Reinventing Channapatna – The Toy Town of Karnataka

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Channapatna – A Toy Town Story

“How ya doin’ fellas! We were in Channapatna few days back. It is a small town between Bangalore and Mysore famous for its its wooden toys and lacquerware. This traditional craft is protected as a geographical indication (GI) under the WTO.

This smallish town produces an incredible range of toys for kids across the world. Built using soft wood and vegetable dyes, these beautiful hand-made toys do not have any sharp edges or use any chemicals. Natural, non-toxic and totally safe !!

However, things are not looking good for the toy makers. Their simple hand-made wooden toys are losing out to imported and cheap factory-made Chinese toys. Deplorable working conditions and financial insecurity are forcing toy makers to look out for other job options.

Well, here’s your chance to save this Indian craft which has been in existence for more than two centuries.”

Event hosts – Buzz and Woody

Product Portfolio – A Snapshot Push-Pull Toys Shape-Sorter/Stackers

Build and Play (Puzzles) Accessories

Manufacturing Process

These toys are made from a particular form of Hale wood.

Overhead belt drives are used to drive small lathes. Chipping

is done manually.

The colors are made with natural vegetable dyes like indigo for blue, turmeric

for yellow. These are melted with lac and made into lac sticks. While the wood

turns on the lathe, the stick is pressed against it and the color is transferred to

the surface.

Featured VideosChildren of Channapatna – A Career PerspectiveChannapatna Toys – News Coverage

The Toy Town through the

eyes of a photographer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaWXt8VoL4s http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JznYKmr1Po

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYE9s8KPkkA

How can you make a difference ?

Calling the creative geeks and business stalwarts to participate and make a difference to the toy town story

Event has 2 tracks to chose from:

Design Challenge : Reinvent Product Portfolio

Business Challenge : Chalk out Go-to-Market Strategy

Participate in one of the following tracks and help reinvent Channapatna

Design

Challenge

Business

Challenge

Event Timelines

• Idea Generation

• New Product Design

Design Track

• Idea Screening

• Feasibility Study

• Prototype Development

Prototyping

• Go-to-Market Strategy

• Product Pricing

• Test Marketing

Business Track

• Bulk Order Booking

• Production & Sales

Commercialization

Registration begins

10th September

Open for product design

students, working

professionals and free

lance designers

Last date of design

Submission 30th Sept.

Announcement of

shortlisted entries

Prototype development

facilitated by Kaveri

Crafts & Kalmadhyam,

through the artisans of

Channapatna

Cost of prototype

development will be

borne by F-Cube

Registration begins

10th October

Open for management

students, working

professionals & social

entrepreneurs

Last of date of proposal

submission 20th Oct.

Winner Announcement:

5th Nov.

Bulk order to be given to 2~3

artisan families of

Channapatna

Production with min. 50 units

per design

Sales facilitated by Kaveri

Crafts, Kalamadhyam & F-

Cube

Note: Event timelines may change depending upon the lead time of prototype development

Design Track An opportunity to reinvent product

portfolio of Channapatna Toys

Open for product designers – students from premier design institutes, working professionals, free lance designers

Participation: Individual or team of two

Task:

Submit new designs with „Channapatna‟ flavors

Keep in mind the raw material, process and manufacturing constraints

Try to hit the sweet spot - usable, feasible andaffordable

Entry Format – JPEG files of the design (sketch/2D/3D models) along with description (100 ~ 200 words)

More than 1 designs/concepts can be submitted

Register @ http://www.fcubelounge.in/launchpad

Last date of submission: 30th Sep 2011

Bussiness Track Opportunity to take new designs and

concepts to the market

Task

Select one or more of the shortlisted

designs

Draft a proposal for product branding ,

pricing and go-to-market (GTM) strategy

Test marketing - drive presales effort

(min10 units) to gauge the viability of plan

Open for business stalwarts (management

students, social entrepreneurs and working

professionals )

Participation: Individual or team of two

You may focus on one or all of the shortlisted

products

Entry format: <= 5 slider presentation

summary in ppt/pptx format (keep it simple

silly)

Registration begins10th October

Event Partners

Kala Madhyam is dedicated to supporting and empowering traditional (folk and

tribal) Indian artists and artisans through systematic and sustained development efforts.

They seek to ensure their social and economic well-being, nurture creative community

enterprises, foster global recognition and collaboration for indigenous arts, and

promote, protect and preserve the integrity and diversity of Indian art, craft and

culture. Their approach:

Protect the craft traditions of India and help sustain livelihoods by developing a robust,

viable and accessible economic market for traditional crafts

Provide artists and artisans with opportunities for continual learning and growth.

Cultivate an integrated understanding of heritage and commerce to enable crafts people

profit from their craft and yet preserve the “sanctity of their culture”.

Event Partners

Kaveri Handicrafts Industry: Sri Kaveri Handicrafts Industry, is a pioneer in the

field of wooden Handicrafts like Rosewood handicrafts, Teakwood Handicrafts,

Shivaniwood Handicraft, Lacquer toys, Educational toys, Sensorial Materials and other

wooden artifacts

Dedicated to promoting Indian traditional lacquer handicrafts and toys.

Exclusive factory and factory outlet at Channapatna in an 8000 sq ft space

Access to more than 3000 artisans of Channapatna who are committed to developing

quality and brilliant wooden handicraft products. Most of them work for Kaveri on

contract basis as they outsource bulk orders with them.

They supply wooden handicraft products to showrooms located in Chennai, Bangalore,

Delhi, Mumbai, Agra & Madurai. They also export products to Europe, Americas &

Canada

Awards & Rewards

ReinventingChannapatna

Top 10

Best BrandAward

RoyaltyWinner

Proto FabAward

Awards and prizes for the winners in both tracks – Plenty !An opportunity to make a difference to this toy town story – PRICELESS !!

Contact Us

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