Shop Small is a monthly series highlighting small business owners from diverse backgrounds. This series aims to go deeper than your typical product roundup, diving into the inspirational stories behind some of our favorite brands. By taking a behind-the-scenes look at how their shops came to be and highlighting the products they (and their shoppers!) love, we hope to put a deserving spotlight on these business owners.
If you’ve ever struggled with pinpointing the perfect doll for a special child in your life, Charu Subramanian fully understands your frustration. When the former marketing executive was pregnant with her daughter in 2022, she became discouraged by the doll shopping experience. Her main issue? She was constantly bombarded with plastic styles and options stuffed with synthetic beads or poly-fill at the time.
“I really wanted to make something I could actually feel good handing to my kid,” says Charu.
During her downtime over the course of two years, she researched the doll market and asked friends and family to share their candid thoughts on what good alternatives might look like. This past July, she was finally ready to launch Chellams, a collection of cotton knit dolls for ages one and up.
Charu isn’t just pleased that the dolls are made from natural fabrics, including organic cotton—she’s also proud that the lineup puts a spotlight on diversity. “I wanted a kid to be able to pick up a doll and actually see themselves in it rather than just settling for whatever was on the shelf,” she explains.
Ahead, Charu shares more about the beginning of Chellams, the company’s bestsellers, and vision for the brand moving forward.
How did you come to launch Chellams?
The idea for Chellams began to form late in my pregnancy when I was shopping for my daughter. Every toy I looked at was plastic, and even the ones that looked cotton on the outside were stuffed with synthetic beads or poly fill. I started digging into fully plant-based toys and decided to just build the thing I couldn't find. I didn't take the idea seriously until 2024, when I couldn't stop thinking about better toys for kids. It then took me two years to launch the brand earlier this summer.
From a professional sense, I am a brand strategist. I have led brand marketing and strategy across tech, consumer packaged goods, and fashion/retail. I have also freelanced across a whole gamut of industries, including skincare and fine jewelry.
What was your process for launching the dolls and how did you obtain feedback in in the beginning?
The initial process was a lot of research around what was already in the market. I didn’t start the brand with a notion of wanting to say I am a founder or a business owner. It truly started from feeling like something was missing—a simple doll, one that could be reflective of the kid wanting to play with said doll—and made with the planet and parent in consideration.
In the beginning, I spoke to my friends who are parents and shared my insights and pain points with them to see if they resonated. Not only did they resonate, but they also shared thoughts around the lack of dolls—toys for boys, an overwhelming amount of accessories, and toys that are overstimulating. All of that and much more went into the design of what are now the final Chellams dolls.
Why did you decide on the company name Chellams, “darling” in Tamil?
It’s such a lovely term of endearment that I grew up hearing. And when I think about these dolls, I want them to feel like little darling dolls for the kids playing with them.
Why are using natural fabrics—organic cotton and kapok fiber—to make the dolls important to you?
This came straight out of my own frustration as a parent. There were skincare products and clothing and food—all focused on not using plastics—but that couldn’t be said for dolls and toys. I wanted to shop minimally for my kid and just couldn't find what I was looking for.
I really wanted to make something I could actually feel good handing to my kid. That’s how we landed here. I made a sample and had my daughter use it for a while before we went into production. The way the kapok (fiber) keeps the doll both fluffy but so soft is kind of hard to even describe! It’s something you have to feel!
How does diversity show up in your assortment of dolls?
We have six dolls, and I won't pretend that covers every child out there, but I'm hoping it's a start. For the launch collection, I wanted a mix of skin tones and hair tones, plus a version that felt more reflective of both boy and girl hair, since so much of what's out there still defaults to one look.
Growing up, my dolls never looked like me, and that stuck with me more than I realized at the time. I wanted better for kids today. I wanted a kid to be able to pick up a doll and actually see themselves in it rather than just settling for whatever was on the shelf.
What void does Chellams fill in the market?
Even with my business school background and years working as a brand strategist, I didn't build this with that lens on. I built it as a mother. I built it thinking about what I actually want to see in the world as a parent. I think that is the biggest void we are filling. And that shows up in everything and in small ways. From the assortment of dolls we have, to basic packaging we use, to how we think about what’s next.
Can you share your bestselling dolls?
Looking at the orders so far, there isn't a runaway favorite; it's spread pretty evenly across the six dolls. If there's a pattern at all, it's that people are choosing the doll that resembles their own child rather than gravitating to one look over another.
What are your plans to expand the brand?
I'm taking this slow on purpose. It took two years to launch, and I'm not about to rush the next thing! Everything I build has to have a real reason to exist before it goes out. What I'd love to do next is create actual content around the dolls, stories to go with each one that parents can read to their kids, videos on ways to use what you already have at home to make clothes and accessories for them.
As a parent, I want brands to show me how to get more out of what I already own instead of just pushing me to buy more, and that's what I hope to build next for our customers. Nearer term, I'm hoping to do more pop-ups, especially around the Bay Area, so people can actually see the dolls in person. That tends to make a huge difference. The way kids react to these dolls has made this whole insane journey worth it.
