The impossible chair
When the founders of KAOS set out to create a kids high chair made entirely from recycled plastic, they had no idea just how challenging the journey would be. With unwavering determination and support from dedicated partners, they managed to bring to life a product many thought was impossible.
Published: 03.June, 2025 Last updated: 03.June, 2025
– It’s probably a good thing we didn’t know in advance how hard it was going to be, says KAOS founder Mette Bordal Hansen, turning to her co-founder Gineline Kalleberg.
Kalleberg laughs, but nods in agreement. The two are seated in their flagship store, Studio KAOS, at Lilleborg Torg in Oslo. When they first set out in 2021 to develop a high chair made entirely from recycled plastic, neither could have imagined the challenges that lay ahead.
– Looking back, it almost feels like a string of lucky coincidences that we made it, Kalleberg says with a smile.
– But the truth is, it happened because we simply refused to give up.
Learn more about the journey behind ReKlapp:
A journey marked by obstacles
Hansen and Kalleberg became mothers around the same time — and quickly realized that the baby gear industry paid little attention to durability or sustainability. In response, they founded KAOS in 2015 with a clear mission: to offer parents a better alternative that combined eco-consciousness with functionality and great design.
Four years later, they launched the KAOS Klapp High Chair, crafted from oak and beech — a product that resonated with parents in Norway and beyond. But when the COVID-19 pandemic triggered a global shortage of wood, they were forced to rethink their entire approach. That’s when the idea of a high chair made from recycled plastic began to take shape.
– We worked with incredibly skilled engineers and had conversations with major engineering firms, but as soon as we mentioned recycled plastic, the answer was immediate: «No, that’s not possible» Kalleberg explains.
Then the challenges started rolling in — one after another. First, they needed engineers with specialized expertise in materials, capable of providing technical drawings and digital modeling. That marked the beginning of a long phase of research and testing to identify the right type of plastic.
– We quickly realized that «recycled plastic» is not just one thing, says Hansen.
They discovered that recycled plastics come in countless varieties and quality levels. What’s more, recycled plastic is typically softer than fossil-based plastic — a complication that raised structural concerns for the chair. To compensate, they had to find a reinforcement agent: a material that would give the plastic the necessary strength and stiffness.
It turned into a lengthy process of trial and error — but eventually, they found partners willing to take the leap and join them on the journey.
Key Supporters
– The support from the Norwegian Retailer's Environment Fund was absolutely crucial, says Kalleberg.
In 2022, KAOS received funding that allowed them to move forward with the development of ReKlapp. The relief was immense when they got the news. Until then, the project had proven to be far more complex and demanding than they had ever anticipated – but the funding meant they could keep going.
Why Did NREF Support This Project?
Lars Brede Johansen, Head of Plastics and Sustainability at Norwegian Retailer's Environment Fund, explains:
With a strong eye for design and sustainable solutions, KAOS has successfully made the leap from a passion project to a pioneering company in the baby and children’s gear industry, now employing a team of seven. They listen to researchers and their own disruptive instincts, set the bar high, and deliver – developing sustainable high chairs with a low and steadily decreasing environmental footprint. KAOS proves that it’s possible to combine environmentally efficient products with rapid commercial growth.
The latest version of the Klapp high chair is circular economy in action. And it’s worth noting that high chairs are particularly demanding products, requiring strict standards for material strength and durability. That’s why KAOS’s achievement – launching a chair made entirely from 100% recycled plastic – marks an important milestone in the shift away from virgin plastics. They’ve shown how a company with high environmental ambitions can create ripple effects, accelerating innovation across the industry – in this case among engineers and plastics specialists alike.
They needed to find manufacturers who were willing to work on high-level innovation under significant uncertainty – and who had the large, complex machinery required to handle the massive injection molds. In 2023, KAOS finally connected with a partner willing to take on the risk of trying something no one had done before. Wicro Plastics, based in Kessel, the Netherlands, believed they could produce what KAOS was looking for. Still, Managing Director Evelien Fasotte describes the project as highly ambitious.
– This wasn’t just a chair made from recycled plastic – it had to be made from post-consumer recycled material, says Fasotte.
To reach the finish line, they needed one more partner. It was Wicro that connected KAOS with NG Nordic in Finland, the company behind the material «Circo» – a plastic made from 100% post-consumer waste collected in the Nordic countries, reinforced with wood fibers.
Project Timeline
2022
KAOS receives funding from the Norwegian Retailer's Environment Fund to develop the ReKlapp High Chair
2023
KAOS enters into a partnership with Wicro Plastics and NG Nordic
2024
The ReKlapp High Chair is completed!
The World’s First Circular High Chair
On March 8, 2024, Kalleberg and Hansen were finally able to travel to Wicro in the Netherlands to witness the production of the very first ReKlapp High Chair. It was a moment they’ll never forget.
– It felt like witnessing a birth, Kalleberg laughs.
– There were some really tough moments along the way, but when things finally started falling into place, it was incredibly rewarding, Hansen adds.
When the chair emerged from the production line after a successful run, the world’s first circular high chair had become a reality — made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic, reinforced with wood fibers, and recyclable up to nine times.
The project has already sparked sustainable ripple effects in the industry. Evelien Fasotte at Wicro Plastics says they’ve since increased the use of recycled plastic in their own products. Anniina Rasmus, Business Lead at NG Nordic in Finland, says the KAOS project restored their confidence in using recycled plastic for high-quality applications.
– KAOS are true pioneers, Rasmus concludes.
