Frosch is a German brand specializing in household cleaning, laundry, and personal-care products. Owned by the family-run company Werner & Mertz, the brand was launched in 1986 in Germany. It is positioned around environmentally conscious cleaning, utilizing plant-based ingredients, biodegradable formulations, recycled or recyclable packaging, and circular-economy principles.1

The name “Frosch” translates to “frog” in German. The brand is visually identified by its smiling green frog mascot.

Origins of Werner & Mertz

The history of Frosch is closely linked to Werner & Mertz, a German company established in 1867 in Mainz as a wax-goods factory named Gebrüder Werner. The company later gained fame for its Erdal shoe-care brand.2

The use of the frog symbol predates the Frosch brand by several decades. Around the beginning of the 20th century, Werner & Mertz began using the Frog Prince as a symbol for its shoe-care products. While the company’s traditional corporate frog eventually became red, Frosch introduced the green frog upon its launch in 1986.2

1986: Launch of Frosch

Frosch was launched in 1986, coinciding with a period when environmental protection was gaining importance in Germany and globally. The first product released was the Frosch Neutral Cleaner, which the company describes as the first plant-based, phosphate-free cleaner sold through the German food-retail sector.4

The strategic objective was to create environmentally conscious household cleaning products that ordinary consumers could purchase and use without compromising on cleaning performance. This approach formed the foundation of the brand’s identity.

Growth during the 1990s

Initially occupying an ecological niche, Frosch experienced substantial growth in Germany during the 1990s. Historical accounts indicate it became a market leader in household cleaners during this decade. The brand temporarily lost this leading position around 1999 as competitors adopted stronger environmental marketing strategies but regained market leadership around 2000–2001 following a major advertising campaign.3

This period demonstrated that “eco” products could function as mass-market consumer goods rather than remaining a niche category.

2000s: Expansion of the ecological concept

During the 2000s, Frosch expanded beyond its original cleaner concept into a broader household-care portfolio. Packaging and formulation became central to its environmental positioning. The company introduced recycled-plastic packaging and continued developing products based on renewable raw materials and recyclability.3

2010s–2020s: Circular economy

In recent years, Frosch has increasingly positioned itself around the concept of the circular economy, moving beyond describing individual products merely as “green.”

In 2012, Werner & Mertz launched the Frosch Initiative, designed to promote ecological and resource-conserving solutions beyond the immediate cleaning-products business. In 2019, Frosch introduced what the company describes as the world’s first fully recyclable mono-material pouch.6

In 2022, Werner & Mertz undertook what it called the largest design relaunch in Frosch’s history, updating packaging while attempting to preserve the brand’s established ecological identity.3

2026: 40th anniversary

2026 marks Frosch’s 40th anniversary. The company continues to describe Frosch as an “eco-pioneer” dating back to 1986.1

Frosch has developed from a household-cleaner brand into a broad home and personal-care brand. Its current range contains more than 80 products.1

Household Cleaning

The household cleaning range includes:

• All-purpose / universal cleaners
• Kitchen cleaners
• Bathroom cleaners
• Glass cleaners
• Special-purpose cleaners
• Scouring cleaners
• Toilet cleaners

Dishwashing

Dishwashing products include:

• Hand dishwashing liquids
• Dishwasher-related products
• Specialized dishwashing formulations

Laundry

The laundry portfolio features:

• Laundry detergents
• Specialized laundry products
• Products designed for different water conditions and laundry needs

Baby Care

Frosch offers a Baby line focused on products intended for households with babies and those requiring sensitive-skin care.1

Personal Care

The brand has expanded into personal care with:

• Hand soaps
• Refill hand soaps
• Shower gels

The Frosch Senses shower-gel range was introduced in 2018.1

Home Fragrance

Frosch operates the Oase range, which focuses on room fragrances and fragrance products containing natural oils.1

Frosch’s central proposition combines effective cleaning with environmental responsibility. Rather than positioning ecological products as less aggressive cleaners, the brand emphasizes the combination of cleaning performance and environmental protection. The stated goal is to achieve the best possible balance between cleaning/care performance and maximum environmental protection.1

Communication often revolves around three groups:

• People
• Animals
• The environment

Frosch identifies several principles behind its “Bio-quality” standards.5

Plant-Based Ingredients

The company states that many formulations use ingredients derived from renewable plant sources, particularly surfactants, emphasizing their biodegradability.5

Avoidance of Certain Substances

Frosch states that its formulations are free from several substances considered undesirable, including:

• Microplastics
• Formaldehyde
• EDTA
• Halogen-organic compounds

Specific formulations may vary; these claims represent brand-level principles rather than a guarantee that every product has identical ingredients.5

Vegan Formulations

As part of its ecological criteria, Frosch states that its products are vegan and free from animal-derived ingredients.5

Recycled and Recyclable Packaging

Packaging is a significant component of the sustainability strategy. The company emphasizes:

• Recycled plastic
• Recyclability
• Reduced packaging material
• “Design for Recycling”
• Circular use of materials

Frosch describes its packaging strategy as part of a broader circular-economy approach.5

Modern Frosch branding places strong emphasis on circularity. Traditional manufacturing follows a linear model (Raw materials → manufacturing → product → disposal). Frosch and Werner & Mertz promote a circular model: Renewable/recycled resources → product → collection/recycling → recycled resources → new products.5

The company applies this thinking to the entire product-development chain, considering formulation, raw materials, manufacturing, energy, water, packaging, recycling, wastewater, and supply-chain practices as interconnected issues.5

Frosch products are manufactured by Werner & Mertz in Germany and Austria. The parent company operates its main site in Mainz and another major site in Hallein, Austria.1

Werner & Mertz integrates sustainability into its manufacturing strategy through environmental and energy-management systems, including EMAS and ISO standards.1 The company also operates its own wastewater treatment infrastructure at its Mainz production facility.1

Frosch’s ecological positioning is supported by various external certifications and standards, which can include:

• EU Ecolabel
• Cradle to Cradle
• EMAS
• ISO environmental/energy-management standards
• Other industry sustainability certifications

Precise certification varies by product and market.1

The green frog is a key brand asset. The choice reflects:

1. The literal meaning of Frosch (frog) in German.
2. The association of frogs with natural environments.
3. The reinforcement of ecological positioning through the color green.
4. A friendly character that makes functional household-cleaning products feel approachable.

The green Frosch character has remained essentially unchanged since the brand’s launch in 1986. Werner & Mertz contrasts it with its older red frog corporate/Erdal identity.2

Frosch occupies a position between traditional chemical-cleaning brands and small specialist organic brands. Its proposition combines mass-market convenience, strong cleaning performance, and ecological credentials.1

Frosch appeals to consumers seeking to balance household cleanliness with environmental considerations. Typical target groups include:

• Environmentally conscious households
• Families
• Consumers concerned about ingredients
• Consumers interested in plant-based products
• Consumers seeking recyclable packaging
• Consumers with an interest in sensitive-skin products
• Consumers who want an ecological alternative without moving to a specialist niche brand

The brand sits at the intersection of mainstream FMCG and sustainable consumption.1

While originating in Germany, Frosch has become an international brand. The company reports availability in almost all European countries, with demand in non-European markets such as Japan and South Korea.1

For example, Frosch’s Spanish operation notes the brand’s entry into Spain in 1990, followed by subsequent packaging and branding developments.6

It is important to distinguish Frosch (the consumer brand) from Werner & Mertz (the parent company). Werner & Mertz also owns or operates other brands, including Erdal, emsal, and Green Care Professional.1

Frosch serves as the company’s flagship ecological consumer brand. Werner & Mertz remains family-owned and is currently in its fifth generation of family ownership.1

Frosch’s sustainability model comprises several layers:1

Product

Plant-based and biodegradable ingredients, maintaining cleaning performance.

Packaging

Recycled and recyclable materials, designed with recycling in mind.

Manufacturing

Environmental and energy management, resource conservation.

Water

Attention to wastewater treatment and water protection.

Circular Economy

Keeping materials in productive use instead of treating them as disposable resources.

Corporate Engagement

The Frosch Initiative supports environmental ideas and projects beyond individual products.6

Werner & Mertz describes sustainability not simply as a marketing theme but as a corporate goal centered on a functioning circular economy.1

Frosch has developed a reputation in Germany for ecological household products. The brand reports receiving recognition including the German Sustainability Award and more recent consumer-oriented awards. Its website highlights a 2025 Brand of the Year award and a 2026 Value for Money Winner award in the laundry and cleaning-products category.1

These are brand/company-reported awards and rankings.1

Frosch is notable for being early to mainstream ecological cleaning. When launched in 1986, environmentally friendly household products were far less mainstream. The brand built its identity around the proposition that environmental protection could be part of an everyday consumer product rather than a specialist niche.1

Its evolution can be summarized as:

• 1986: Ecological cleaning pioneer
• 1990s: Mainstream German cleaning brand
• 2000s: Expansion and internationalization
• 2010s: Stronger focus on recycled materials and circularity
• 2020s: Broader home/personal-care ecosystem and renewed sustainability positioning
• 2026: 40-year-old international ecological consumer brand

The company explicitly tries to distinguish its sustainability positioning from greenwashing. Claims are supported by environmental management, product formulations, packaging design, recycled plastics, manufacturing, and circularity efforts.1

Consumers are advised to evaluate individual product claims individually, as terms like “eco,” “natural,” “plant-based,” “biodegradable,” and “recyclable” describe different properties and do not automatically mean zero environmental impact.1

1. About Frosch | frosch.de
2. The brand Frosch – the ecological alternative
3. Frosch (brand
4. Biggest Design Relaunch in the History of the Frosch Brand
5. Frosch products in bio quality | frosch.de
6. About us | frosch.es