QUERCETTI
Intelligent play
DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE SECTOR
DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE SECTOR
In 1950, Alessandro Quercetti founded Quercetti & C. in Turin, and it has since become one of the longest-running toy companies in Italy. After 70 years, time seems to have stood still at Quercetti. The factory is bigger and more technological, but the name on the door is still the same. And the company is still run by the same family, Alessandro's children, Alberto and Stefano. The toys have evolved, but Alessandro's ideas still apply after 70 years: traditional toys, designed to be handled, to develop intelligence. And the star of the company is still the “peg”, Alessandro Quercetti's extraordinary invention, which made the brand and its toys famous worldwide..
The range of toys and options have increased dramatically. Today, there is a wide variety of toys and toy series, as well as materials. Not just pegs, but marbles, constructions, aeroplanes, magnets, etc. The peg is still around, but it's not just for kids anymore. It has stayed up-to-date, and it has grown together with the children of yesterday, who are now grown-ups. Now there's Pixel Art. There are new and relevant toys. Different toys for children and adults with different tastes and needs. But the Quercetti catalogue has a clear constant theme which, despite the diverse range on offer, shows the company's continuity.
Instead of following the global trend towards digitalization, the company decided to focus on traditional toys par excellence. All toys from the peg factory work on "child energy" - no batteries, cables or touch screens. Quercetti believes in the basic idea that in order to grow, a child needs concrete experience of objects and the surrounding environment. The body is an incredible tool for learning, children just need to learn how to use it. And one finger is not enough. Their hands need to touch, throw, hit, join, and build up objects in order to recognize them, and then use this knowledge to accumulate experience and memories. This choice seems to have rewarded the company, and not just in terms of sales. Certain toys, such as Pixel Art pegs and the Migoga Junior marble track, were officially selected by the ADI (Associazione Disegno Industriale) committee, to run for the Compasso d’Oro award.
Production takes place entirely in Turin, with direct control of the complete production process and of the materials used. Everything - planning, concepts, prototypes, engineering, rendering, mould construction, mould injection, assembly, packaging, warehousing, end product shipping - is designed to maximize results
This tried and trusted method means that today, in the age of multinationals and globalization, where everything seems to be fast and stressful, in this little oasis in the centre of Torino, toys are still “made”. They are made by hand, assembled by people and not by machines, designed and created by people who are the life and soul of the company. Nothing is delegated and nothing is imported. In the age of Made in, the peg is still made in Italy, in Turin. Quercetti is proud to be one of the few companies to directly control the entire production process. All the work, from designing the toy right up to packaging the final product, is carried out entirely in Corso Vigevano, in Turin. The whole production cycle is carried out in Italy by local workers, supporting small businesses in the area.
In 70 years, Quercetti has never lost its identity and has never made compromises. A toy maker must be able to offer children a wide range of experiences, and create interest that doesn't fade quickly, making a product that is not just good for getting attention. And to do all this, it is necessary to appreciate children's intelligence.