PROBLEM DEFINITION

The lifespan and value of plush toys are threatened by health, safety, and standardisation issues.

From our ethnographic research, we found that there are basically two types of plush toys at home:

1) residents, which are those we fall in love with, and

2) passers-by, which are those who have just been played for a little while.

People want to keep resident toys for a long time. To keep the intimate bonds between toys and their children. But the continuation of that relationship is hindered by parents not knowing how to keep the toys intact, clean and especially child-safe. 

People do not want to keep passers-by. They actually take up a large part of their soft assets. Parents do want to get rid of them, and most importantly, they want to feel good letting go of them. But a rewarding farewell experience is hindered by people, especially the next owner's hygiene, safety and standardisation concerns.

Thus, to quote a sentence from a mother we interviewed, “For those stuffed toys in my home, I really want to do something, but I really do not know what is the answer”. And here we can see intersecting problems: Hygiene, Safety and Standardisation. They are not included in the services we buy, but they have been, or are, or will soon be, seriously hindering the continuation of a good relationship.

SOLUTIONS

We make caring for plush toys no longer mysterious.

We would like to introduce our company, Starffy! As a company, we are dedicated to making stuffed toys shiny again. Partnered with stuffed toy companies, we offer caring knowledge and tools to families and second-hand businesses to help them take better care of their stuffed toys. Our service consists of three parts, Starffy Hub, Starffy Tools and Starffy Support.

Starffy Hub

This is a platform that provides consumers with knowledge on the care of stuffed toys. We collaborate with toy companies to create tailored care processes for different types of plush toys. By scanning QR codes printed on the tags, consumers can access the Hub for specific care information. When they decide to part with their toys, they can easily find nearby second-hand toy businesses through our platform. For those lacking cleaning products, Hub offers direct purchase options for care tools.

Starffy Tools

Starffy tool is a set of tools specialised for stuffy toys. We are different from the existing cleaning products on the market, as we will directly work with toy companies to develop customised cleaning products for different stuffed toys. Our products are professional and easy to use.

Starffy Support

We also provide a cleaning consulting service for businesses around second-hand stuffed toys, which is called Starffy support, so that we can remove the current barriers to reselling stuffed toys. With our professional cleaning knowledge and tools, these second-hand businesses, represented by charity shops, are able to sell stuffed toys with hygiene and safety guarantees.

To summarise, Starffy is using its expertise in hygiene and safety to reinvent the future of stuffed toys

IMPACT

We are building a sustainable league for stuffed toys.

Starffy, a groundbreaking project, aims to bridge the information gaps among toy companies, consumers, and second-hand businesses, ultimately revolutionising the reuse of stuffed toys. By facilitating the attachment and delivery of caring information from companies to consumers, Starffy ensures that products come with comprehensive care instructions. Additionally, Starffy guarantees hygiene, fostering trust between consumers and second-hand businesses. This trust enables more pre-loved toys to find their next loving home.

Together, we are establishing Starffy League. It draws a future landscape of enhanced customer loyalty, extended service chains, and social accountability for toy companies. Moreover, the project empowers second-hand businesses to gain professionalism, expand their reach, and earn consumers' trust. With its focus on hygiene, safety, and easier customer care, Starffy paves the way for a more sustainable future by extending the lifespan of plush toys.

We are redefining what the term sustainable means in reality.

Sustainability encompasses more than just saving, environmental protection, or new energy. While these terms have adorned countless green organisations' websites, have they truly influenced our everyday lives? This project aims to convey a powerful message: by embracing and caring for cherished possessions, joyfully bidding farewell to assets we no longer love, and nurturing all relationships with an active and progressive approach, we embrace a model that aligns harmoniously with the laws of natural development. This sustainable way of life seamlessly intertwines with our daily existence, forming a meaningful and interconnected tapestry.