From Clothes To Books To Toys, These Desi Kids Brands Are India Inspired

In the last decade or so, the significance of native brands and products had diminished substantially with globalisation. Now a resurgence in the Make In India wave means that we are looking again at sustainable, eco-friendly and locally-made products for our children. It is crucial to expose young minds to native brands from a young age. This will help them learn about the planet, be environmentally conscious, and appreciate what is being produced across our country.

Here are some home-grown children’s products founded by women entrepreneurs who want to help us raise a new generation of healthy, responsible and planet-friendly individuals.

TOYS

Shumee

When Meeta Sharma Gupta moved back home from the United States, she found that India lacked entertaining and safe toys. Most parents counted on electronic devices to keep their children occupied, while others had to rely on harmful plastic toys. She also discovered that a majority of these toys did not contribute to the child’s development or learning.


Thus, the Bengaluru-based entrepreneur set up Shumee to create non-toxic recyclable toys that would help children have fun, and learn while they played safely. 

What to expect: Puzzles and games made with wood for infants, toddlers and preschoolers

Ariro


Nisha Ramasamy and Vasanth Tamilselvan from Chennai wanted their daughter to grow in harmony with nature. They looked for wooden teethers that were both safe and functional, and, finding that most wooden teething toys were imported, customised a neem wood teether with the assistance of a carpenter. Soon, their friends also requested neem teethers for their infants…
As their daughter grew, they searched again for wooden functional toys, but found that most of the playthings in the market were merely decorative or downright hazardous. They decided then to develop their own brand. Before launching Ariro in 2020, they travelled the globe to study toys, attend toy expos, and speak with parents from around the globe. Today, their brand has been embraced by parents across the nation.

What to expect: Neem wood handcrafted toys.

APP
Kutuki

The brainchild of Bengaluru-based Sneha Sundaram and Bharath, and one of the winners of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat App Innovation Challenge, the Kutuki early learning app uses a proprietary story- and song-based curriculum to captivate young learners. The couple was inspired to create the app when they realised that almost 200 million preschoolers in India grow up viewing foreign-made cartoons such as Sesame Street (American), Peppa Pig (British), or Doraemon (Japanese), each with its own cultural influences. Because what children observe in their formative years significantly influences who they become as adults, it is important that they are also made aware of our Indian heritage. Kutuki seamlessly offers information about Indian culture with films, songs and engaging activities even as it promotes growth, development and learning.

What to expect: Interactive games in regional Indian languages to enhance early childhood education

FOOD

My Little Moppet

Dr Hemapriya might be a trained physician, but, when it came to her children, she was as anxious as any other new mother, experiencing many of the same uncertainties, fears, and apprehensions. Then, the doc decided to go with tried-and-true ways; her medical experience helped her recognise difficulties and devise practical remedies.


Many parents asked her to assist them with baby powders and porridges, but she was unable to help them due to her hectic schedule. Her entrepreneurial journey finally began when she returned to her hometown Madurai. Dr Hemapriya now prepares healthy and safe infant food from her home under the brand My Little Moppet. She stringently ensures hygiene and quality, and, in the process, makes parenting simpler and healthier for others.

What to expect: Organic cereals and finger foods for kids made from sprouts and millets

Slurrp Farm


Slurrp Farm was founded in 2016 by two Gurugram mothers Meghana Narayan and Shauravi Malik, who felt the need to reintroduce sustainable, nutrient-dense and diversified ingredients into their children’s diet. Slurrp Farm products are made in the same manner as you would at home, with no preservatives, artificial flavours or trans fats, to recipes inspired by traditional dietary wisdom that have been passed down generations. Validated by paediatric nutritionists, they use ragi, jowar, and foxtail millet, real fruits, vegetable powders and real chocolate, as well as less sugar and natural substitutes such as jaggery and honey.

With their products, Meghana and Shauravi work to ensure that children, farmers and the environment are all happy and thriving.

What to expect: Organic baby foods made from millets

CLOTHING

Greendigo

Mumbai-based Meghna Kishore recognised a gap in the domestic market after experiencing a personal need for non-toxic and safe apparel for her newborn infant. Together with her sister Barkha Bhatnagar Das, who is also concerned with living mindfully, she set out to develop a brand of thoughtfully-designed clothing safe for babies and convenient for women. Greendigo was founded with an unrelenting commitment to quality, comfort and attention to detail, and uses environmentally-friendly manufacturing techniques.

What to expect: Soft, breathable, comfortable clothes for kids and moms, made from organic cotton

BOOKS & GIFTING

Nestery

Vaishnavi Rangarajan and Aparna Vasudevan from Bengaluru started Nestery in 2019 after they met in a parenting group. The platform supports books by regional authors, locally-made toys, sustainable gifting, and offers a wide variety of toys, books, décor pieces, items for parents, and personalised products for children ranging in age from the third trimester of pregnancy to 12 years. 

What to expect: Safe, original and parent-approved books and toys

Also Read: Entrepreneurs Vaishnavi & Aparna Engage Children Meaningfully Via Nestery