Treeblocks LLC was one of the first companies in the US to offer toys and games made from reclaimed, recycled and sustainably harvested wood. Our ethical commitment to the environment and to the community where production is housed has been central to our philosophy since 1995. We are dedicated to making compelling and wholesome toys for children.
Our brand, Tree Blocks®, uses materials which have the lowest environmental impact possible. Today, 95% of materials used are from sustainable sources. We will continue to use non-toxic, child-safe finishes and to test each toy for safety before offering it for sale.
Tree Blocks® toys have excellent play and educational value. Some of the toys are designed to be used by small groups of children helping to develop social skills.
All our toys are guaranteed for as long as you own them.
Our History
My father, Karl Oppen, creator of the brand Tree Blocks®, always followed the wood. The original Tree Blocks® came from the citrus orchard of a local community college that was shifting its focus from agriculture to computer science.
Karl quickly outgrew that first shop in the garage. Full production began in Mexicali in 1996. Water scarcity demanded that Mexican farmers shift from citrus farming to less thirsty, more profitable vegetables. In 2001, the company expanded into Poland as the European market grew. There, we sourced surplus Elder wood from paper production.
In 2007, Karl opened a new factory in Northern Vietnam. Treeblocks LLC contracted with a government owned timber company as the primary wood supplier. Sustainable forestry is the only type which is legal in Vietnam. We still offer bark-less blocks from here because the bark slips easily from Spring and Summer harvested wood in the tropical climate.
In 2011 it was time for a new workshop in SW Wisconsin where two local Amish families make our blocks. The entire shop, including the kiln, is off the power grid.
Ash, maple, cherry, and walnut are among the types of wood we saw in a non-electric sawmill just up the road from the shop. Tree Blocks® uses discarded off-cuts to make the plank-shaped spacers for our classic block sets. These US made toys are finished with baked in, food grade wax
My father Karl died in the summer of 2015. I am humbled and privileged to inherit this family business. As a child I played with these toys daily and I have helped make them my whole life. Watching my father invent and create, I have always known and felt the importance of these toys. His dedication and commitment to helping children grow, learn, and thrive has been the biggest inspiration in my life.
I hope you will love our blocks too.