Blending world-renowned art with early learning, the collaboration invites children to explore creativity through play
NEW YORK, Feb. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Following their initial collaboration announcement last year, Hape Toys and The Metropolitan Museum of Art today announced that they will unveil their highly anticipated Hape x The Met toy collection exclusively at New York Toy Fair 2026, taking place February 14–17, at Booth #635.
The unique collaboration brings iconic works of art to life through beautifully crafted, developmentally rich toys designed for infants, toddlers, and young children. Drawing inspiration from The Met's world-renowned holdings, spanning 5,000 years of global art, the line transforms celebrated masterpieces into engaging play experiences that encourage curiosity, creativity, and early learning.
The collection includes wooden puzzles, stacking and building toys, sensory play items, and imaginative blocks inspired by renowned artists and artistic traditions such as Hokusai, Klimt, Monet, and Van Gogh, with works spanning The Met collection of over 2 million works of art.
"Last year, we shared our vision to merge art and early learning. This year, we are proud to see this creative concept and shared vision come to reality," said Peter Handstein, Founder and CEO of Hape. "This series reflects Hape's commitment to thoughtful design, sustainability, and child development, while introducing families to the wonder of art in a way that feels joyful, accessible, and meaningful from the very first years of life."
Each product in the collection is designed in collaboration with early-childhood experts and features museum-inspired storytelling, encouraging children to explore color, form, movement, and imagination through hands-on play. Thoughtfully designed packaging further extends the experience by sharing the story behind the artwork that inspired each toy, turning every unboxing into a cultural discovery.
"Welcoming families and inspiring the next generation of creators is central to The Met's mission," said Josh Romm, Head of Global Licensing and Partnerships at The Met. "Through our collaboration with Hape, we are extending the reach of our collection beyond the Museum's walls, transforming iconic works of art into playful, educational experiences that invite children to connect with creativity, history, and storytelling in their everyday lives."
Attendees of New York Toy Fair are invited to preview the Hape x The Met collection at Booth #635
For more information about Hape, please visit: http://toys.hape.com
For more information about The Met, please visit: https://www.metmuseum.org/
About Hape
Hape is one of the world's largest manufacturers of high-quality, eco-friendly wooden toys. Hape's mission is to promote the development of young minds through playful, innovative toys designed to inspire creativity and learning. With a focus on sustainability and craftsmanship, Hape brings educational play to families worldwide.
About The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art was founded in 1870 by a group of American citizens, businessmen and financiers as well as leading artists and thinkers of the day, who wanted to create a museum to bring art and art education to the American people. Today, The Met displays tens of thousands of objects covering 5,000 years of art from around the world for everyone to experience and enjoy. The Museum lives in two iconic sites in New York City, The Met Fifth Avenue and The Met Cloisters. Millions of people also take part in The Met experience online. Since its founding, The Met has always aspired to be more than a treasury of rare and beautiful objects. Every day, art comes alive in the Museum's galleries and through its exhibitions and events, revealing both new ideas and unexpected connections across time and across cultures.
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
Hape and The Metropolitan Museum of Art Unveil Art-Inspired Toy Collection at New York Toy Fair 2026
Hape and The Metropolitan Museum of Art Unveil Art-Inspired Toy Collection at New York Toy Fair 2026
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- Korean courts order Intercos Korea to bear full legal costs, affirming both civil and criminal liability
SEOUL, South Korea, Feb. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Kolmar Korea has secured a decisive legal victory in a long-running dispute over the illegal leakage of proprietary sun care technologies involving Intercos Korea, the Korean subsidiary of Italian cosmetics ODM company Intercos. Following the Supreme Court's final guilty ruling, the courts have further ordered the losing party to bear the full cost of litigation, underscoring the seriousness of technology misappropriation and the accompanying legal responsibility.
Kolmar Korea recovered a total of KRW 31.2 million in legal costs from Intercos Korea and a former employee, representing the full amount of civil litigation expenses actually incurred in connection with the case.
The dispute originated when a former Kolmar Korea employee, identified as A, who had worked at the company for approximately 10 years, transferred to Intercos Korea in 2018 and unlawfully removed multiple core research and development materials, including proprietary sunscreen formulation data and new product development information. Investigations later revealed that another former employee, B, who also joined Intercos Korea around the same time, participated in the leakage of trade secrets.
In January 2024, the Supreme Court of Korea finalized guilty verdicts against both former employees. Subsequently, in October 2024, the Suwon District Court ruled that Intercos Korea had violated the Unfair Competition Prevention and Trade Secret Protection Act, imposing a fine of KRW 5 million.
A Kolmar Korea spokesperson commented, "This ruling represents the firm application of our principle that technology leakage must be held accountable to the very end. We will continue to take all necessary measures to protect our core technologies and R&D assets."
Kolmar Korea is widely recognized for its world-class sun care research and development capabilities. In 2022, the company established a dedicated research organization, the UV Tech Innovation Lab, and currently holds more than 100 patents related to UV protection technologies. Last year, Kolmar Korea developed the world's first stabilization technology for a hybrid composite sunscreen that combines mineral and chemical UV filters. The company has also been a pioneer in global sun care markets, having become the first company in Korea to obtain U.S. FDA OTC certification for sunscreen products in 2013.
- Korean courts order Intercos Korea to bear full legal costs, affirming both civil and criminal liability
SEOUL, South Korea, Feb. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Kolmar Korea has secured a decisive legal victory in a long-running dispute over the illegal leakage of proprietary sun care technologies involving Intercos Korea, the Korean subsidiary of Italian cosmetics ODM company Intercos. Following the Supreme Court's final guilty ruling, the courts have further ordered the losing party to bear the full cost of litigation, underscoring the seriousness of technology misappropriation and the accompanying legal responsibility.
Kolmar Korea recovered a total of KRW 31.2 million in legal costs from Intercos Korea and a former employee, representing the full amount of civil litigation expenses actually incurred in connection with the case.
The dispute originated when a former Kolmar Korea employee, identified as A, who had worked at the company for approximately 10 years, transferred to Intercos Korea in 2018 and unlawfully removed multiple core research and development materials, including proprietary sunscreen formulation data and new product development information. Investigations later revealed that another former employee, B, who also joined Intercos Korea around the same time, participated in the leakage of trade secrets.
In January 2024, the Supreme Court of Korea finalized guilty verdicts against both former employees. Subsequently, in October 2024, the Suwon District Court ruled that Intercos Korea had violated the Unfair Competition Prevention and Trade Secret Protection Act, imposing a fine of KRW 5 million.
A Kolmar Korea spokesperson commented, "This ruling represents the firm application of our principle that technology leakage must be held accountable to the very end. We will continue to take all necessary measures to protect our core technologies and R&D assets."
Kolmar Korea is widely recognized for its world-class sun care research and development capabilities. In 2022, the company established a dedicated research organization, the UV Tech Innovation Lab, and currently holds more than 100 patents related to UV protection technologies. Last year, Kolmar Korea developed the world's first stabilization technology for a hybrid composite sunscreen that combines mineral and chemical UV filters. The company has also been a pioneer in global sun care markets, having become the first company in Korea to obtain U.S. FDA OTC certification for sunscreen products in 2013.
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
Kolmar Korea Wins Legal Battle Over Sun Care Technology Leakage Against Intercos Korea
