Description
Ostheimer makes wooden toy figures and animals by hand in Zell unter Aichelberg near Stuttgart, from wood from Central European forests, painted and dipped in oil, and is owned by a non-profit foundation.
The company, Margarete Ostheimer GmbH, has more than 80 years of history and belongs to the non-profit Walter und Adeline Ostheimer Stiftung. About 55 people work in Zell, plus about 50 home workers in the region, and partners in Poland, Hungary, Thuringia and Bosnia; around 35 % of production is exported. Figures are made in batches of 100 in nine steps, from design and stamping to sawing, sanding, painting and oiling, so no two are exactly alike. The wood comes from sustainable Central European forestry and is air-dried; the oils are described as certified for toys, without naming the certificate.
In the online shop in November 2026 a small monkey cost €13.50, a blue tit €16.00, a bison €27.50 and an Icelandic horse €28.95, with free shipping in Germany from €45. Instead of a repair service, the site explains how to glue a broken figure and sells spare parts.
Strengths
- The figures are handmade near Stuttgart, mostly by employees and home workers in the region.
- The company belongs to a non-profit foundation, not to investors.
- Wood, paint and oil make figures that last for generations and can be glued if they break.
Weaknesses
- A single figure costs €13 to €30, far more than a plastic one.
- The wood species and the oil certificate aren’t named, and there is no FSC or PEFC label.
- Part of the work is done by partners in other countries, which the site mentions without detail.
Who it is for
Parents, grandparents and kindergartens who want durable wooden figures for play and nativity scenes, and can pay more for toys made by hand in Germany.
Sources
- Ostheimer: home, Ostheimer wooden toys, wood, how we work, repair, legal notice (checked November 2026)