Yes, I’m willing to admit it. I am absolutely obsessed with KAOS. 

A few years back, deep in some Instagram rabbit hole as per usual, I come across a high chair that stopped me dead in my tracks. The Klapp is beautifully designed, bursting with Scandinavian minimalism and functionality, folds up for easy storage, and is frankly a striking enough piece of furniture that I would want it even if I didn’t have kids. 

But alas, I couldn’t buy it here. 

Fast forward one baby and my parents move to a new neighborhood in Oslo. Home visiting and out for a stroll, just a few hundred meters down the street I come across a little shop with Klapp chairs in the window. But oh wait. It’s not just chairs! My eyes turned to saucers as I drooled over backpacks, wall bars, rugs, you name it. Thank God it was after hours, or I would have emptied my bank account there and then. 

But the following day, I returned to the shop and was greeted by the two women/super mammas behind this brand, Gineline Kalleberg and Mette Bordal Hansen. Their passion and joy for what they are creating with KAOS was palpable as they patiently described every item in the store to me. What had driven the design? How they were using a sustainable approach wherever they could. And why they believed parents needed this. And I thought they were right.

"In total, we have 4 kids. Becoming parents made us want to change the entire industry," they say on their website. All parents can relate to how expensive parenthood is. Many of the products we purchase are quickly outgrown or aren't built to last. Gineline and Mette wanted to do something about this. "We started to make things we wanted ourselves. We have a very functional approach when we develop products because our products should make everyday life with kids a little easier. At the same time, we are passionate about the clean, timeless expression for which Norwegian design is recognized."

"We create functional products that last through several stages of life. And is manufactured with the lowest environmental footprint possible, to give our children as safe a future as possible." This is important. After scrolling through their Instagram, I learned a little more about their sustainability practices compared to some other companies and was shocked to hear that "a lot of textile manufacturers out there say they produce fabric from recycled PET-bottles, but truth is they order new bottles from bottle manufacturers that they recycle instead of using bottles from a consumer waste. Because this is cheaper for them. But this is increasing the amount of plastic bottles in the world."

To ensure that they are using recycled bottles that are actually from consumer waste, they work with certified partners like Repreve. "We’re more than willing to pay more in production and earn a little less to keep our products Repreve certified and prevent consumer wasted PET bottles from ending up in landfills. This is our job as a serious brand." That Ransel Diaper Bag you've fallen in love with—it was made from 24 recycled bottles. So not only is it simply stylish and incredibly functional, but it's also made with sustainable textiles. 

Sofie wearing a KAOS kids backpack, available to shop next week! 

When I met Gineline and Mette, what would become Blue House Goods was already beginning to unfold. For so many years I had returned from Norway carting suitcases full of things I love to use, both in my home and later, with even more fervor, for my babies. I knew I wanted to bring these great products to the US because I needed them, and it struck me how similar their line of thinking is. They are designing and creating these products because they want and need them in their own daily lives. There’s no better recommendation than that.