Aus einer geöffneten Buntstiftverpackung ragen 12 Buntstifte mit verschiedenen Hautfarben heraus

Pencils for everyone

Children want to paint themselves and their friends the way they really look! That's why our sustainable crayons are available in 12 different skin colors - recommended by educators.

Our crayons show a unique, representative spectrum of skin tones that we developed with experts and anti-racist activists. In this way, they make an important contribution to a prejudice-free education for children.

What our pencils stand for

Anti-racism

With our products, we contribute to diversity-conscious childhood education and support important changes toward an open, unbiased society, free from racism and discrimination. 

Eine Illustration zeigt eine Person, die mit zwei Kindern am Tisch sitzt und alle malen mit Buntstiften
Eine Illustration zeigt zwei Menschengruppen als Buntstifte-Zeichnung - Eine Gruppe hält ein Banner mit der Aufschrift 'Equal Rights'

Non-profit

All profits from the sale of Hautfarben products are fully invested in non-profit and inclusive projects for diversity, tolerance, and peaceful coexistence. Therefore, every purchase helps sustainably fight discrimination and racism.

Fair working conditions

The selection of our production partners is a process to which we dedicate a lot of time to ensure that our social sustainability criteria is met: we value production at certified locations in Europe and good working conditions for employees.

Eine Illustration zeigt zwei Personen bei der Arbeit. Eine Person sitz am Computer. Die andere Person verpackt Buntstifte.
Eine Illustration zeigt einen Arbeiter, der mit einem Buntstift Notizen macht. Neben ihm ist eine Erdkugel und Stecker als Buntstiftzeichnung

Environmentally friendly production

We make sure that our supply chains are carbon-neutral and have no negative consequences for the environment and biodiversity. Hautfarben products are produced using 100% green energy. Additionally, all our products are vegan, meaning no animals are harmed in the production process. 

Sustainable materials

Our products are made exclusively from sustainable materials suitable for children. Our pencils are made from PEFC-certified wood from sustainably managed forests. The coloring book, puzzle, and packaging are printed on environmentally friendly natural cardboard.

Eine Illustration zeigt ein Mädchen, welches mit Buntstiften malt. Im Hintergrund ist ein Wald und ein Holzstapel als Buntstiftzeichnung

FAQ

"Give me the “skin tone pencil.” Many parents have been reaching for the pink crayon here for too long. That's a problem because people in our society aren't pink. Racism and discrimination start with language. 

At the end of 2016, together with a friend, Malte decided to do something about the monotony in the crayon boxes and the stereotypes in raising children. The result was a set of colored pencils in 12 different, representative skin tones. With this, children can finally paint themselves and their friends as they really look. The message behind it: skin tone is not the same as pink! Each of us is unique and that's a good thing.

Our skin tone products assist parents, educators, and teachers in promoting representation in education and breaking stereotypes. The lone pink "skin tone" pencil in conventional pencil sets fails to live up to its name. On the path to a more open society, multiple approaches are needed. With the Skin Tone Pencils, we focus on the youngest members of our society. Through our products, children can playfully discover the value of diversity.

Children are born without prejudices. However, to ensure that stereotypes are not learned early and unconsciously, the role of parents, educators, and caregivers in upbringing and sensitization is crucial. Providing discrimination-free education and nurturing a new generation is an opportunity for change. Step by step, we make an important contribution towards a more open, unbiased society.

Our customers love the Hautfarben products because they represent a meaningful gift that is also beautiful, enjoyable, and contributes to creative education. By giving these gifts, they convey an important message, and through their purchase, they make a societal contribution, as the proceeds support nonprofit projects against racism and discrimination.

The education of our children influences not only their lives, but also the future of our society. Non-discriminatory education is essential in this regard, but why actually? Here are a few reasons:

1. Building healthy self-esteem: children who are raised without discrimination build healthy self-esteem. They recognize that they are unique and valuable just the way they are.

2. Developing empathy: Children who value the diversity of people around them develop stronger empathic skills. They learn to empathize with others and understand their perspectives.

3. Strengthening social skills: When children understand that differences are normal and valuable, they are better able to interact with people from different backgrounds and worldviews. They also learn to resolve conflicts and compromise.

4. Building a just society: non-discriminatory education is a step towards a more just society. It teaches children that everyone deserves equal rights and opportunities. Children are the adults of tomorrow who will shape the future.

Now you may be asking yourself: how can I contribute to discrimination-free education? Talk to children openly and vividly about the value of diversity. With Skin Tones pencils, we offer a simple but powerful way to teach these lessons. Our pencils in 12 representative skin tones help children discover the value of diversity through play and understand that everyone is unique and valuable.

Together with diversity experts and artists, we have selected 12 shades with which different skin tones can be drawn as realistically as possible. Of course, 12 shades alone can never represent the full range of human skin tones. However: Through skillful combination and mixing, our color selection enables the drawing of a large and realistic skin tone spectrum. Recommended by artists and educators!

The production is carried out jointly at four German production sites with 100% green power from PEFC-certified wood that comes from sustainably managed forests. The pencils have a special lead protection (ABS) that withstands intensive and exuberant use by children's hands. The packaging is printed on environmentally friendly, PEFC-certified natural cardboard by Egger, a small, ecologically oriented printing company in Bavaria. Product safety is certified by the CE seal. 

The production of crayons is a multi-step process consisting of various stages. First, the wooden pencils are made from high-quality cedar or lime wood and cut into different lengths. The wooden pencils must be cut precisely to allow for comfortable handling and easy sharpening later on.

Color pigments and binders are carefully selected and mixed to achieve a perfect color blend. The color pigments are ground very finely to ensure even distribution on the paper later. Binders are essential to enable reliable adhesion of the ink to the paper.

The ink mixture is poured into special molds and dried. The drying process is done by heating or air drying. After removal from the molds, the pens must be dried again to ensure that they are fully cured.

Welche Rolle spielen Buntstifte in Bildung und Erziehung?

Pencils are one of the most popular tools for kids and teens to develop their creative side. But did you know that pencils can also help teach adolescents important lessons about diversity and tolerance? Teaching children and teens to use different pencils to paint skin tones reinforces the recognition that everyone is unique and different. This helps raise diversity awareness and sensitize adolescents to the fact that it is good to be different.

So, pencils can not only be a tool to draw beautiful pictures, but also a symbol of inclusion and tolerance. By using pencils for skin colors, children and young people learn to appreciate and respect other cultures and people. Parents and teachers can play an important role in this by encouraging adolescents to be curious and ask questions. They can also make sure they have access to different materials and colors to express their creativity and represent different skin tones.

In fact, crayons can be an important tool to encourage these aspects in subsequent generations. We should all work to teach adolescents that it is good to be different and that diversity enriches our society. So, the next time you use pencils, remember how important it is to appreciate the world and the people around us. Pick up our Skin Tones pencils and experiment with different skin tones to promote such awareness.

What makes a good pencil?

Good colored pencils should not be missing in any artist:s toolbox, because they are one of the basic tools for painting and drawing and are appreciated by children and adults alike. Thanks to a wide range of colors and shades, we can give free rein to our creativity and bring our imagination to life on paper.

One advantage of pencils is that they are easy to use and allow even inexperienced drawers to create impressive works. Unlike other materials such as oil paints or acrylics, colored pencils are easier to handle and allow precise work on small areas. Pencils offer an extensive range of colors, from vibrant, bold hues to subtle pastels, giving us a wide variety of design options. This allows artists:of all ages and skill levels to choose the colors that best suit their project.

High-quality colored pencils are more resistant to breakage and wear, and offer better color intensity and quality. Whether you're an artist or an amateur, whether you're shopping for yourself or others, our Skin Tones pencils are a sustainable quality tool that should be in every creative toolbox. They are versatile, easy to use, and offer a wide range of skin tones that promote diversity and enable you to create a more diverse world. On top of that, 100% of the surplus from all sales goes to charitable and inclusive projects for diversity, tolerance and peaceful coexistence.