By Lottie Dalziel
For Naomi Parsons, Eco Crayons was created after an eye-opening personal experience. "When I had my daughter, who is now 9, I would watch her creating and colour would leech into her skin and stain for days, sometimes even weeks. I began researching what was actually in these 'non-toxic' and 'washable' products and I was horrified."
Rather than stop the fun of colouring in and letting her daughters creative juices flow, Naomi spent "endless days and nights of experimentation. Learning about plant science so that I could create a range of crayons that are 100% natural, biodegradable and sustainable."
Eco Crayons' aim is to "create non-toxic art materials so that all people can colour and paint the rainbow naturally."
So what makes Eco Crayons different? Parsons explains "the most unique part of my products is that they are completely plant based and natural. I use four plant derived waxes and butters to create Eco Crayons and maize starch and tree gums for the Natural Eco Paints. I do not use any clays, micas or non-renewable and synthetic colours - all of the colours that I use to create my products come from plants, roots, vegetables, seeds and flowers. Eco Crayons are the only 10 colour palette plant based natural crayons and Natural Eco Paints are the only 8 colour palette botanical paints internationally."
When it comes to picking a favourite, Naomi recommends the 9 pack organic cotton crayon pouch, "it screams beauty and natural perfection. The cotton is ethically grown and processed, I get the coconut husk buttons custom manufactured so that they are polished but not waxed, the hemp cord is vegan dyed and unwaxed, the cotton which holds it all together is organic and then the eco crayons top it off."
My eco goal for my business is to refuse behaviours from others that are not eco friendly and sustainable - I don't even have a landfill bin in my studio because I refuse to use and source products and components that are not thoughtfully packed. This commitment filters through to the products that I make and supply and given that children are my target market I intend to use my products as a vehicle for teaching children and families about sustainable swaps.
You can shop the full Eco Crayons range here.