Provide solutions to quality assure toys

Are you interested in chemistry and working strategically with sustainability? Then this short mission might be something for you!

Company

Småkryp in Åhus is a family business with a clear passion for play and imagination. For them, toys are in the focus – carefully selected items that generate curiosity and joy. The company offers simpler toys that are used as reward gifts in healthcare facilities, at the dentist or other institutions that meet children. However, businesses from the private sector also buys Småkryp's toys.

With its local roots and its limited range, Småkryp is a company that does not strive to be the biggest, but the best at the smaller level. It is a place where toys can be more than just things – they become stories and small impulses to creativity.

Since 2024 Småkryp has been certified with both ISO 14001 (environment) and ISO 9001 (quality). They are the smallest company approved for the procurement of toys by Sweden's municipalities and regions. To ensure that the toys they sell comply with all requirements, Småkryp works with an agent in China who locates and checks up on socially sustainable toy producers. The company also travels there for making their own checks annually.

Task

The public sector puts high environmental requirements when purchasing toys to ensure that children are not exposed to harmful substances – neither in the short nor the long term. To support this work, the Procurement Authority has developed sustainability criteria for toys, creative materials and sports equipment. The aim is, among other things, to reduce the occurrence of substances hazardous to health in preschool environments. However, these criteria are also used by other businesses that purchase similar products.

The criteria cover a wide range of substances, such as bisphenols, formaldehyde, fragrances and dyes, and they are divided into two levels: basic level and advanced level. More information about the Procurement Authority's requirements can be read here.

Småkryp may be the smallest player in toy procurement – ​​but they have high ambitions. The company strives for all products in their range to meet the requirements at the advanced level. At the same time, they are aware of their own chemical expertise not always being sufficient to determine whether the toys meet the requirements. Therefore, they are seeking help from knowledgeable and committed students who can contribute with expertise and new perspectives.

The task is to examine a selection of toys in Småkryp's collection. You will compare the toy samples sent for analysis with the requirements for advanced level, and develop a matrix to systematise and categorise the toys based on sustainability criteria. You can also make suggestions on what requirements Småkryp should put on their suppliers to ensure that the products meet the company's ambitions.

The hope is that this assignment will lay the foundation for more systematic and long-term work within the company - with the goal of developing and improving the toy collection in line with the requirements for CE-marked products.