Racial bias is ingrained in many of our everyday products. Items ranging from band-aids to facial recognition software were not developed with the full range of the world’s racial diversity in mind. When Crayola Crayons first released their “flesh tint” in 1903, it only applied to a narrow spectrum of children who used it, but now, Crayola is finally creating more inclusive crayon colors with their “Colors of the World” series.
The new 24 pack of crayons is “designed to mirror and represent over 40 global skin tones across the world” for a more inclusive art experience for all children. The company collaborated with makeup chemist Victor Casale, who has more than 30 years of experience formulating diverse foundation colors, to create the more inclusive product.
The expanded 32 pack also includes eight different hair and eye color crayons. Different tones of crayon color is only a small step toward eliminating the deeply ingrained racial biases in commercial products, but for children around the world who have felt dismayed at a lack of “flesh” options that actually reflect their skin tones, this new product could provide an impactful change to craft time.
