The bizarre reason pencils are yellow

In a row.
In a row.

Ever wondered why so many pencils are yellow?

Turns out there's some fascinating history behind the yellow colour of No.2 pencils.

According to pencils.com, the best graphite available in the 1800s came from China, and pencil companies that used Chinese graphite wanted their customers to know.

Yellow is the symbol for respect and royalty in China. So to evoke a regal feeling in their pencils, companies started to paint them yellow.

Find out more in the video above.

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