Fuelled by her passion for Indian handlooms and handicrafts, Shilpa participated in the Las Vegas Summer Market (2019) which to her surprise led her to witness an increasing demand for toys!
This coupled with her being a mother of a 2-year-old daughter sparked a further interest in toys which are more in tune with Indian culture while are also eco-friendly.
This prompted Shilpa to start GulabTribe LLP in 2022 dealing in Etikoppaka toys, the renowned GI-tagged wooden lacquer toy-making village near Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh.
Despite its rich heritage, Etikoppaka faced tough competition from cheap, mass- produced toys. Alarmed by the looming extinction of this art form, Shilpa was determined to revive it. She assured artisans of steady work and encouraged them to start using natural dyes again.
Shilpa thus embarked on a dual mission: to uplift struggling artisans while providing safe play options for children. Some of Gulabtribe’s toys are designed to enhance cognitive development in toddlers, address areas such as fine motor skills, movement, colour recognition, imagination, pretend play, and learning. She has also showcased her products in national and international exhibitions and has been constantly expanding her range of toys based on feedback.
Today, Gulab Tribe claims to have a range of 40 products, available in 17 physical stores, across 10 Indian cities while is also present on 10 online platforms. ‘The price of our toys ranges from Rs 650-3000 and we work on a B2B and B2C revenue model’ shared Shilpa, the founder.
Adding a feather to its cap, Gulab Tribe has now been certified under the One District One Product (ODOP) initiative by the Government of India for promoting Etikoppaka toys. Gulab Tribe’s journey is just getting started as Shilpa gears up for exports. She also envisions incorporating technology into the toys she develops.
Below is a brief snapshot of the Startup:
Founders: Shilpanjani Dantu
Incubated/Started year: 2022
Industry/Space: Toys and handicrafts
Number of team members: 15
Funding Received: Yes, from IIMV FIELD and Grameena Incubation centre
Looking for: Exploring global market
Claim to Fame: Emerged as top 5 in Social Impactpreneurs program by IIMV FIELD
Market of Operation: Pan India
Revenues: Break-even
Company’s Culture:
Aggressive Methodical Easy Going
PTIM (Person that inspires me): Late Sri Ratan Tata as he believed in Service above self.
