Get Creative with Kitpas – Sustainable Art Materials at Babipur
We welcomed a new brand to Babipur this week – Kitpas crayons! These fabulous quality art and craft materials are an absolute joy to use, and are made from natural, non-toxic and sustainable ingredients. Loved for their buttery smooth crayons that can be used on a multitude of smooth surfaces, and vibrant, long lasting dustless chalks. Let’s dive into the wonderful world of Kitpas and find out a little more about this sustainable brand.
History
Founded in 1937 in Japan, Kitpas started out as a manufacturer of regular chalks, before later developing a range of top quality art materials. Their regular hard white chalks made from calcium carbonate became the top choice in Japanese schools. Now around 70% of the chalks currently used in schools being Kitpas chalks.
In 1967 a factory was built in the city of Bibai-shi, Hokkaido as production expanded. This translates to “Beautiful Shell City”. This city was founded on the scallop industry, an MSC certified sustainable fishery. However, huge amounts of shells had compiled as a by-product of this food industry. Determined to find ways to reuse and recycle this waste product, Kitpas developed a patented process to use the calcium carbonate from these seashells. By using powdered scallop shells in their chalk, they have helped reduce the amount of scallop shells destined for landfill. The resulting chalks are not only sustainable, but smoother, stronger and longer lasting.
Their range of innovative and eco-friendly art materials has grown with the development of their renowned art crayons. These buttery-smooth crayons are exceptional quality, vibrant and non-toxic. Today rice bran wax is the main ingredient of these multi-surface crayons, and non-toxic water-based pigments.
Kitpas Crayons
So what sets these apart from other crayons? Their wonderfully rich and vibrant colours and silky smooth texture make them an exceptional crayon to use. They are water soluble, making them suitable for blending with water and a paintbrush. This results in a softer, blended, watercolour effect.
Another great quality of these crayons is that you can use them on a multitude of non-porous surfaces. Children love using them on windows and glass doors, mirrors and even the Triclimb Biri. Being water soluble they quickly and easily wipe away with a damp cloth. It’s advised to wipe them off after play as sunlight can make them more difficult to remove if they have been left for some time.
Eco-friendly, non-toxic and sustainable crayons don’t get better than this!
Social Responsibility
Kitpas products are ethically made in Japan. In 1960 the factory developed its “Intellectual Disability Employment Program”. People with learning disabilities now make up 70% of the work force. Providing a happy workplace to accommodate people with additional needs is a top priority at the factory.
Kitpas is guided by the philosophy that everyone, regardless of ability, can find happiness and satisfaction through their work.
Kitpas
The factory has a positive impact on their employees by implementing small changes in the work environment. Everyone works together in a cooperative space. By using ideas including using an hourglass instead of clocks, and measuring and testing devices designed specifically with their employees in mind they have developed a more inclusive workspace. Moreover, this level of commitment to empowering workers of different abilities has resulted in over 50 employees with mental, physical and/or intellectual impairments now finding work in this family business.
Let’s Get Creative!
Looking for creative ideas? Lets take a look at what our buddies and team have been up to!
Kitpas on the Triclimb Biri.
Image Credit Hannah Allen
Kitpas window art. Image credit Alex Assirati 
Pavement chalk drawings. Image credit Lauren Morgan 
Kitpas chalk drawing on the blackboard. Image credit Lauren Morgan 
Window Art. Image credit Elizabeth Loh 
Older kids love getting creative on windows! Image credit Sarah Ojar
If you need more creative arts and crafts inspiration, check out our blog posts >HERE<
Whether you are looking for top quality dustless crayons, or multi-surface crayons, the Kitpas range will have something for you. There are a range of crayon sets with different sizes to suit your child’s needs. With the large crayons and chunky crayon blocks for those early mark-making experiences, to artists sets for older children and adults. There are even some bath crayons so you can get creative at bath time!
Share With Us
We would love to see your crafty creations; share your pictures and thoughts with our community! Tag @Babipur on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Or share your pictures with the Babipur community in our Facebook group, Babipur Hangout!
Find the full Kitpas range >HERE<
“Art has the role in education of helping children become like themselves instead of more like everyone else.” – Sydney Gurewitz Clemens
