Crayola said it plans to retire a color from the company’s iconic 24-count crayon box on Friday for the first time in 100-plus year history.
The Pennsylvania-based arts and crafts company will hold an event in Times Square on Friday to officially banish a crayon from its internationally sold 24-count boxes, Lehigh Valley Live reported Monday.
While Crayola has retired colors in the past, the company said it’s previously avoided parting ways with any shades contained its iconic 24-count packs.
Crayola makes crayons in 120 different colors, according to Lehigh Valley Live, and its 24-count boxes currently include red, yellow, blue, brown, orange, green, violet, black, carnation pink, yellow orange, blue green, red violet, red orange, yellow green, blue violet, white, violet red, dandelion, cerulean, apricot, scarlet, green yellow, indigo and gray.
Crayola hasn’t said which of the two-dozen shades will be retired, nor what color will take its place in future boxes of crayons. The company first announced its plans through its Facebook page last week, prompting several social media users to suggest the slated March 31 retirement event may just be an early April Fool’s joke.
“All colors are important. Why take away from the palette?” asked Facebook user Cheryl Drum.
Crayola mass-produced its first boxes of crayons in 1903, according to the company’s website. It became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hallmark Cards in 1984 and employed about 1,500 workers across seven countries as of 2016.
• Andrew Blake can be reached at ablake@washingtontimes.com.
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