An object of endless fascination for a child and a bevy of colour compactly packed in a wax or plastic body has essentially constituted a product that has spelled creativity for an entire age-group, generation after generation. Crayons are probably the very first 'brush with art' that most of us have had, the pun unintended, and a very fundamental introductory medium to draw, spell, write, and just fill any blank canvas: often the walls, much to the house-owner’s dismay. But as seen in a number of product innovations all through last year, true innovation in product design, especially in commonplace, daily-use objects, lay in material innovation, and rethinking fundamentals. It’s almost as if futurism was somehow rooted, romantically so, in going back, in revisiting basics. Admirably, both of these criteria overlap in Forest Crayons, while utility is sealed.

While intended as a global product, Forest Crayons’ roots are imperatively in Japan, especially considering that around two-thirds of the island nation is completely covered with trees, with nearly 40 per cent of them being artificially planted in the wake of the war. With Forest Crayons, the Tokyo-based design studio Playfool pegs their narrative on the increasingly urgent need of the forests’ upkeep and their routine harvesting and replenishment, given that there is little impetus to do so in the face of declining import costs. The wood from the forests is thus lent new life: apart from the furniture and architecture it would create, the crayons utilise not just the wood’s form-giving and aesthetic qualities, but also their natural, intrinsic hue.

In what is at once a call for afforestation by drawing attention to our forests as multifaceted resources, Forest Crayons also ascend the notion of forests as dual-hued denizens in only green and brown, revealing a whole gamut of colours within the forest. From the light green of magnolia, to the deep turquoise of fungus stained wood, the set comprises a number of traditional shades and hues, derived from the forest, along with rich renditions of brown and ember.

Furthermore, each of the crayons in the Forest Crayons set exhibits a distinct colour that is determined not only by the species of the tree, but also the conditions in which it is grown. As a result, the natural ‘inconsistencies’ in wood are fully embraced in creating a truly unique set each time.

With sustainability at the fore, Playfool’s Forest Crayons thus devise a unique and entirely scalable use for wood in its entirety, irrespective of the shape, composition, or defect of a particular piece. Virtually any piece of wood from the forest or the lumber yard, whole or in part, could be transformed into a crayon, essentially translating into a near zero waste cycle. The crayons are carved out of the wooden log in a prismatic mass, with their design aesthetic, language, and an underlying sense of spirituality, deriving from the forest as a living being, being increasingly reminiscent of Japanese design and minimalism.

An essential aspect of the intervention is generating awareness and appreciation for Japanese wood and the country’s forests, enabling the program being supported by the Japanese Forestry Agency. Playfool is now looking at ramping up production for the product to hit markets for retail.

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