Dr Helen Bloom, a dentist, has launched a line of 'safe' Chewable Jewelry to give women the chance to wear trendy jewelry and keep teething babies happy and occupied at the same time. The pendants and bangles look like they are made of resin but are much softer and won't harm developing tooth buds. The product line is made from FDA approved food safe silicone - the same material used for baby bottles and teething toys.
Mothers and caregivers of babies and young children usually avoid wearing jewelry because little fingers soon find them to pull on. Ouch. Babies also often put things in their mouths to soothe their teething gums. Mouthing jewelry is unsafe and not just because of the choking hazard.
Many jewelry components such as metal beads and Swarovski crystals also contain lead which is toxic if these are swallowed. Small children under the age of 5-6 are particularly vulnerable.
Safe Chewable Jewelry
For Babies and the Insatiably Hungry
Trend Themes
1. Chewable Jewelry - The trend of making jewelry that doubles as a safe teething toy for babies presents an opportunity for disruptive innovation in the jewelry industry.
2. Food Safe Materials - The trend of using FDA approved food safe materials in unexpected products, like jewelry, creates an opportunity for the food industry to expand into new markets.
3. Multi-functional Products - The trend of creating products that serve more than one purpose, like chewable jewelry, presents an opportunity for disruptive innovation in multiple industries by meeting the needs of multiple markets with a single product.
Industry Implications
1. Jewelry - The jewelry industry could benefit from disruptive innovation by incorporating chewable jewelry into their product lines and expanding their customer base to include parents and caregivers of teething babies.
2. Baby Products - By using FDA approved food safe materials to create chewable jewelry for babies, the baby products industry presents an opportunity for disruptive innovation by expanding into unexpected product lines.
3. Food - The trend of using food safe materials in unexpected products, like chewable jewelry, creates an opportunity for disruptive innovation in the food industry by expanding into new markets and product lines.