Crayons made from Japanese trees

Japanese design studio Playfool created crayons, naturally coloured using Japanese trees, which are now available for purchase.

About two-thirds of Japan is covered completely with trees, 40 per cent of which was planted. To maintain a forest’s health, trees must be routinely be harvested and replanted. However, due to declining import costs, less domestic wood is being used in the country, which means forests are left unmaintained. This increases the risks of disasters, such as landslides.

To bring attention to the problem, Playfool designed the Forest Crayons, as a scalable use for wood to motivate the country to sustain forests, but also inspire a new appreciation of the trees to future generations.

To make the crayons, various species and types of wood are ground down into a find powder. This pigment is then mixed with a type of wax, like beeswax, and left to cure in a mould.

Rather than just being brown, the palette of the crayons includes various hues, like the light green of magnolia and the deep turquoise of fungus stained wood. Any piece of wood from the lumber yard can be transformed into a crayon, no matter the composition or defect.

The crayons are now available for purchase as a pre-order.

Photos: Playfool