Grapat

Meet Grapat. We are so proud to welcome this Spanish brand to our store with an extensive range of open-ended wooden toys that shine in their simplicity and are close to nature.

Grapat is a Spanish family business that still manufactures its wooden toys entirely by hand. The dyes used are all natural, safe for your child and for the environment. We are fans of the endless creativity and open-ended toys from Grapat, where loose shapes and colors give every game a new twist. They make the most beautiful wooden open-ended toys that shine in their simplicity. Use their Nins, rings, bowls, and discs to learn to sort, count, and subtract. Use them in your role-play (e.g., as change in your shop), or use them in a beautiful small world play where the Nins can be anything your imagination creates. Additionally, Grapat also offers loose elements, such as green or orange cones, water drops, flowers, coins, etc., to create the most beautiful mandalas or figures. Grapat is a unique brand that we at In den Olifant are very proud of!

The story so far...

At the birth of their first child, Lola, the founders of Grapat realized that she didn't really need ready-made toys to play and that she used her ingenuity to transform everyday objects into whatever she wanted. Seeing how happy she was, they realized that being present, observing her needs, and offering everyday objects to fulfill them, was all that truly mattered.

After the birth of their second child, Tomàs, the couple behind Grapat moved from the big city to the countryside. In Jordi's former family home, they were able to integrate the slower way of life they had longed for. They began to create and play with wood, and slowly but surely, the family home transformed into a fully operational workshop.

Grapat means 'a handful' in Catalan, and this is exactly where the simple idea behind this humble project came from: carrying a handful of loose pieces with the utmost care in our hands and offering them with the same love to the hands of children. Grapat has grown considerably since its establishment in 2015, is extremely popular throughout Europe, and needs more production space every year, but it remains a family project. It is the manifestation of a way of life and the vision for the future, it is their baby. They still create new pieces and prototypes from clay or beeswax, they still communicate with the world in their own authentic voice, and they continue to hand-color each piece themselves.

Living to the rhythm of nature

"Nature is both our clock and our muse. We live in rhythm with her, with respect for her, and she is our design inspiration for every new piece we create. However, our real, most important source of inspiration is children. Our own philosophy is to serve childhood. With Grapat, we want to ensure that every child receives a free and respectful education, filled with playtime without expectations or judgment. The pieces should invite and encourage their own genuine sense of creation. That's why we offer play materials without instructions or boundaries. It is our duty as parents to protect this sacred moment, without interfering, just observing and being present. Our motto is 'Be free, play open'."

Toys with a soul from Grapat

Grapat has a lifelong love affair with nature. We do not control her, so we simply observe and respect her. The goal is simplicity itself – when working on a product, they draw inspiration from its true natural form and try to reduce it to its essence, detaching ourselves from the superfluous and unnecessary, to offer material that is truly open, ready to transform into whatever the child needs in each playtime.
The Imperfection of Wood makes each piece Unique

Wood is our element. It is warm and lively, soft and robust at the same time. Its irregular shapes and incomplete patterns make it unique and a sterling sight for the eye. The texture contains a wealth of information and hidden stories waiting to be discovered by the senses of every child. The imperfection of the wood makes each piece unique – just like us humans. Over time, the wood will acquire subtle dents and scars, which means it has achieved its purpose of allowing children to play freely and uninhibited for hours, and we cherish that greatly. Grapat wooden toys are produced according to traditional production processes and with sustainable materials sourced from the EU.

Color sparks the imagination

Color has the power to spark the imagination, evoke a mood, and resonate. That's why all Grapat dyes come directly from nature. Each piece is hand-colored. The choice of 100% safe, natural pigments ensures that we maintain a friendly and noble connection with the wood and its grain. The dye penetrates deep into the surface of the wood without covering its beauty and provides a lasting effect. Depending on the temperature, humidity, and wind, the dye is absorbed into the wood surface in different ways, a seal of authenticity as no two pieces are exactly alike. Not mass production, but craftsmanship. The elements are finished with waxes and oils of vegetable origin.

Fan of the local short chain

Grapat also stands for a short and local chain. This way you can be assured that the toys are produced responsibly. Social responsibility is part of Grapat's way of life, which is why they collaborate with foundations that care for people with physical or mental disabilities to package the products.

Grapat stands for open-ended play in its purest form. Open-ended toys stimulate free, autonomous play and the creativity of every child. Grapat's starting point is to let children play, at their own pace and without time limits, without boundaries. Material that encourages, invites, and stimulates the creation of various fantastic, realistic, and imagined small worlds. It is handmade in Spain according to traditional processes, using high-quality, sustainable materials and natural dyes. They are therefore completely safe for your little one. The products are hand-painted, surrounded by land, fire, rivers, and of course... children ;-)