KAOS highchair made from Fortum Circo® compound fulfils toy safety standard require­ments

The children’s equipment industry is known for being regulated by strict requirements for safety – and chemicals. An essential part of the formal certification for high chairs (EN-14988:2017+A1:2020), is EN 71-3. The overall EN 71-3 standard assesses the migration of certain chemicals into the body if a toy or components of a toy were to be swallowed by a child.

KAOS, a premium brand known for its strong attention to sustainability, chose Fortum Circo® after rigorous research into different recycled plastic materials. Fortum Circo® had the desired properties in terms of e.g. sustainability, durability and consistency, and the company appreciates Fortum’s track record as a reliable and well-established partner. KAOS and Fortum co-developed the material further to ensure the best match for the product design.

“We at KAOS recognise the urgent need to identify environmental challenges and to create a more sustainable future. That is what we are doing now together with Fortum. In this new material, we are using plastic recycled from consumer packaging and keeping it in circulation. In addition, using cellulose means we capture CO2 in a long-lasting product – its potential lifespan is 225 years. At the end of the highchairs’ useful life, we are able to recycle the materials again,” says Gineline Kalleberg, CMO and founder of KAOS.

In addition to being compatible with the toy safety standard, the Fortum Circo® compound material withstands use in a household item that is used several times a day, by young children whose touch is not always gentle. The highchair comes in several colours and is designed to be aesthetically pleasing as well as functional, reflecting the premium positioning of the KAOS brand.

“We were thrilled to partner with KAOS in developing this material and product. This is the first Fortum Circo® application to receive approval for the highly demanding EN 71-3 standard, and it demonstrates the safety and versatility of the material. KAOS’s customers place high value on quality and sustainability, and this product will deliver on both,” says Anniina Rasmus, Brand Sales Manager for Fortum Circo®.

The co-development has been partly financed by the Norwegian Retailers’ Environment Fund.

“We are in dire need of innovation and new ideas to be able to reduce a continuously increasing plastic stream. KAOS and Fortum have created a chair which is not only made out of recycled plastics, but can also be recycled up to nine times. By keeping plastics in the loop, they are making a considerable positive impact, whilst also creating a product that is commercially viable. This is Norwegian innovation at its finest, and we’re proud to have been able to work with KAOS on their journey”, says Cecilie Lind, CEO of Norwegian Retailers’ Environment Fund.