Last Updated on May 28, 2024
You’ve probably played with Crayola markers or crayons growing up. They’re at the epicenter of almost every classroom during arts and crafts time!
Crayola was established in 1885 and can be found in almost every store that sells art supplies. Widely renown and popular, around 99% of households recognize the brand’s name.
Crayola has taken some steps towards sustainability: The brand hosts a 20-acre solar field next to their Pennsylvania plant, invests in renewable energy, cut back on plastic packaging, and has reduced CO2 emissions from the operating of their company-owned facilities by 82% since 2019.
But are Crayola markers and crayons vegan? No, and here’s everything you need to know, along with important details on vegan marker alternatives.
does crayola have animal fat?
It’s possible Crayola products contain animal fat, though they are not transparent about their ingredients. However, Crayola crayons are thought to contain stearic acid, which is typically sourced from beef tallow.
While stearic acid can come from plant and animal sources alike, according to Plant Based News, Crayola has reportedly confirmed it uses animal-based stearic acid.
what is a crayola marker made of?
While Crayola has not explicitly listed all the ingredients in their markers, according to Plant Based News, Crayola markers are said to contain animal byproducts.
A spokesperson for Crayola told Plant Based News they use animal byproducts in “some” of their products.
It is speculated that they may contain substances such as milk casein, insect shells, gelatin, bone char or beeswax, as these ingredients are commonly used to bind or preserve markers.
Crayola has said the basic ingredients in Crayola markers are water and dye. Though, the nature of this dye and its ingredients are unknown.
are crayons vegan?
Unless stated outright, many crayons, including those from brands like Crayola, are not vegan. This is because they contain animal byproducts.
For example, Crayola crayons contain stearic acid, which they’ve admitted being animal derived, most likely from beef fat or tallow. This gives the crayons their distinctive smell.
are crayola products cruelty-free?
It is worth noting that Crayola does not perform animal testing on its products. They instead use alternative sources, such as toxicological reviews and historical databases.
However, it is unclear whether or not Crayola uses ingredients that have been tested on animals.
are there sustainable and vegan marker alternatives?
Unfortunately, not many brands offer vegan marker alternatives. Crayola is far from the only brand that does not explicitly state their ingredients: Many do not! This can make it very hard to determine if a brand is truly vegan or cruelty-free.
According to Double Check Vegan, Chartpak’s ADMarks and Spectra ADMarkers are confirmed vegan, and Copic markers are all vegan, but nothing on their site indicates this. So, I don’t feel comfortable saying they are in fact vegan.
However, one brand that sells markers (called Ohuhu) says directly on their website their products are 100% vegan (at the bottom of their homepage). They have a wide array of colors to choose from and offer alcohol-based and water-based markers. They even offer refills, which reduces packaging waste.
Keep in mind that the most sustainable thing you can do is use up whatever you have at home before buying new. Or, borrowing from a friend if it’s a one-off project you need them for.
You can also look into reuse stores and see if you can find secondhand art supplies in one of them. While these items may not be vegan, you will help reduce waste and give something a second life. Art reuse stores will also have many more things than just markers! Think paints, brushes, yarn, etc.
where to get sustainable art supplies
Just remember, having the vegan label is not the only mark of sustainability: Other things to look for in art brands is if their products are refillable, durable, and/or made using natural materials or ingredients. Even better if their plastic packaging is minimal or nonexistent.
Here are some sustainable art brands making waves in the industry:
- Beam Paints: Honors indigenous paintmaking traditions made with natural materials and plastic-free packaging.
- Eco Kids Art Supplies: Sustainable art supplies with a focus on kids crafts.
- Natural Earth Paint: Both children and adult fine art supplies made using natural pigments.
Are there any vegan marker brands or vegan art supply companies you know about? Drop them in the comments below!
The post Are Crayola Markers Vegan? Here’s What You Need to Know appeared first on Going Zero Waste.
Thoreau wrote in Walden that “Time is but the stream I go a-fishing in,” which reminds us that life is short and nature fills it beautifully. What are you looking for that can’t be found during an afternoon in nature?
Earth911 inspirations. Post them, share your desire to help people think of the planet first, every day. Click the poster to get a larger image.
The post Earth911 Inspiration: Time Is but the Stream appeared first on Earth911.
https://earth911.com/inspire/earth911-inspiration-time-is-but-the-stream/
Green Living
Classic Sustainability In Your Ear: The Ocean River Institute’s Natural Lawn Challenge for Climate Action
Turn back the clock with this classic interview that will get you ready for Spring yard care planning. A lawn may be beautiful but it can take a heavy toll on the environment, accounting for between 30% and 60% of residential water use in the United States. Rob Moir, Ph.D., is president and executive director of the Ocean River Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts. ORI works with residential lawn owners to heal damaged ecosystems by restoring coastal areas to lessen the destructive impacts of climate change. The benefits of a natural lawn reach far beyond reduced local water pollution, eliminating chemicals that can contribute to cancers, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and other cellular diseases. Natural lawns are also better for local pollinators and store much more carbon than heavily fertilized lawns. If you considered removing your lawn to play a part in the battle against climate change, this interview may change your mind — a healthy lawn is a powerful carbon sink.
The Ocean River Institute is recruiting Massachusetts communities, town by town, to take a pledge to follow natural lawn practices in the Healthy Soils for Climate Restoration Challenge. You don’t need to live in Massachusetts to participate and learn about the alternatives to the traditional, chemical-intensive lawn practices that use Roundup, a source of glyphosates that kills soil-dwelling fungi and local pollinators, and fast-acting nitrogen fertilizers. You can learn more about the Ocean River Institute at www.oceanriver.org.
Rob has contributed many articles about climate change and the history of environmental change since this interview, including:
- Finding a Northwest Passage to the Sea
- Turning the Tide—How Land and Water Shape Our Climate Future
- Learning from Captain Scoresby’s Ten-gallon Fir-Cask
- Earth Savvy?
- Let the Ground Keep Falling Rainwater
- The Sultans of Swag Versus Looking at Clouds from Both Sides Now
- Subscribe to Sustainability in Your Ear on iTunes and Apple Podcasts.
- Follow Sustainability in Your Ear on Spreaker, iHeartRadio, or YouTube
Editor’s Note: This episode originally aired on May 30, 2022.
The post Classic Sustainability In Your Ear: The Ocean River Institute’s Natural Lawn Challenge for Climate Action appeared first on Earth911.
https://earth911.com/podcast/earth911-podcast-the-ocean-river-institutes-natural-lawn-challenge-for-climate-action/
Choosing your perfect gown can be one of the most exciting decisions for your special day, but for the eco fashionista, it can be a challenge to find a dress that fits your values and style — but these brands have exceptional sustainable wedding dresses you’ll swoon over!
Using earth-minded materials like hemp, cruelty-free peace silk, deadstock recycled fabrics and vintage lace, and producing consciously, either in small batches or handcrafting each individual piece made-to-order, the brands below meet high standards for transparency, ecological sustainability, and fair labor.
[For more sustainable wedding dresses, check out this guide to secondhand wedding dress sites!]
Note that the guide contains affiliate links. As always, we only feature brands that meet strict criteria for sustainability we love, that we think you’ll love too!
1. Christy Dawn
Dreamy dress brand Christy Dawn does not disappoint with their romantic bridal collection! Each piece is more swoon-worthy than the next.
Their three sustainable bridal gowns are made from regenerative silk charmeuse —sourced through BOMBYX, an innovative silk producer using best practices — and colored in a beautiful pearl silk with non-toxic dyes. Each dress is ethically cut and sewn by makers in Los Angeles earning living wages, as with the rest of Christy Dawn’s collections.
The Britta Dress and Fitzgerald Dress are 1920s inspired while the Athena Dress is a more modern (but equally romantic) option. All of these dresses are made-to-order with an estimated timeline of 4 weeks.
Conscious Qualities: Regenerative silk and organic non-toxic dyes, ethically made-to-order in Los Angeles
Price Range: $2,500 – $3,000
Size Range: XS – XL
2. Pure Magnolia
Blending the traditional with the modern, Pure Magnolia designs classic-inspired sustainable wedding dresses with contemporary touches. And each dress is made in their Canadian studio by seamstresses earning fair wages from eco-fabrics, such as organic cotton and hemp silk.
The brand sources recycled fabrics whenever possible as well, and recycles their scrap fabric through FABCYCLE.
Conscious Qualities: Eco-friendly fabrics, locally and fairly made, recycles scrap fabrics
Price Range: $845 – $3,300 CAD
Size Range: 0 – 28
3. Lost in Paris
Lost in Paris crafts each of their creatively designed bohemian-inspired gowns ethically in their Sydney, Australia studio. Unconventional yet undeniably striking, Lost in Paris’ dresses are made from vintage lace and cotton.
Investing in a dress from Lost in Paris is seamless — the brand offers at-home sample try-ons, offers train and sleeve adjustments on several styles, ships their dresses worldwide for free, and even accepts returns. Oh, and, if one of their ready-made sizes doesn’t work for you, you can get a dress designed to your measurements.
Conscious Qualities: Made-to-order model, uses vintage lace, locally made
Price Range: $950 – $3900 AUD
Size Range: XXS – XXL + custom sizing options
For More Slow Fashion Content:
4. Wear Your Love
Wear Your Love creates feminine, effortless dresses in their Northern California studio that are — in contrast to the majority of wedding dresses on the market — actually comfortable! The brand’s free-spirited designs are made with soft, earth-minded fabrics like organic cotton and each dress is made to order for each bride to their exact measurements.
There are also customizations available for each eco-friendly wedding dress such as train or no train, skirt or sleeve linings, back coverage, skirt style, and more.
Conscious Qualities: Eco-friendly fabrics, made-to-order model, locally and transparently made
Price Range: $680 – $1,700
Size Range: N/A; dresses are made to your measurements
5. Larimeloom
Based in Reggio Emilia, Italy, Larimeloom crafts exceptional custom-made dresses by hand in their atelier. The brand creates comfortable minimalist dresses from durable natural fabrics and colors them with natural or non-toxic dyes.
Larimeloom has also implemented zero waste design techniques, cutting their patterns strategically in order to minimize fabric waste.
Conscious Qualities: Made-to-order model, zero-waste designs, natural fabrics and dyes
Price Range: 650€ – 2,650€
Size Range: XS – XL
6. Sister Organics
Sourcing quality earth-friendly natural fabrics like organic hemp and cotton, Sister Organics creates classic, eco-friendly wedding dresses for UK-based brides.
Each dress is made to order in England, so you can select a pre-defined size, customize the length of a size, or get an entirely different dress made for your measurements.
Conscious Qualities: Eco-friendly fabrics, made-to-order model
Price Range: £125 – £390
Size Range: XXS – XXL + custom sizing
7. Indiebride London
Indiebride’s vintage-inspired sustainable wedding dresses are delicate and romantic yet free-spirited, offering a unique collection for the bride that wants to skip the conventional wedding gown and choose a piece that fits their individual style.
The brand’s conscious wedding dresses are handmade in London using majority natural fibers and can be altered or customized to your specifications.
Conscious Qualities: Made-to-order model, uses many natural fabrics, locally made
Price Range: £1,200 – £1,700
Size Range: 8 – 16 (UK sizes)
More Resources For Your Eco Wedding:
10 Secondhand Wedding Dress Sites for the Eco Bride
7 Ethical Lab-Grown Diamond Engagement and Wedding Rings
17 Brands with Conscious Dresses (great options for bridesmaid dresses in here!)
The post 7 Best Sustainable Wedding Dresses for Your Special Day appeared first on Conscious Life & Style.
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