Tinta Crayons was established in Melbourne in 2015 by Maria Fletcher and Maria Porto. As mums of young children, they knew crayons were often chewed or put in kids’ mouths but a safe alternative, free of toxic substances, was hard to find. The solution? They made it themselves!
After many hours of research and testing, Tinta Crayons has created the perfect mix to produce natural, organic and sustainable crayons. Free from palm, soy and paraffin waxes (a by-product of petroleum) and pigments that are free from heavy metals, asbestos and other toxic substances, Tinta Crayons are safe, eco-friendly and they smell nice too!
Perfect for little hands, Tinta Crayons are designed to help develop fine motor skills
and support learning. From petals and robots to dinosaurs and personalised name
crayons, there’s a unique shape for everyone and ready to help bring ideas to life!
Tinta Crayons love to support local suppliers and source all our packaging from within Australia. We pride ourselves on every client having a great experience –
easy ordering, fast delivery and a high-quality product that kids will use
again and again.
After nearly 5 years, we continue to make each crayon from scratch, hand-poured
and packed in Melbourne… with love.
From our Tinta family to yours, we hope you love our crayons as much as we love making them.
Maria and Maria x
MEET THE MARIAS
The story of Tinta Crayons started with a little idea.
In late 2015, with her daughter about to start school, Maria Fletcher learned about an asbestos scare – but not in the building industry – in crayons! Asbestos had been used as a filler material for crayons made overseas and it was still legal to sell them in Australia.
Huh? How is it legal to have asbestos in crayons? Surely it can’t be that hard to make crayons that were safe for kids? Right?
So, Maria decided to try her hand at making them herself at home, in the suburbs of Melbourne. She made them for family and friends, including a birthday present for a neighbour – dinosaur crayons for Sabrina, Maria Porto’s
daughter! Interest in Tinta Crayons grew and grew and by Christmas she’d sold 1000 units.
Within just a few months, the Fletcher kitchen was quickly being overtaken by crayon production. Tinta’s first trade show in 2016 was a huge success, but Maria was overwhelmed with orders. The kitchen was officially at capacity and family and friends were called in to help pack orders. It was time to get help and Maria didn’t have to look far… just over the fence!
Neighbour and friend Maria Porto was a perfect fit – one of Tinta’s first customers, she loved the crayons and how different they were. After combining forces, Tinta Crayons has gone from strength to strength – Maria and Maria have moved production out of the kitchen to a larger site, grown their team and now have stockists around Australia and the world.
The future looks colourful for Tinta Crayons!
Are your crayons safe for a one year old?
Hi Gillian, we recommend that children under three use our toddler crayons as they are big and chunky. All of our crayons are free from nasties such as asbestos and heavy metals. We have our crayons independently tested to verify this.
Maria and Maria