Our Philosophy
What Makes Käthe Kruse Special?
“The hand follows the heart” Continuing the motto of our founder, the Käthe Kruse Company has been focused on children for more than 100 years. The Käthe Kruse brand has a responsibility to stand
- for faith - quality and safety,
- for tradition and culture - a doll to love, an attendant of childhood for generations,
- for attitude of life - soft, warm, in good hands, love and trust,
- for orientation and values - complex and loving handwork and originality,
- for healthy, age-appropriate development - creativity, imagination, speech and feelings and
- for good design - happy, stimulating curiosity, colorful, innovative.
Our Käthe Kruse brand reflects an optimistic view of the future of “Made in Europe”. Outstanding handwork finds more and more friends. It is not possible to create products of this quality in just any amount and, so, they will always be desirable.
Faith - Quality and Safety
Quality and Safety
For Käthe Kruse, quality is not only a word or a statement, but the basic principle of our work. “Handcraft - a principle I’ll never depart from,” Käthe Kruse once said and this principle is still true today in our design as well as in the careful manufacturing and selection of high quality materials. To this end, you, our buyers, get the best possible product in our dolls, toys, accessories and fashions. All our products fulfill European safety standards and are constantly tested and certified by independent institutions. Many of our products have received awards from the ‘Kinderspiel + Spielzeug e. V.’
Durability
A Käthe Kruse toy is a friend for life. Due to our loving handwork and careful construction, our products are durable and lasting. Nevertheless, should one of our little dolls become “ill” or a toy in need of repair, we offer capable repair and restoration services.
Maintenance
All Käthe Kruse baby and toddler products are hand or machine washable. Our sewn in washing labels give information about the maintenance of our products. The use of water resistant oil colors allows our dolls to be wiped clean with a moist cloth. With their high quality vinyl bodies, our Bath Babies may even be taken into the tub.
Attitude of Life - Soft, Warm, in Good Hands, Love and Trust
Especially when selecting our materials and fabrics, we center on the needs of the children. Dolls and toys should be hugged and cuddled heartily in order to communicate a feeling of warmth, love and trust. This close contact between the toy and the child’s skin requires the use of first class, tested and certified materials. We favor natural materials in order to ensure healthy playing. When selecting our materials, we also pay special attention to cheerful colors and patterns in order to awaken a child’s curiosity. The same is true for the production of our children’s fashion. We choose only high quality, soft materials in fashionable colors and patterns.
Orientation and Values – Complex and Loving Handwork and Originality
Handcraft is Contemporary
Handwork and the knowledge of the crafts play an important role, especially in the making of our classic dolls. Without handwork there would be no doll. The dolls are uniquely made in numerous single steps. Käthe Kruse’s philosophy was and still is, “The hand follows the heart. Only the hand can produce what comes back to the heart.” This is why we put all our love in the making of our dolls. We use handcraft techniques because making the doll by hand – in contrast to producing it by machine – gives us the chance to make a qualitatively better product. The same high standards are true for the production of play dolls, toys and children’s fashion. Our designs vary from classical to innovative, colorful, cheerful and modern – but always centered on the needs of the child. Numerous Kruse products are awarded the ‘FORM’ prize by the Bundesverband Kunsthandwerk e. V. for their excellent handwork.
Cost / Quality Ratio
In the long run, products of exceptional quality will be in even greater demand because of economical as well as ecological reasons. Our high standards for materials, handwork, durability and quality design are fulfilled in every product we make. Even with these standards in place, Käthe Kruse products are still fairly priced.
Service
In our traditional company, our thinking and work are very service oriented. Our product range is varied yearly and distinguished by its exceptionally high degree of European handcraft – this allows us to respond to special wishes. We also offer our own repair and restoration work. Requests by phone, fax or email are answered promptly.
Healthy, Age-appropriate Development – Creativity, Imagination, Speech and Feelings
For All Ages
There are Käthe Kruse dolls and toys for every age. Newborns sleep with our towel dolls and toddlers learn to grab, hold and make knots with our toys in colorful and cheerful designs. Rattles or little bells stimulate the senses and teach the principle of cause and effect. Attractive colors and designs stir the child’s imagination from the beginning. Play dolls in different sizes are made for children from 18 months and older – there is no age limit – even mommies, daddies and grannies like playing with our dolls. Various accessories and additional doll clothes are appropriately made to the child’s age and ability.
Educational Value
Toddlers learn to grab and comprehend with our Käthe Kruse toys. Our colorful toys first awaken the child’s curiosity, stimulate the senses, support comprehension and train motor skills. Our innovative and cheerfully designed toy series fulfill all a child’s needs and demands while playing. Older children are supported in finding their place in the family as well as in society with our role playing dolls. All our dolls are designed to stimulate fantasy and creativity. Especially our Waldorf dolls – corresponding to the philosophy of Waldorf education – give the child lively and organic impressions and leave much room for imagination and interpretation. Kruse and Waldorf believed strongly that a child should grow up in a natural environment with minimum technical simulations or play functions. Our awarding-winning toys are evidence that this shared belief lives on.