Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Feb 10: Finding success in any start-up in the country is a tough ask. However, when one makes up mind to work hard and go for something unique, they are simply unstoppable. ‘Dabble’ is a made in India brand which was started in Bengaluru. The start-up makes child safe and toxin free art products for early childhood. Their mission is to spread the joy of art across by inspiring imagination and free expression.
Dabble was started by Mangalurean Karen Saldanha and Neha Bajaj, when they could not find child-friendly, toxin-free products for art and play. The women-led start-up is incubated at NSRCEL, IIM Bengaluru. The duo was also the deal winners on Shark Tank India Season 2 and also won the Elevate award for innovation with an Rs 25 lac grant from government of Karnataka, ITBT department.
The idea of Dabble was born when as mothers, Karen and Neha could not find safe art products for their own children while training in expressive arts. It helped them envision their own products for free expression. They have introduced the category of PlayArt, encouraging children to think and colour outside the lines. Their motto is simple – ‘Free play is healthy play’. And art without set patterns helps do that. As founder moms, they personally develop each product with support from a team of industry-reputed scientists and food technologists and all their products are tested by a NABL certified lab and all their products are BIS certified.
The idea
Karen and Neha met at an expressive art therapy course they took up in Bengaluru. While pursuing it, they became really close friends and even gave birth just four days apart. They were both sourcing art products for their children from abroad and realised the need for safe options at home. The duo spent months researching crayons, natural waxes and other products first at Neha’s kitchen and later at a space offered by a really close friend. Several months were spent developing products and letting their kids and those of friends test them. Gradually, business ideas developed and Dabble was started in May 2018 to – bring innovation and safety in products for the early childhood segment. Soon, they commissioned a team of scientists and food technologists specialised in developing child-friendly products. At every stage, the products were reviewed by a team of experts, speech therapists, art teachers, and early educators.
Product philosophy
At Dabble, they have clear rules of what stays in their products, what stays out and how they are made. They have declared a no-entry to the usual toxic suspects found in child products – harmful parabens, phthalates and silicon. Traditional crayons contain paraffin wax which take 100 years for it to bio degrade and they mostly end up in landfills. Dabble products are made from sustainable ingredients that care for the earth.
They have put many months of trial and error, picking and choosing ingredients from nature-coconuts, soy, vitamin oils, vegetable butters, food-friendly colours, and child-safe waxes. Every ingredient is ticked ‘Just Right for Kids’.
How they are designed
Every product is designed to help children use them naturally, co-relating to the developmental milestones of kids starting from 12 months. For example, one will find their crayons come in unique shapes that help children develop the tripod grip. They are big-sized and help with easier grasp and 3 primary colours which they can mix and make their own colours.
One can also find that Dabble’s finger-paints come in easy squeeze bottles that kids can handle and worry-free for a parent as they wash off very easily. This is for every product they design. No compromise on that.
How they are tested
All their products have to be comfortable for kids. They are tested from right from Ingredients to finish. They are stability tested and microbial tested in a NABL certified food laboratory and also BIS certified meeting all the safety standard for toys. And most importantly, they are ready to be tested by mommies.
Business channels
Parents can order Dabble’s toxin-free art products on various online channel channels such as Dabble website, Amazon, First Cry, FlipKart, Nestery, Happy Clouds, Kidstack and other market places as they are present in about 15 retail stores in Mumbai and Bengaluru. They are also in the process of scaling on Amazon, First Cry stores and other top retail stores across India.
Dabble’s community
They have an Instagram community of over 17K followers and an active WhatsApp Creative Parenting community of over 400 dabbler parents who connect, support and encourage each other on introducing art and creative expression in early childhood.
Contact:
Instagram Handle: https://instagram.com/dabbleplayart?igshid=Zjc2ZTc4Nzk=
Karen Saldanha: 98451 49505
Email: karendabblesinart@gmail.com (Karen) nehadabbles@gmail.com (Neha)
Website: www.dabbleplayart.com