'Healthy Roots' recently launched a Kickstarter campaign for a set of dolls that teach natural hair care to girls of color. While many people have pointed out the lack of diversity in children's toys, dolls have largely maintained the same conventional beauty standards. This toy company hopes to bring a new level of diversity to children's toys by designing a line of dolls with natural hair.
The Healthy Roots collection features a number of different dolls, each of which comes from a different culture and walk of life. Unlike traditional dolls, the Healthy Roots girls have natural hair and diverse ethnicities. Each of the dolls also comes with an individual storybook that details the journey of their character. These storybooks discuss everything from physical insecurities to learning about the history of the African Diaspora.
The idea behind the new dolls is to teach young girls of color to embrace their natural features and develop a healthy body image.
Racially Insightful Dolls
These Dolls Teach Girls of Color to Embrace Their Natural Features
Trend Themes
1. Diverse Dolls - Designing dolls with natural hair and diverse ethnicities disrupts traditional beauty standards and promotes inclusivity.
2. Cultural Representation - Creating dolls from different cultures and backgrounds helps foster understanding and appreciation for diversity at a young age.
3. Empowering Education - Pairing dolls with storybooks that address physical insecurities and teach about history provides an empowering educational experience for young girls.
Industry Implications
1. Toy Manufacturing - Manufacturers can tap into the demand for diverse dolls to create new product lines that promote inclusivity and self-acceptance.
2. Education - Educational institutions and publishers can develop curriculum and books that incorporate diverse dolls and address issues of self-image, history, and cultural sensitivity.
3. Beauty and Personal Care - Brands in the beauty and personal care industry can collaborate with doll manufacturers to create natural hair care products and accessories specifically tailored for diverse dolls.