Let’s hear from Bayiravi Mani, founder of Kol Kol, ergonomic baby carriers which let you carry your baby in a position similar to how you would hold them in your arms and go about doing your tasks.
How did you get introduced to Babywearing ?
Before the birth of my son, I had a professional home run baking company. It was while I was struggling to manage my newborn and ‘Bee the Baker’ in a nuclear family setup that I realised that I need to find a solution that will let me keep my baby close to me while allowing me to tend to work simultaneously. All the searching led me to ergonomic baby wearing. Ergonomic baby carriers lets you carry the baby in the most natural way by supporting their entire bottom. As the carrier holds the baby, your hands are free. They are also very comfortable for many hours for both baby and parent. You can go anywhere and do what you need to do without having to stay home with a new baby. This freedom and mobility to take the baby along where ever we went was crucial to my business and my husband’s and our lifestyle choices. This was my introduction to baby wearing.
How and when did you start KolKol ? The journey wouldn’t have been easy. What are some of the bold steps you’ve taken ?
In the first year following his birth, I tried a lot of International baby carrier brands. I loved some and did not like others as much. This got me thinking as to what I wanted in a carrier. Around when my child turned one I realised that if I wanted a carrier that suits my needs and context then maybe I should make one! I started with a mehdai style carrier and thus the business was born. i was recently sent a photograph of a mother wearing her newest baby in the first kol kol carrier I ever sold! She bought it when her first child was a baby and is now using it with her next child as well. It made me so grateful for how far kol kol has come since then.
The journey has not been easy, for sure. As a mother, it has not been easy balancing the demands of a young business and a young child while doing justice to both. This is a struggle that every working mother faces. As an entrepreneur, added to the teething troubles of the early months in the business, I also had to work very hard at making the relatively new concept of wearing your baby in an ergonomic baby carrier accessible to new parents.
I think that the decision to switch careers from being a baker to making baby carriers was in itself a rather bold move for me, considering that I literally had to scour the country to source appropriate materials and close a very successful business with amazing customers. Kol Kol, which was incidentally the first words my son spoke, is a brand that was born from my heart and my experience as a parent. I made a baby carrier that I loved and trusted enough to use with my son. As the brand continues to grow, I take every effort to ensure that all my carriers are tested according to international babywearing quality and safety standards. To me, the whole thing is very simple. If I didn’t think one of my carriers good enough to wear my child in, I won’t sell it. Thats how every product in my current lineup has evolved with multiple test versions and rounds of feedback from baby wearing caregivers and educators.
What is your favorite thing about babywearing?
Babywearing lets you enjoy cuddles and to constantly reassure the child that you are there for them when they need you. You never have to tell you upset or crying child to ‘wait for 10 mins so I can finish this task and come pick you up’ or to drop a task that may be of vital importance to attend to your child. You can do both at the same time!
I found that worn children grow up with great confidence and independence because they are always guaranteed their parent’s attention. This is what I say when people express genuine concern over if baby wearing will spoil a childs ability to be independent by making them too ‘clingy’
Awareness and use of babywearing is increasing by urban moms, what differentiates KolKol?
One of my favourite things about my brand is that every carrier I make is entirely sourced and made in India. I work with local tailors, weavers, block printers and vendors while constantly ensuring that every aspect of the process adheres to and is certified by international testing and quality standards. Every carrier has been tested by me with my toddler, if its not comfortable for us, it has to be made better. It is with a great sense of peace that I come back home everyday knowing that I have not compromised on the ethical impact or integrity of the brand.