Elite Entrepreneurship: Gry and Maja Knitted Their Way to the National Championships

This is part of a series of articles about the work and people behind one of Sweden’s best high schools for entrepreneurship.

Affärsgymnasiet has a long list of national and international achievements when it comes to young entrepreneurship. With over 200 UF-related awards (Young Enterprise), national and European championship gold medals, and recognition as one of Europe’s top entrepreneurial schools, the school truly stands out.

During this year’s national championships, the school had 9 nominated companies and won 5 medals in all categories.

One of the companies present was Crochet Design UF. Behind it are Gry Ahlström and Maja Morberg. The social science students from Örebro began their UF journey with a desire to make sustainable crafts accessible to everyone; they wanted everyone to have the option of choosing something handmade instead of something made in a factory.

In an era of rapid online clothing purchases, a counter-trend has emerged: more and more people are crocheting and sharing their creations on social media. Gry and Maja noticed this and wanted to take it a step further.

– We realized that we could create something of our own, by hand, they explain.

Using yarn from people around them, materials from secondhand stores, and leftover fabrics from a special website, they started crocheting their own products to sell at prices lower than average.

The students started with cosmetic bags and showcased them at a Christmas market. There, they realized there was a demand for more products and decided to expand their production to also include stuffed animals, gloves, and headbands.

– We’ve adapted to the demand, and it has gone very well.

Craft of the Year

Their handmade products quickly became popular, and in addition to strong sales results, the students won the Craft of the Year category at the regional UF competitions, which earned them a coveted spot in the national championships.

– The successes have been fantastic, but the best part has been hearing appreciative words from our customers, they say.

Developed on multiple levels

Gry and Maja feel that the school has provided excellent support throughout the entire process. The strong focus on UF has made it possible for them to receive information and advice from others.

– The teachers have been very encouraging and helpful, says Gry.

They say they have not only developed skills directly related to entrepreneurship, such as accounting and budgeting, but have also grown on a personal level.

– I’ve become more confident and daring. I would never have had the courage to stand here and sell something I made by hand before. The rhetoric course has also been very helpful, says Maja.

Sewing group for retirees

After graduation, they will likely not have time to run the business full-time. However, they want to keep it going on a hobby level and continue selling at various markets. They also plan to create a sewing group for retirees where anyone interested can join in on the production.