Frechling play and climbing arches – How the idea came about and what's behind the arches

Our play and climbing arches have been around for a year now. We've experienced a lot this year and have grown both personally and professionally. We'd like to give you a glimpse into this journey and show you how Frechling came to be and what's behind our sustainable toys.

Expectant father needs high-quality toys

Elias Holocher, the founder of Frechling, was overjoyed to be a new dad, as his first child was on the way. As a father, he naturally wanted only the best for his children, especially when it came to toys. But he wasn't looking for just any toys to entertain them; he wanted toys that offered added value, supporting their development, such as their motor skills. While there were already many great products available, Elias was particularly interested in play and climbing arches. However, the market simply didn't offer the perfect product that met all his needs and requirements. So, the carpenter and inventor knew he had to take matters into his own hands. Together with his colleagues and friends, he set to work in his carpentry workshop in the Allgäu region, where solid wood furniture and kitchens are usually produced, crafting and experimenting.

Emmi Pikler's pedagogy as a model

The play and climbing arches of Emmi Pikler served as inspiration for the ideas. She had developed her infant and toddler pedagogy in the 1940s, which also resulted in several toys. These fit perfectly into Waldorf and Montessori education, in which Elias was already working as a teacher and wanted to apply them for his own children. The climbing arches are designed to support children in developing their motor skills and give them confidence as they discover their abilities. Safety while playing with the arches was also a crucial aspect, which is why they were designed to eliminate the risk of injury while still being robustly constructed. After the first arches were made for their own use, many of the Holocher family's acquaintances saw them and immediately wanted some too. It quickly became clear that this wasn't just something they could do for their own children, but also for other children. So Elias decided to produce them on a larger scale. In doing so, he quickly emphasized not only the well-being of children, but also a love for nature.

Production of sustainable toys

A lot of brainstorming and adjustments went into our processes, but ultimately we found a way to guarantee sustainable production. Thanks to modern technologies and an adapted production plan, we can say that we emit less CO2, conserve resources, and have less than 1% waste. Furthermore, because our carpentry workshop is located in the Allgäu region, we source our wood from suppliers also based there. This eliminates unnecessary transport routes, allowing us to proudly say that all our products are Made in Germany. Together with Plant for the Planet, we plant a tree for every play and climbing arch sold. This means we can now also say that we have a neutral carbon footprint. All these aspects have been combined, and we are proud to say that we produce sustainable toys that also support children's development and motor skills.

The future

We are thrilled with our growth over the past year and with everything we've already accomplished. New products and projects are in the works, and there's a lot happening around our products as well, such as updating and expanding our website with a blog.

Here on this blog, we want to give you insights into various aspects of children, child-rearing, and education. We also want to keep the topic of sustainability in mind. So stay tuned for what else awaits you! We'd love for you to join us on our journey.

Your Frechling Team