Two children in white dresses holding up a pack of Kitpas Crayons standing in front of a whiteboard with their art work

Sustainable Art Materials at Babipur

Are you looking to up your window art game? Maybe you're looking for the best vibrant and long lasting chalks for pavement art? The Kitpas range at Babipur has the answers! 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.

Pavement art using vibrant Kitpas chalks showing a rainbow, hearts and 'Have a nice day' quote.
Pavement art using vibrant Kitpas chalks

Let’s dive into the wonderful world of Kitpas and find out a little more about this sustainable brand, or scroll down for how to use Kitpas crayons and some amazing window art ideas.

Kitpas 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 are Kitpas chalks.

Black and white photo from Kitpas archives showing a worker making chalks in the Kitpas factory
Photo from the archives showing a worker making chalks in the Kitpas factory

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.

A vibrant play scene with a blackboard decorated with chalk pictures of a mushroom fairy house, with Grapat Nins in the foreground
Lauren has created this magical scene using Kitpas chalks on a blackboard

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.

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.

The Kitpas workforce proudly hold up their chalks and crayons. 70% of the workforce is made up of people with learning differences who are supported in their work through the Intellectual Disability Employment Program.
The Kitpas workforce proudly holding up their chalks and crayons

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 incorporating ideas such as 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.

Kitpas Window Art Crayons

Wonderfully rich and vibrant colours and a silky smooth texture make Kitpas an exceptional crayon to use. They're 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. However, a squirt of window cleaner will remove any stubborn crayon that has been left a little longer!

Toddler using Kitpas Crayons to draw on the Triclimb Biri
Child using Kitpas Crayons to draw on the Triclimb Biri

How To Create A Kitpas Window Display

We love decorating our main entrance door here at Babipur, and love seeing our customers window displays at home. Kitpas crayons cover a large surface area and are very long lasting. We take inspiration from the seasons, nature and celebrations for our window art, but there's no limit to the creative possibilities!

The Babipur window display showing Prince Llewelyn
The Babipur window display showing Prince Llewelyn

Once you've decided on a design follow these easy steps to create your display:

  • Draw the outline
  • Choose your light direction and add shadows, highlights and textures
  • Fill in with your base colour
  • Top Tip! For a smoother finish hold your crayon on an angle. Your window art will look super smooth on from the outside, but more textured from the inside.

Kitpas Crayon Ideas

Looking for creative Kitpas ideas? Lets take a look at what our customers and team have been up to!

Window art created by Abby of The Polar Express using Kitpas Crayons
'The Polar Express' by Abby
Window art created by Abby of The Snowman using Kitpas Crayons
'The Snowman' by Abby
Window art created by Poppy creating a winter wonderland scene with two reindeer and pine trees using Kitpas Crayons
Winter wonderland by Poppy
Window art created by Claire taking inspiration from the boof 'Nen and the Lonely Fisherman' using Kitpas Crayons
Nen and the Lonely Fisherman by Claire
Window art created by Bex of Halloween Pumpkin Houses  using Kitpas Crayons
Halloween pumpkins by Bex
Window art created by Bex of a magical toadstool fairy house  using Kitpas Crayons
Toadstool fairy house by Bex

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!