Koonik - How A Personal Need Became The Reason For Starting up
When Sonal Shah was planning to visit her new-born niece in USA, she was planning to carry many presents for the young one. Despite searching high and low, she could hardly find something that suited her taste. Once she returned from her US trip, she decided to take things into her own hand and design clothes for children that boasts of both good quality and personal touch. The travail for quality clothing turned her into an entrepreneur and designer. Sonal consequently established Koonik in November 2012, a clothing, accessories and toys brand for kids.
Life before entrepreneurship
Sonal Shah is an MBA holder from K J Somaiya college and has previously worked in the banking and financial sector. She has an experience of around eight years with HDFC and Kotak Mahindra. Sonal did not have any liabilities in life at that time, and therefore she decided it was the right time for her to start something -- thus Koonik was born. The word Koonik stands for an expression, which is usually between parents and their newly born ones and involves pressing the nose and upper lip against the skin. She wanted her brand to resonate the same feelings and thus the name, Koonik.Sonal decided her entry into the Rs 27,000-crore children’s apparel market, which is growing at about 20 – 25% per annum, would be differentiated. All processes and products at Koonik are certified. The organic cotton garments are global organic textile standards(GOTS) certified and made at an FTA certified factory. She also lays special emphasis on the design of the products and wants to make sure they follow an ethical way of doing business.
Why Koonik isn’t just another kids wear retailer
Launched in November 2012, Sonal has exclusively designed clothes for babies that are anti allergic, soft and comfortable. All this is possible because of the use of organic cotton -- the raw material she uses to make her clothes. Organic cotton is free from any allergic or reactive chemicals and is used with non toxic dyes to make sure that the toddlers do not absorb any harmful chemicals. “Organic cotton is the kind of cotton that we grew up with, much before chemicals and genetically modified seeds found their way to our farmlands. It is the kind of cotton that our grandma would approve for our little ones,” says Sonal.
The toys that Koonik manufacture are handcrafted by partner NGOs, self-help groups and small businesses. These toys are also made from soft cotton stuffed with non toxic fiber or cotton. All the detailing on these toys is embellishment free to ensure zero injury for the baby. All her products are currently sold in Mumbai, Pune, Goa, Chennai and Delhi. Sonal is also in talks with offline and online retailers like BabyOye, Shop Home to distribute her products. All products are also available at the Koonik.com.
Based in Mumbai, Koonik currently has a team of six which includes designers, freelancers and marketing personnel. Koonik is a bootstrapped venture and will soon raise the required funding from potential investors for expansion, and wants to raise money in form of equity than debt. Another player vying for the market share in this segment is Nino Bambino. Currently the brand has a range of 26 SKUs and Sonal says she hopes to even within a year. She markets Koonik, by being present at woman entrepreneurship summits; parenting sites and blogs related to upbringing of children. She is very thankful for the support from her husband, parents and friends. “Years down the line, when people hear of child care, Koonik should be the first name coming to their mind,” says Sonal ambitiously.
Website: http://www.koonik.com
