The story of Hape – The Worlds Largest Producer of Toys made from Sustainable Materials

Over the last decade, how a toy is made and what it is made from, has become an important deciding factor for parents. Partly due to nostalgia and wanting to hark back to the good old days of long lasting wooden toys that encouraged imagination, and also due to an increased awareness of the impact production is having on the environment and our children’s future. Parents are putting eco-friendly at the top of the list when making daily purchases from household goods and toys, to the cars they drive.

Toys that are made from sustainable materials, are long lasting, and add value to their child’s development are a priority. When it comes to taking our children’s futures into account, Hape Toys tick all the boxes.  Their mission is to create toys that are good for a child’s development and are environmentally friendly.

Hape toys are designed for fun and education, in that, what children see as fun, parents and educators recognise as age-appropriate learning basics. These toys are specifically designed to aid and enhance age-appropriate developmental of social, sensory, physical, and emotional skills. Using natural materials, water-based paints, and strict quality and safety standards make every Hape toy an investment kids will love and parents can trust.

Hape’s story begins with Peter Handstein’s. Peter grew up in a rural town in central Germany, where he was raised with a deeply rooted respect for family, honesty, compassion, and a love of nature. Hape is a reflection of Peter’s lifelong values. Peter began his career as a salesman for an educational toy company servicing German kindergartens. Visiting hundreds of schools and talking with hundreds of educators gave him a unique understanding of the power of play! In 1986, Peter formed Hape Kindergarten Supply with his sister, Sabine, and their close friend, Renate Gies.

As Hape expanded it made the move into China, this lead to a great discovery, Bamboo! Intrigued by the bamboo plants surrounding his new home, Peter encouraged his designers to experiment with this highly renewable resource. This led to an alliance with UNESCO and the first full line of bamboo toys in 2005. The Hape bamboo collection now holds its place along with Hape Eco-toys and Hape line to make up the total Hape brand. Today Hape toys is one of the worlds largest producers of toys made from sustainable material.

As parents, we tend to breath a sigh of relief when we hear of companies that take into consideration how their processes may impact the world and its future. Through responsible business practices, Hape aspire to leave the world in a better condition than when they received it. Hape believes that the future belongs to our children, creating toys for our children that inspire play, aid learning, and encourage exploration of the world around them.

Check out their extensive range of thoughtfully designed and aesthetically pleasing toys your kids will love at www.hapetoys.co.nz. “The future begins and belongs to our children”.