Crayola has just made the world more inclusive for children with the launch of its newest set of skin tone crayons.
Called Colors of the World, this crayon line is comprised of 24 new specially formulated crayons, designed to represent over 40 skin tones across the globe.
Colors of the World crayons fall into three main shades, namely Almond, Golden, and Rose. Each crayon in the collection has a deliberate realistic color name – such as Light Golden, Deep Almond, and Medium Deep Rose – to help kids easily find the shade they identify as their own. The crayons are also individually wrapped in a gradient skin tone label with their respective color names in English, Spanish and French.
Colors of the World crayons come in 24- and 32-count packs, which feature side panels that serve as color references. The 32-count crayon pack is comprised of the 24 new skin tone crayons plus eight classic crayons for eyes and hair.
“With the world growing more diverse than ever before, Crayola hopes our new Colors of the World crayons will increase representation and foster a greater sense of belonging and acceptance,” Crayola CEO Rich Wuerthele said in a statement. “We want the new Colors of the World crayons to advance inclusion within creativity and impact how kids express themselves.”
In addition to conducting rigorous consumer testing to make sure that the new Colors of the World crayons reflect an accurate and inclusive skin tone palette, Crayola also partnered with MOB Beauty CEO Victor Casale. The former chief chemist and managing director, R&D of MAC Cosmetics, Casale has over 30 years of experience in creating foundation colors for global skin tones.
“I have spent my life trying to create truly global shade palettes because I know what it’s like to be with a person who has finally found their exact match. They feel included and recognized, and I am hoping every child who uses these crayons and finds their shade will have that feeling,” said Casale. “Growing up, I remember mixing the pink and dark brown crayons to try and make my shade, so I was thrilled when Crayola asked for my help to create the Colors of the World crayons.”
Both the 24- and 32-count packs of Colors of the World will begin to hit shelves in July. The 32-count crayon pack, sold exclusively at Walmart, was made available for pre-order on Thursday but quickly sold out. As for the 24-count pack, those interested have the option of pre-ordering it from Crayola’s website, which will also alert customers on product availability.