Our trip to Latvia - The story behind Kletterling®
Our journey to nature-loving Latvia - Following in the footsteps of our climbers
A land full of forests and craftsmanship
In northeastern Europe lies the fascinating Latvia, a country whose area is 56% forested. The Baltic states are known for their pristine nature, their national parks, and their talented craftspeople. Timber, especially the Baltic birch, plays a central role in this. Wood products from the Baltics are exported all over the world.
In northeastern Latvia, we found an unassuming workshop with eight dedicated employees who lovingly and handcraft high-quality climbing toys for children from Baltic birch. Behind this workshop are a hardworking Latvian man and his daughter, who have planned each product down to the smallest detail and carefully selected all the materials used.
The people behind our climbers
So that you know exactly where your new climbing toy comes from, we traveled to Latvia and would like to introduce you to the people who make your climbing toy a handmade and fairly produced favorite for your child.
Latvia surprised us with its white beaches, lush meadows and fields, but above all, with its expansive green forests. More than half of the country's area is forested, making timber, especially Baltic birch, an important economic sector. Even more important to us, however, were the friendships and inspiring colleagues we found in Latvia, who produce our climbing frames 100% sustainably and fairly from Baltic birch plywood.
It all began with a small family workshop. Inspired by his children and grandchildren, Ainars came up with the idea of making climbing toys. With care and creativity, he transforms Baltic birch into beautiful natural products. Every edge is sanded by hand, every screw is rounded. No risks are taken for children; everything is thought through and implemented down to the last detail. Countless prototypes were necessary to create the current commercial product.
Before each climbing piece is packaged, every inch is checked multiple times for splinters or bumps. We weren't previously aware of how much manual labor goes into these products.
In the office, we met Krista and Kãrlis, a young couple who manage customer contact, company presence, and orders right through to shipping. They stack, pack, and label each parcel, ensuring it travels safely.
Fair production and safety - That's why we tell you this story
During our trip, we were able to answer all of our questions and now we'd like to share this knowledge with you. We've convinced ourselves that long-lasting, handcrafted natural products are created here that meet all quality and safety standards. In the heart of Latvia, our collaboration is helping a small family business and its employees grow – a company that offers fair working conditions and good pay. This is exactly what we stand for, too.
We want to showcase the amazing work and the wonderful people who work on our climbing equipment every day. That's why we stand for absolute manufacturer transparency and maximum safety for children. We ask detailed questions so you, too, know what kind of product you're getting from us.
We hope that you will enjoy our climbing equipment as much as we do.
