The History of wickelkinder GmbH – The Success Story of the Manduca Baby Carrier

We from loeweli have had the privilege of supporting wickelkinder GmbH since 2004. It has been an honor. We would now like to share with you the glorious history of wickelkinder GmbH and its owner, Petra Schachtner. Petra Schachtner founded the company wickelkinder in June 2002. The logo developed later—a small caterpillar—holds deep symbolic meaning. From the very beginning, the caterpillar possesses the capacity and readiness to transform into a butterfly. What a powerful symbol for the journey from baby to toddler and on to adulthood. In its early years, wickelkinder focused on the marketing and further development of products; the "Marsupi" is a prime example of this. Working alongside several babywearing consultants, Petra Schachtner ensured that this ingeniously designed Velcro baby carrier was ergonomically sound—a product that remains a favorite among parents for newborns to this day. In the autumn of 2007, the wickelkinder caterpillar underwent its own transformation into the "Manduca" butterfly. 

The Manduca was first unveiled at the Kind + Jugend trade fair in Cologne, where it was immediately nominated for an Innovation Award. The original model was the Manduca NewStyle, made from a blend of hemp and organic cotton. Manufactured in China, the NewStyle was initially available in four colors: natural, red, petrol, and black; brown was added later. You can easily recognize the NewStyle by its sewn-on pink logo featuring a pink caterpillar. The Manduca NewStyle first went on sale in January 2008. We at loeweli were there firsthand to support the launch—what an exciting time it was. Back then, there were virtually no ergonomically correct baby carriers available. We showcased the Manduca at trade fairs, street festivals, midwifery practices, hospitals, and more—and everywhere we went, people were absolutely thrilled.

Once again, it was the Kind + Jugend trade fair that revealed a new development. September 2011 saw the introduction of the first Manduca with an embroidered logo: the Manduca PureCotton. It was available in seven beautiful colors, as well as the BlackLine and Limited Edition versions. The Manduca PureCotton became a market leader, and an ever-growing range of accessories was introduced to complement it.

Then, in January 2018, the Manduca XT was unveiled for the first time and also proved to be a huge sales success.

Of course, a good carrier is built to last, so Manducas are often passed down from one generation to the next. We still frequently see first-generation Manducas on the street, in which babies are carried just as ergonomically well as in the XT model. Due to an oversaturated market for carriers and a sharp decline in birth rates, wickelkinder GmbH—like so many companies in the baby industry—unfortunately fell into a crisis from which it could not recover. The company had to file for insolvency in September 2025. The brand has been sold and is set to be rebuilt. We are grateful for the journey we shared. The numerous awards won serve as a testament to the success of Petra Schachtner and her wonderful wickelkinder team. All awards won up to December 2025 belong to the era of wickelkinder GmbH. It is the parents of the past two decades who, together with us at loeweli, join in singing the praises of the designer and manufacturer. Thank you all for the wonderful time we shared. The new owner does not wish to continue working with us. We regret this and, together with Petra Schachtner, bid farewell to what was also our "Manduca baby." This page remains as a tribute to that era. Petra, all the best to you.