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Why Are Pencils Yellow? | Smartest Year Ever (July 17, 2025)
Most people never question it—but why are pencils always yellow? Were they always that way? And who decided yellow was the right color?
In this episode, Gordy digs deep into the surprising history behind one of the most familiar objects on your desk. From imperial China to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, you’ll learn how a color associated with royalty, luxury, and exoticism became the default shade of classroom supplies. This is a story of branding, graphite, and international mystique—not utility.
So if you've ever stared blankly at a No. 2 pencil and wondered why it looks the way it does… you’re not alone. And you’re about to find out.
Sources:
Petroski, H. (1990). The pencil: A history of design and circumstance. Knopf.
Staedtler. (n.d.). Why Are Pencils Yellow? Retrieved from https://www.staedtler.com/intl/en/discover/why-are-pencils-yellow
Koh-I-Noor Hardtmuth. (n.d.). About Us. Retrieved from https://www.koh-i-noor.cz/en/about-us
Smithsonian Magazine. (n.d.). How the Pencil Became Yellow. Retrieved from https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/how-the-pencil-became-yellow-90312250/
Rees, J. (1990). The pencil: A history of design and circumstance. Knopf.
#HistoryOfEverydayThings #DesignFacts #BrandingHistory #SmartestYearEver #CuriosityDriven Music thanks to Zapsplat.
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By GordyMost people never question it—but why are pencils always yellow? Were they always that way? And who decided yellow was the right color?
In this episode, Gordy digs deep into the surprising history behind one of the most familiar objects on your desk. From imperial China to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, you’ll learn how a color associated with royalty, luxury, and exoticism became the default shade of classroom supplies. This is a story of branding, graphite, and international mystique—not utility.
So if you've ever stared blankly at a No. 2 pencil and wondered why it looks the way it does… you’re not alone. And you’re about to find out.
Sources:
Petroski, H. (1990). The pencil: A history of design and circumstance. Knopf.
Staedtler. (n.d.). Why Are Pencils Yellow? Retrieved from https://www.staedtler.com/intl/en/discover/why-are-pencils-yellow
Koh-I-Noor Hardtmuth. (n.d.). About Us. Retrieved from https://www.koh-i-noor.cz/en/about-us
Smithsonian Magazine. (n.d.). How the Pencil Became Yellow. Retrieved from https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/how-the-pencil-became-yellow-90312250/
Rees, J. (1990). The pencil: A history of design and circumstance. Knopf.
#HistoryOfEverydayThings #DesignFacts #BrandingHistory #SmartestYearEver #CuriosityDriven Music thanks to Zapsplat.