Over the past decade, the importance of local brands and products has declined significantly with globalization. Now, a resurgence of the Make In India wave means that we are once again looking for sustainable, eco-friendly and locally made products for our children. It is crucial to expose young minds to local brands from an early age. This will help them learn more about the planet, be environmentally conscious and appreciate what is produced in our country.
Here are some homemade products for children created 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 returned from the United States, she found that India lacked fun and safe toys. Most parents relied on electronic devices to occupy their children, while others had to rely on harmful plastic toys. She also discovered that the majority of these toys did not contribute to the child’s development or learning.
So the Bengaluru-based entrepreneur created Shumee to create non-toxic recyclable toys that would help children have fun and learn while playing safely.
What to expect: Wooden puzzles and games for babies, toddlers and preschoolers
Ariro
Nisha Ramasamy and Vasanth Tamilselvan from Chennai wanted their daughter to grow up in harmony with nature. They researched wooden teethers that were both safe and functional and, finding that most wooden teethers were imported, customized a neem wood teether with the help of a carpenter. Soon their friends were also asking for neem teethers for their infants…
As their daughter grew older, they searched for functional wooden toys again, but found that most toys on the market were merely decorative or downright dangerous. They then decide to develop their own brand. Before launching Ariro in 2020, they traveled the world studying toys, attending toy shows, and talking with parents around the world. Today, their brand has been embraced by parents across the country.
What to expect: Neem wood craft toys.
APPLICATION
Kutuki
The brainchild of Bengaluru-based Sneha Sundaram and Bharath and one of the winners of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat App Innovation Challenge, Kutuki early learning app uses an exclusive story and song-based curriculum to captivate young learners. The couple were inspired to create the app when they realized that nearly 200 million preschoolers in India grow up watching foreign-made cartoons such as Sesame Street (American), Peppa Pig (British ) or Doraemon (Japanese), each with their own culture. influences. Since what children observe during their formative years greatly influences their future as adults, it is important that they are also educated about our Indian heritage. Kutuki seamlessly delivers information about Indian culture with engaging movies, songs, and activities while promoting growth, development, and learning.
What to expect: Interactive games in regional Indian languages to improve early childhood education
FOOD
My little Moppet
Dr. Hemapriya may have been a trained doctor, 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 proven means; her medical background helped her recognize difficulties and devise practical remedies.
Many parents asked her to help them with baby powders and porridge, but she couldn’t help them due to her busy schedule. Her entrepreneurial journey finally began when she returned to her hometown of Madurai. Dr. Hemapriya now prepares healthy and safe baby food at home under the My Little Moppet brand. She rigorously monitors hygiene and quality and in doing so makes parenting easier and healthier for others.
What to expect: Organic cereals and bites for children made from sprouts and millets
Slurp 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 diverse ingredients into their children’s diets. Slurrp Farm products are made the same way you would at home, with no preservatives, artificial flavors or trans fats, using recipes inspired by traditional food wisdom passed down from generation to generation. Validated by pediatric nutritionists, they use ragi, jowar and foxtail millet, real fruit, vegetable powders and real chocolate, plus less sugar and natural substitutes like jaggery and honey.
With their products, Meghana and Shauravi ensure that children, farmers and the environment are all happy and fulfilled.
What to expect: Millet-based organic baby food
CLOTHES
Greendigo
Mumbai-based Meghna Kishore recognized a gap in the domestic market after experiencing a personal need for non-toxic and safe clothing for her newborn baby. Along with her sister Barkha Bhatnagar Das, who is also mindful of living, she set out to develop a brand of carefully designed, baby-safe and practical clothing for women. Greendigo was founded with an unwavering commitment to quality, comfort and attention to detail, and uses environmentally friendly manufacturing techniques.
What to expect: Soft, breathable and comfortable clothes for children and mothers, made from organic cotton
BOOKS & GIFTS
Nesterie
Vaishnavi Rangarajan and Aparna Vasudevan from Bengaluru started Nestery in 2019 after meeting in a parent group. The platform supports regional author books, locally made toys, sustainable gifts and offers a wide variety of toys, books, home decor items, parenting items and personalized products for children aged from the third trimester of pregnancy to 12 years. .
What to expect: Safe, original, parent-approved books and toys
Also Read: Entrepreneurs Vaishnavi and Aparna Engage Children Meaningfully Through Nestery