The "Oyasai Crayon vegetabo" workshop using vegetables and fruits as raw materials was held on October 5th at Cidre Kobo Kimori (Shimizu Tomitazawa, Hirosaki City) in Hirosaki Apple Park.

"Oyasai Crayon vegetabo" was invented by Naoko Kimura, the representative of design office mizuiro (Furukawa, Aomori City). The trigger was that I wanted to make safe and safe stationery for a child who was eight years old. It was March 2012.

Kimura, who had liked drawing since childhood, noticed crayon. Kimura wondered if vegetables and fruits could be used as raw materials to make the color crayon so that children wouldn't hurt them.

"When I examined how to make crayons and actually made crayons using vegetables, the results were better than I expected," says Kimura. However, in actual commercialization, there were many problems in terms of production volume and cost. So Kimura checked the crayon association list and checked crayon dealers nationwide. In September 2013, I jumped into a factory in Nagoya to ask for advice.

The person who was surprised at first gradually became interested in Mr. Kimura's idea and decided to make a prototype. With improvements, the first package "Oyasai Crayon Season 1" was completed in December. Exhibited at the Tokyo International Gift Show held at Tokyo Big Sight in February 2014.

“It was sold out in 2 weeks because of the favorable reception from buyers all over the country,” said Kimura. Season2, which was developed in May, adds an "apple" color that uses apples. They also show their enthusiasm to create new colors with seasonal vegetables and fruits that match the season. "In the end, if you can make crayons using vegetables from 47 prefectures nationwide," he said. He has already received multiple inquiries from outside the prefecture.

Parents and children and university students participate in the workshop on the day. Kimura himself explained "How to make a crazy crayon" and experienced the coloring with real things. Asami Momo-chan (8) and Tori-chan (5), who were sisters from the city, said, "I enjoyed the smell of vegetables and fruits. ..

Mr. Toshiko Sakae of Hirosaki After School, who planned the workshop, said, “I saw Kimura watching the children coloring with crayon in front of me. The students who were doing this also discovered that it is important to have a flexible idea like Mr. Kimura and to come into society, and it was an opportunity to gain valuable experience from children to adults. ”

Oyasai Crayons are sold at bookstores, stationery stores, web shops, etc. nationwide. The price is 2,000 yen (excluding tax). For inquiries, contact the design office mizuiro (TEL 017-718-3798, weekdays from 10:00 to 17:00).