as Silly Putty and Staonal industrial marking crayons. The business originated with Edwin Binney and Harold Smith, whose early activities focused on industrial colorants. Binney & Smith developed pigments for applications including barn paint and tire manufacturing, and later expanded into school supplies. Its chalk business became important after the development of a dustless white chalk, while the company’s 1902 Staonal marking crayon demonstrated the commercial potential of wax-based marking products. In 1903, Edwin Binney and his wife, Alice Stead Binney, developed a line of wax crayons for home and school use. Alice, a former schoolteacher, coined the name Crayola from the French word “craie,” meaning chalk, and a form associated with oily or waxy materials. Crayola’s early success came from selling crayons in a broad range of box sizes and color assortments rather than as a single commodity product. The brand used strong packaging and a prominent gold-medal design after Binney & Smith received recognition at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair. The company expanded its color expertise through the 1926 acquisition of the Munsell Color Company’s crayon line, incorporating many of its hues into later Crayola assortments. The 48-color box introduced in 1949 and the 64-color box introduced in 1957 were important milestones in the brand’s development. The latter included a built-in sharpener and became one of the most recognizable consumer art products in the United States. The company diversified during the second half of the twentieth century. It acquired Liquitex in 1964, obtained the rights to Silly Putty in 1977, introduced Crayola markers in 1978, and added colored pencils and washable markers in 1987. Binney & Smith became publicly traded in 1963 and later moved from the American Stock Exchange to the New York Stock Exchange. Hallmark Cards acquired the company in 1984, taking Crayola out of public ownership. On January 1, 2007, Binney & Smith reorganized as Crayola LLC, aligning the corporate name with its leading consumer brand. Crayola products are marketed as nontoxic and suitable for children. The brand has extended its identity into entertainment, educational experiences, licensing, retail and attractions. The Crayola Experience, originally known as the Crayola Factory, combines manufacturing demonstrations, interactive activities, exhibits, shopping and food service. Crayola has also used product innovation and social themes to broaden its audience, including My First Crayola for young children, Color Escapes for adults, and Colors of the World crayons designed to represent a wide range of skin tones. Crayola states that its products are sold in more than 80 countries and that the brand has very high recognition among United States households. Most Crayola crayons are manufactured in the United States, although the company’s wider supply chain and sales network are international.
History
Crayola traces its origins to Binney & Smith, a company established by Edwin Binney and Harold Smith after their work in the United States Marine Corps. The founders initially supplied industrial colorants, including red iron oxide pigments used in barn paint and carbon-black materials used in tire production. At the 1900 Paris Exposition, the company received recognition for its carbon-black processes. It also began producing slate school pencils in 1900. Binney’s experimentation with slate waste, cement and talc led to the development of a dustless white chalk. The product received a gold medal at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, and the company subsequently used medal imagery prominently on packaging. This packaging strategy helped establish a recognizable visual identity for the company’s school products. Binney & Smith incorporated in 1902 and introduced Staonal, a general-purpose marking crayon, in the same year. In 1903, Edwin Binney and Alice Stead Binney developed wax crayons for home and classroom use. Alice, who had been a teacher, created the Crayola name from “craie,” the French word for chalk, combined with a suffix evoking oily or waxy materials. Rather than introducing only one box, the company offered a range of package sizes and assortments. It also marketed the Rubens Crayola line toward artists, positioning it against European art-crayon brands. The company continued to develop its color system. Its acquisition of the Munsell Color Company’s crayon line in 1926 brought additional hues and color expertise. Munsell branding was retained for a period before the colors were integrated into Crayola assortments. In 1939, the company introduced a 52-color assortment, followed by the Crayola No. 48 box in 1949. The 64-color box of 1957 became a defining product because it expanded the range available to children and included a built-in sharpener. Binney & Smith became a publicly traded company in 1963 under the symbol BYS, later moving to the New York Stock Exchange in 1978. It broadened its art-materials portfolio through the acquisition of Liquitex in 1964. In 1977, it acquired rights to Silly Putty, and in 1978 introduced Crayola markers in connection with the brand’s 75th anniversary. Colored pencils and washable markers followed in 1987. Hallmark Cards acquired Binney & Smith in 1984, ending its status as an independent public company. Liquitex was later sold to Colart in 2000. Crayola expanded beyond traditional crayons through entertainment, experiences and new product formats. In 1997, it participated in the release of direct-to-video children’s adaptations under the Crayola Kids Adventures name. Crayola crayons entered the National Toy Hall of Fame in 1998, and the United States Postal Service issued a commemorative stamp for the product in the same year. The company reorganized as Crayola LLC in 2007. Recent product development has addressed different age groups and uses. My First Crayola, introduced in 2011, used forms such as triangular crayons and flat-tipped markers for younger children. Color Escapes, announced in 2015, targeted adults with themed coloring materials. Crayola launched Colors of the World in 2020, using a palette intended to reflect a broad range of human skin tones. The company continues to sell crayons, markers, pencils, paints, modeling materials, classroom packs and related creative products internationally. Its Crayola Experience attractions extend the brand into interactive education and family entertainment.
- 2020
Colors of the World introduced
[1]Crayola launched a 24-color line intended to represent a wide range of skin tones.
- 2015
Color Escapes announced
[1]Crayola introduced adult-oriented coloring products positioned around relaxation and stress relief.
- 2011
My First Crayola launches
[1]Crayola introduced products designed for younger children, including triangular crayons and flat-tipped markers.
- 2007
Binney & Smith becomes Crayola LLC
[1]The company reorganized under the Crayola LLC name.
- 1998
National Toy Hall of Fame induction
[1]Crayola crayons were inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame and commemorated on a United States postage stamp.
- 1984
Hallmark acquisition
[1]Hallmark Cards acquired Binney & Smith.
- 1978
Crayola markers introduced
[1]The company introduced Crayola markers as part of the brand’s 75th-anniversary expansion.
- 1977
Silly Putty rights acquired
[1]Binney & Smith acquired rights to Silly Putty.
- 1963
Public listing
[1]Binney & Smith became publicly traded under the symbol BYS on the American Stock Exchange.
- 1957
64-color box launches
[1]Crayola introduced a 64-color package with an integrated sharpener.
Products and positioning
Accessible, educational and child-oriented creative tools emphasizing color exploration, safety, imagination and family learning.
Wax crayons · 1903
Crayola Crayons
Crayola’s core product line consists of wax crayons sold in retail packs, classroom bulk boxes and specialty assortments. Packages range from small sets for hospitality and casual use to large school-oriented Classpack formats. The line has expanded from the original small assortments to boxes containing dozens of standard and specialty colors, including glitter, neon, metallic and other effect crayons. The 64-color box, introduced in 1957 with an integrated sharpener, remains a defining product in the brand’s history.
Markers · 1978
Crayola Markers
Crayola markers extend the brand from wax-based drawing into ink-based coloring and writing. The range includes conventional markers, washable markers, broad and fine tips, scented formats and products designed for younger children. Washable markers became part of the company’s portfolio in the 1980s and support Crayola’s positioning as a practical home and classroom art brand.
Colored pencils · 1987
Crayola Colored Pencils
Colored pencils provide a more controlled drawing medium for schoolwork, coloring and hobby art. Crayola offers them in standard and themed assortments, including products intended for children and activity-book users.
Paints
Crayola Paints
The paint portfolio includes products for children, classrooms and craft activities. Formats include watercolor, tempera and other ready-to-use or activity-oriented materials marketed as suitable for young users.
Crayons and coloring products · 2020
Colors of the World
Colors of the World is a line created to represent a broad range of human skin tones. Its launch broadened Crayola’s color vocabulary and connected the product to themes of representation and inclusion in children’s creative activities.
Early-childhood art supplies · 2011
My First Crayola
My First Crayola is designed for younger children and includes developmentally oriented formats such as triangular crayons and flat-tipped markers. The line emphasizes easier handling and early creative exploration.
Children’s toy
Silly Putty
Silly Putty is a stretchy, bouncy silicone-polymer toy sold within the broader Crayola company portfolio. It is used for play and has been recognized as a culturally significant American toy.
Professional and educational art supplies
Portfolio Series
The Portfolio Series serves artists, educators and more advanced users with materials such as oil pastels, watercolors, drawing pencils, colored pencils and acrylic paints. It gives the company a presence beyond children’s elementary coloring products.
Industrial marking crayon · 1902
Staonal
Staonal is a general-purpose marking crayon developed before the modern Crayola consumer brand. It represents the company’s continuing connection to industrial marking materials rather than purely recreational coloring.
Marketing campaigns
- 2020Colors of the World
United States · International markets
Crayola promoted a new palette designed to represent many skin tones, positioning coloring as a more inclusive form of self-expression for children.
Outcome. A dedicated 24-color product line was introduced.
- 2000Crayola Color Census 2000
United States
Crayola invited Americans to vote for their favorite crayon color in a national promotional campaign. The initiative linked the brand to popular culture and public participation while highlighting the emotional and cultural associations of individual colors.
Outcome. Blue received the most votes, followed by Cerulean and Purple Heart.
Brand decisions
2017
Retire Dandelion and introduce BluetifulOtherBackground
Crayola periodically changes its standard color assortment while maintaining a defined overall color count.
Action taken
The company announced the retirement of Dandelion and later revealed Bluetiful as its replacement.
Aftermath
The change generated substantial public attention around Crayola’s color naming and product history.
2007
Reorganize as Crayola LLCStrategyBackground
Crayola had become the company’s principal consumer identity.
Action taken
Binney & Smith reorganized under the Crayola LLC name.
Aftermath
The corporate structure was aligned more closely with the flagship brand.
1984
Accept Hallmark Cards acquisitionM&ABackground
Binney & Smith had developed a widely recognized consumer brand and a diversified art-materials portfolio.
Action taken
The company was acquired by privately held Hallmark Cards.
Aftermath
Crayola became a wholly owned Hallmark subsidiary and was no longer publicly traded as an independent company.
Recent events
Valpak and Crayola partner on Black History Month campaign[2]
Reported:
Valpak announced a partnership with Crayola for its “Celebrate Our CommUNITY: A Tribute to Black History Month” campaign, featuring a custom Crayola coloring page, product offers and other campaign activities.
Crayola and WildBrain Spark partner on YouTube content[3]
Reported:
Crayola partnered with WildBrain Spark to design and launch its YouTube kids' strategy and produce digital-first content including the Scribble Scrubbie Pets series.
Crayola launches new Scribble Scrubbie Pets digital season[3]
Reported:
Crayola launched a new season of its original Scribble Scrubbie Pets digital series on the Crayola Kingdom YouTube channel, with weekly episodes.
Crayola and The Franklin Institute partner on traveling exhibition[4]
Reported:
The Franklin Institute teamed up with Crayola to host the world premiere of Crayola IDEAworks: The Creativity Exhibition, which was scheduled to begin at the museum on February 13, 2021.
Sources4 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/crayola · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled