There are five basics steps in the production of crayons.
1. Paraffin wax is melted and pigments are added at high temperatures along with hardening powder. The hot wax mixture is then poured into molds.
2. The crayon molds are kept in cool circulating water where the crayons harden into their shape.
3. After being removed from the molds, the crayons are inspected for any chips or flaws. Flawed crayons are melted down and remolded.
4. Next paper labels are added to the crayons. Crayons are double labeled for strength.
5. Finally the crayons are packaged in cardboard containers and are ready for use.
Crayola's secret formula for how they get their colors, is heavily guarded. We were unable to find out what they used to make their signiture colors. We were, however, able to find some classic pigments used to make certain colors. Pigments are taken from different rocks and minerals that are ground up and used for colored pigments. For example some green pigments come from the mineral Glauconite. More of these pigments can be found at the website linked below.
Soybean crayons are made from soybean oil instead of paraffin wax. These crayons are all natural, biodegradable, and non-toxic. Soybeans are a renewable resource that can produce crayons year after year. Soybean crayons were developed after a couple of Purdue University students came up with the innovative idea in 1996. Soybean crayons have no waxy buildup, are easily shaded, and best of all are completely safe for kids.
You can make your own crayons out of soap. Mix one cup of powdered soap, 1/4 cup water, and food coloring. Place mixture in icecube trays or molds. Put trays in freezer for 15 minutes, remove, and allow to continue drying. When the crayons are dry, remove the from the molds and they are ready for use.
You can recycle your broken crayons using the Crayola crayon maker. Place the broken pieces of crayon in the crayon maker, turn the dial, and wait for the crayons to melt. When the crayons have melted, pour the melted wax into the molds and wait for them to harded. Just like that you have brand new crayons to color with. If you don't have a Crayola crayon maker, put your broken crayons in muffin trays and place the in the oven to melt. After they harden you will have block crayons to color with.
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