Bayiravi Mani has always been entrepreneurial at heart with an itch to start something on her own. She got into the baking business initially, but after the birth of her son, she found the process of baking physically exhausting. Along the way, she was introduced to baby carriers by friends. “My husband and I used them extensively and we had so much fun with our son. It felt like parenting was made so much simpler for us. That was my impetus to start Kol Kol. I wanted to make a product that was new, with fabrics that were right for our weather and at an affordable price.”
Kol Kol baby carriers use 100 per cent handwoven cotton, which is lightweight and strong enough to support your baby. “This is unlike other brands that use very thick cotton or synthetic fabrics which do not work for our weather. Our product also holds and supports the baby like you would when you're holding them in your arms. We are constantly adapting and changing to suit parents' needs.”
Bayiravi is very conscious about product safety; she feels an emphasis on this is currently missing in the Indian market as there are no mandatory testing or stringent laws around the safety of baby products. “We are very happy to spend that time and money to ensure our products are tested to international safety standards. We are focused on helping parents adapt to the changing norms in parenting. We don't just target women. We also speak to fathers and grandparents. For us, the biggest things that went into product development were inputs from safety standards and health professionals. We kept in mind what was right for the baby, and what was right for the parent, along with feedback from parents on what was comfortable and easy for them to use. Of course, we took feedback from babies! If the baby was happy and slept in the carrier, we know we got it right!”
Sustainability is also very important to Bayiravi. “When we started Kol Kol, we were very clear we wanted to make a product that had a long shelf life, that could be used for at least three years and we are very happy that we've achieved it. We've heard from plenty of our customers that they've used the product with both their children and passed it on to their friends to use with their babies. We use only eco-friendly packaging - recyclable cardboard boxes. We do not have unnecessary marketing material that we include in our packaging. We've kept it as plastic-free as possible.” She adds, “The burden of raising babies is mostly on the mothers. We've heard from customers that fathers are able to be more involved in parenting thanks to Kol Kol, and that leads to more sustainable family practices as well.”
Being an entrepreneur is exciting and challenging for Bayiravi in equal parts. “Entrepreneurship is something that you learn by doing. I learned to take risks. I learned to be resilient. I learned to take the next step. My biggest learning as a woman entrepreneur is to invest time and build a network that lifts you up. Seeing parents out and about in a Kol Kol makes me so happy. Of course, seeing the revenue grow, being able to reward all the people who've helped us in our growth, hearing from families on what a positive impact the Kol Kol has had, how it has made parenting simpler and more joyful for them, all of that gives me the most satisfaction.”