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Crayola releasing new 'Colors of the World' box with skin tone-inspired crayons

Crayola releasing new 'Colors of the World' box with skin tone-inspired crayons
Crayola releasing new 'Colors of the World' box with skin tone-inspired crayons
Posted at 11:22 AM, May 21, 2020
and last updated 2020-05-21 11:42:53-04

EASTON, Fa. – For years, children were forced to use odd colors when coloring people’s skin. Now, Crayola is releasing a new box of crayons to help kids get things right and advance inclusion.

The company announced the launch of its “Colors of the World” crayons on Thursday. The box includes 24 new specially formulated crayons that are designed to mirror and represent over 40 global skin tones across the world.

Crayola says it hopes the new colors will help cultivate a more inclusive world for children of all ages, races, cultures and ethnicities.

The company says it conducted rigorous consumer testing and partnered with cosmetics expert Victor Casale to ensure “Colors of the World” crayons reflect an accurate and inclusive skin tone palette.

"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."

The crayon packs feature side panels that serve as color references and Crayola says each crayon is wrapped in a gradient skin tone label with the color name in English, Spanish and French. They also purposefully have realistic color names – such as Light Golden, Deep Almond and Medium Deep Rose – all to help kids easily find the shade they identify as their own.

The “Colors of the World” crayons come in 24 and 32-count packs and will begin to hit shelves in July, just in time for the back to school season. The 32-count crayon pack, which also includes eight hair and eye colors, will be sold exclusively at Walmart.