Are Crayola Markers Vegan? Let’s find out!

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When thinking about veganism, we often imagine delicious curries, colorful salads, and vitamin-packed smoothies. But diet is only a small part of this lifestyle. The number of items containing animal-derived products is incredibly high, ranging from cosmetics to clothes, art supplies, and more. This is exactly what we are going to talk about today. In particular, we will focus on art supplies and Crayola’s markers.

Chances are that you never really thought about whether these are vegan or not and may now be wondering what animal products can be used in such products. Well, it turns out that art supply is often not vegan. From pigs’ hair to gelatin and animal testing practices, there are several reasons why you should always check your supply if you’re interested in animal rights.

Today we will tell you everything you need to know about these products and address the elephant in the room by answering the question: are Crayola Markers vegan? We will explore how these are produced, which ingredients they contain, and which cruelty-free brands you can use for your next work of art!

What are Crayola Markers?

Crayola is one of the most famous art supply brands currently on the market. Founded back in 1885 in NYC, this company started as a pigment supply company. In 1902, they began to produce their famous crayons and launched their first marker collection only in 1987. Today, this brand sells a variety of markers, from scented to washable ones.

Crayola also produces other art supply products, such as paints, modeling clay, and more. As of today, this company is probably the most famous art supply brand in the US, and, not by chance, this business has 99% name recognition across the country. But are its products vegan?

What Does It Mean for a Marker to Be Vegan?

Veganism is a lifestyle that aims to reduce animal suffering. Vegans don’t use products that are derived from animals, are tested on animals, or are connected in any way with animal cruelty. You may now be wondering, how can markers fall into these categories. The truth is that for centuries artists have made use of a number of animal-derived products for the creation of their art supply. For instance, historically brushes have been produced from the hair of sables, pigs, and squirrels. Similarly, boiled skins, tendons, bones, and pigs’ and cows’ hooves have been used to create gelatin-based gessoes.

Other common ingredients not suitable for vegans found in art supplies include gelatin, honey, beeswax, bone char, and even dairy. So, are markers vegan? Unfortunately, there is no way to know whether the art supply you are using is vegan unless directly stated on the package. If you are eager to know, you can always contact the manufacturers to ask for information. In light of this, is Crayola vegan?

Are Crayola Markers Vegan?

No, Crayola Markers are not vegan. Unfortunately, finding Crayola Markers’ official ingredient list is quite hard, which is already a red flag in itself. On their website, it can be read “Crayola® Markers are made with six components consisting of a color solution, a porous plastic nib, a plastic barrel, a cotton filament (ink reservoir), an end plug, and a cap.

Although specific ingredient information is proprietary, most of the color solutions in Crayola Markers are made from water and dyes.” From this, you may think Crayola markers are indeed vegan, but this is not the case. In fact, these items are produced with stearic acid. This product can be derived both from plants and animals, but, unfortunately, the stearic acid used in Crayola’s products belongs to the latter. Made from cow fat, this saturated fatty acid transforms into a waxy solid at room temperature and helps to strengthen the markers.

But, how are Crayola Markers produced? According to Crayola’s website, it all starts with tiny beads of plastic which are inserted into a molding machine. This melts and molds the beads together, creating marker barrels. The liquid plastic soon becomes solid, after which the markers are screen printed with the brand and color’s name. Soon after, the end plug and ink reservoir are added and the color solution is injected. Last but not least, the cap and drawing tip are added to the marker.

Vegan Alternatives to Crayola Markers

Vegan alternatives to Crayola Markers
Vegan alternatives to Crayola Markers

Alright, we have established that Crayola Markers are not vegan. But there is no reason to despair. Nowadays, there are plenty of vegan alternatives on the market. For instance, you can opt for Copics. Yes, these are more expensive than Crayola, but their quality is way higher, allowing you to create shadows by adding layers of color to your drawing and exponentially improving the quality of your art.

If you’re looking for something for your kids rather than a professional product, you can opt for Fanika Edible Food Markers. These are not only one hundred percent vegan, but also fully safe for children!

Last but not least you can opt for ADMarkers and Spectra ADMarkers by Chartpak. Unfortunately, this company is not fully vegan, but these two products are.

Choosing vegan art supplies can have tons of benefits for all animals. Making this conscious choice every day will, in fact, help reduce animal suffering all over the world. On top of this, vegan products tend to be of better quality than common items, helping you improve your art.

Conclusion

So, to put it simply, no. Crayola Markers are not vegan-friendly. These products contain stearic acid, an ingredient made from animal fat. However, there are plenty of vegan markers out there, so don’t let this information discourage you. Try Copics or Fanika Edible Food Markers and enjoy their better quality!

Frequently Asked Questions

Are crayons made from animals?

No, but they do contain stearic acid, an ingredient made from cow fat, meaning that they are not vegan.

What are Crayola Markers made out of?

Crayola Markers are made from six main compounds: a color solution, a porous plastic nib, a plastic barrel, a cotton filament (ink reservoir), an end plug, and a cap. However, they also contain stearic acid, an ingredient derived from animals, which makes this product not suitable for vegans.

Cristina

Cristina

Cristina is a journalist and traveler with a passion for nutritious and cruelty-free food.

She is now exploring the four corners of the world trying delicious recipes while getting acquainted with the local cultures she meets on the way.

Apart from traveling and cooking, Cristina loves dystopian novels, hot mugs of tea, and jazz.