Interview with KletterRetter founder David Holmes

Hi David! Could you briefly introduce yourself?

Hi, I’m David, originally from Australia, and I now live with my family in the beautiful Black Forest region in southern Germany. I founded KletterRetter in 2012 with the vision of creating high-quality skincare and climbing accessories for the climbing community, while promoting sustainability.

Years ago, you created a hand cream specifically for climbers. How did the idea come about?

The idea came from personal experience. I tore off a callus while climbing, which gave me the inspiration to develop a hand cream designed for the specific needs of climbers. I started experimenting in my kitchen with emulsified wax and essential oils. After many trials, I perfected the KletterRetter hand cream. Today, it’s produced in our modern facility, but my passion for creating innovative and effective skincare products remains as strong as ever.

You’ve developed many more products since then. Do you have any new ideas for 2024?

Absolutely! We’re excited to launch our new KletterRetter “Signature Series,” which includes hand cream, foot cream, and sunscreen. All three products offer the same nourishing properties as our famous hand cream, with ingredients like panthenol and calendula. We’re always innovating, constantly working on new products to help climbers protect their skin and improve their performance.

What’s involved in developing a sustainable product?

Sustainability is a key focus for us. When developing a product, we start by looking at the materials and ingredients—whether renewable resources are used, ideally from local or EU-based suppliers. Then, there’s the packaging—how can we minimize it while still protecting the product? Can it be made plastic-free or even compostable? And, how far do materials need to travel? It’s a challenge because the market isn’t fully geared toward providing sustainable solutions as standard, but we’re committed to finding the best possible options.

What will KletterRetter focus on in the coming years? What can we expect to see?

Sustainability and innovation will remain our top priorities. We have only one planet, and we see it as our mission to create a healthy balance between climbers and nature. We work with local suppliers wherever possible to reduce unnecessary transport, and many of our products are made in Germany or the EU. We also run initiatives like tree planting and Clean-Up Days to offset our carbon footprint. On top of that, we continuously review our existing products and packaging to see if we can make them even more eco-friendly. In terms of our product range, our focus remains on offering climbers what they need to climb more and climb better.

Tell us something about yourself that not everyone knows!

Aside from climbing, I’m passionate about mountain rescue. I’m a volunteer with the Black Forest Mountain Rescue Team, based in Sulzburg. I am always on call and regularly in training. As a member of our rapid response group, there are times when I have to drop everything at KletterRetter because someone’s been injured while enjoying the outdoors and needs help. I love being able to give back to the outdoor community in this way.