Can I send my broken crayons to you for recycling?

Throughout Crayola’s history, several crayon colours have been retired, marking significant moments in the evolution of our vibrant palette. 

1990
For the first time in Crayola history eight colours were retired and placed in the Crayola Hall of Fame: blue gray, green blue, lemon yellow, maize, orange red, orange yellow, raw umber, and violet blue. 

Eight new colours were added: cerulean, dandelion, fuchsia, jungle green, royal purple, teal blue, vivid tangerine, and wild strawberry. 

2003
Celebrating a century of bringing colour to the world, Crayola introduced four new colours named by Crayola fans! To make room for the new hues, we bid farewell to blizzard blue, magic mint, mulberry, and teal blue. 

The four new colours that were introduced are: inchworm, jazzberry jam, mango tango, and wild blue yonder. 

Kudos to our hue heroes – the consumers who voted in the ​“Save the Shade” campaign, ensuring burnt sienna stayed in the pack. 

2017
To mark National Crayon Day on March 31^st, we announced Dandelion was leaving the pack. To honor this iconic colour, we sent Dandelion on a retirement tour to his favorite places. His replacement, Bluetiful, was announced on May 5, 2017.

The basic ingredients contained in Crayola Crayons are paraffin wax and colour pigment. The ingredients are the same for all Crayola Crayon colours, with some modifications in special effects crayons. We manufacture almost 3 billion crayons each year. The paraffin wax is melted and mixed together with pre-measured amounts of colour pigments. We purchase the powder pigments and either use individual colours or mix the pigments to produce the many colours of Crayola Crayons. The hot wax mixture is poured into moulding machines. In about four to seven minutes, the crayons cool and become solid. The crayon manufacturing process can be viewed on our web site by visiting http://​www​.cray​ola​.com/​f​a​c​t​o​r​y​/​p​r​e​v​i​e​w​/​f​a​c​t​o​r​y​_​f​l​o​o​r​/​c​r​a​y​o​n​_​m​f​g.htm. There is a book available titled ​“Crayons From Start To Finish”. The book offers a behind-the-scenes look at the whole manufacturing process. To obtain this book, please visit your local library. As a further reference, the ISBN is 1−56711−390−7 and the author of the book is Samuel G. Woods.

Because Crayola Marker components are securely sealed during the manufacturing process, we don’t recommend trying to remove the marker nib and reservoir to recycle the barrel. The marker caps can be recycled at facilities that accept #5 plastic. 

Green is more than just a colour to us! Click here to learn more about Crayola’s sustainability initiatives.

There are no plans for a United Way sale in 2024. Crayola Canada continues to develop alternatives to support the United Way. 

Crayola Canada’s community relations program supports non-profit organizations located across Canada, with an emphasis on the arts and education.

How To Apply

Requests for donations must be submitted on your organization’s letterhead with your contact information by email, or mail. If sending your request by email, you will receive an automatic reply acknowledging that your email has been received. If you do not receive this confirmation within 5 business days, please call Amanda Pascoe at Crayola Canada. 

Email:apascoe@​crayola.​com
Phone Number: 1−705−212−4399
 

Mailing Address:

Crayola Canada
Donations Department
P.O. Box 120
15 Mary St. West
Lindsay, Ontario
K9V 4R8
Attn: Amanda Pascoe

What To Include

We ask that you include the following required information in your letter:

• Date of your event
• If you require confirmation earlier than one month prior to your event, please provide us with a time frame needed to receive a response.
• Details of your event
• Shipping Address
• Telephone number, if we need to contact you
• Contact person’s name, phone, and email address
• What you would like to receive – i.e., door prize, art supplies for craft area, etc.

Please be advised that it may take up to three weeks for your request to be reviewed. Only organizations selected to receive a donation will be contacted.

Your Crayola markers may have dried out if left uncapped. Below are some suggestions to help revive them. 

1. Color-Change Doodle Markers:

• Replace the cap for 72 hours (about 3 days) before attempting to use it again.

2. Colour Wonder Markers:

• Not water-based and cannot be revived.
• Try wiping the nib clean, cap the marker, and store with the tip down overnight if left uncapped briefly.

3. Fine-Point and Ultra-Fine Point Doodle Markers:

• Cannot be revived as they are permanent marker inks.

4. Gel Markers:

• Rub the marker back and forth on the drawing surface.
• If still dry, replace the cap for 2 – 3 hours.
• Alternatively, dip the tip in warm water for about 5 seconds, recap, and wait 24 hours before trying again.

5. Non-Water-Based Markers (Project Metallic, Signature Blending, Signature Metallic Outline, Take Note! Dry Erase, Visi-Max Dry Erase):

• These markers cannot be revived once they have dried out.

6. Take Note! Gel Pens:

• Tap the tip against paper to engage and disengage the tip until writing comes back.
• If unsuccessful, the pen may be empty even if some ink appears to be remaining.

7. Water-Based Markers (Regular, Washable, Ultra-Clean, Dual-Ended Doodle, Washable No-Drip & Project Paint Brush Pens):

• Dip the tip in warm water for about 5 seconds.
• Recap the marker and wait 24 hours before using it again.