In 1932, carpenter Ole Kirk Christiansen from Denmark began creating wooden bricks as toys for his sons. He had no idea he was about to found a toy empire. In 1949, Christiansen and his son and business partner Godtfred Kirk Christiansen started to make the bricks from plastic and sold them under the name Automatic Binding Bricks. The toys were a success and the two men renamed the company Lego and inscribed the name onto every brick. Today, Lego is one of the most affluent toy brands in history. And yet, so many people don’t know what the name means.
What Does “Lego” Mean?
Lego comes from two Danish words “leg godt” meaning “play well.” But Christiansen had no idea that the word in Latin translates as “I put together,” another apt description of the brand. “He also considered the alternative LEGIO (legions),” reads a statement from Lego, “but in the end he opts for the name that embodies high-quality play and commitment towards children’s development through play.” [1]
His son also upheld this mission. In the mid-1950s, Godtfred Kirk stated, “Our idea has been to create a toy that prepares the child for life — appealing to their imagination and developing the creative urge and joy of creation that are the driving forces in every human being.” Today, the brand sells to over 130s countries with branches in five continents and around 23,000 employees.
But the brand had very humble beginnings. Christiansen opened his carpentry shop in 1916 where he mainly sold ladders, ironing boards, stools, and similar furniture items. But when he planned to expand his business in 1924, his sons accidentally started a fire in the shop that destroyed everything, including the family home. Undeterred, Christiansen decided this was a good opportunity to build a bigger shop. However, in 1929, the Great Depression began, bringing financial struggle to the family. Even worse, Christiansen’s wife passed away in 1932. At this time, Christiansen was forced to lay off many of his staff members.
Money was tight so he had to downgrade his products to inexpensive wares people might buy. These included cheap toys. At first, this was a disaster. Christiansen became bankrupt but when his siblings offered a loan on the condition that he stops selling the toys, he refused. During this time, he had discovered his great potential as a toymaker and his work began to sell.
From Wood to Plastic
By then, Christiansen’s works garnered a national fanbase. Even today, his bestselling duck on wheels with a beak that opens and closes is treasured by vintage collectors. However, his struggles continued. In 1942, Germany occupied Denmark and another fire razed his entire factory. Fortunately, Christiansen was already established, so he once again took the opportunity to expand his business. After the war, many trade materials weren’t available anymore, so companies looked to plastic as a cheap alternative.
One notable manufacturing method was plastic-injection molding, which involved putting melted plastic into a mold to create a specific shape. However, Denmark had outlawed its commercial use because of the shortages until 1947. But Christiansen bought his first molding machine in 1946 to experiment with a new way to make toys. In 1949, the company began to sell the first iteration of a Lego brick called the Automatic Binding Brick. They were a type of self-locking bricks inspired by the ones invented by British company Kiddicraft. Lego says they had the permission to use the designs at the time but in 1981 they officially bought the rights. [2]
Ole Kirk Christiansen passed away in 1958. Soon after, his son, Godtfred Kirk Christiansen launched a “System of Play” based on the idea that all bricks should connect to each other to allow more creative play. This System of Play became the foundation of Lego. But only five years after its launch, the company suffered from another factory fire. It burned the entire wooden toy inventory, so the company decided to end the production of wooden toys to focus on plastic. After three fires, the company was set to become the powerhouse it is today. [3]
“Play Well”
In 2022, the company celebrated their “90 years of play.” The current owner is Kjeld Kirk Christiansen, the grandson of the founder. Chairman of the Lego Group, Thomas Kirk Christiansen, spoke at the event, saying, “When my great-grandfather founded the company 90 years ago, he recognized that play could change the lives of children. It brings families together and helps children develop skills that can enable them to reach their full potential.
“He only had a small workshop, but he had big ambitions to ensure as many children as possible could experience the benefits that play brings. Whether in 1932, 2022, or on our 100th Anniversary in 2032, we have and will always strive to continue Ole’s legacy by helping all families, wherever they are in the world, to play well.”