Diversity in print – an interview with Colour Celebrations

Celebrating culture and heritage is so important, and diversity in print is something we always strive to promote. We were absolutely thrilled when Debs from Colour Celebrations agreed to do a feature for our blog, to talk about her incredible gifting business. 

Read on to find out more!

Hi Debs, tell us all about Colour Celebrations?

I run Colour Celebrations, a baby gifting and lifestyle brand. My business helps little ones and their families celebrate colour, culture, and heritage boldly and proudly. I create items which aim to make memories that are fun and fully representative. These include baby milestone cards, height charts, Greeting Cards and even soft toys.

What was the inspiration behind launching Colour Celebrations?

Image credit: Colour Celebrations

I started the business after I gave birth to my first child. Like many first-time parents, I was keen to share pictures of my precious son with friends and family, documenting his milestones. As a person of Nigerian descent, I was also excited to incorporate our cultural traditions and mark the special moments he would experience in his first year.

I had a set of milestone cards which I thought would help me do this. However I quicky realised that they were not representative of my child, his hue, or our heritage. I quickly discovered that in fact there were no milestone cards that truly represented children from diverse ethnic backgrounds. And upon conducting market research, learnt that diversity in print products was a problem that many parents faced.

Whilst it broke my heart, I decided to turn the devastation into something positive and started creating my own milestone cards. What started as a maternity leave project 4 years ago, has since evolved into an award-winning business. I now provide a wide variety of gift and lifestyle items for children.

What’s been your favourite ‘pinch me’ moment since starting the business?

Image credit: Colour Celebrations

Probably my BBC News feature last year. Having a dedicated team come visit me at home to learn about my small business was mind blowing. Being able to show my children their mummy on the big screen whilst sharing the reason behind the brand and my mission to amplify representation for the future generation was a pinch me moment. One that I’ll cherish forever!

Are there any other businesses you admire that raise the importance of diversity in print? 

There are so many businesses that I admire in this space, who are doing fantastic work. Some of my all-time faves are Philly & Friends who create items that add a splash of colour into the pool of kids’ toys. I also love Learning with Ez that caters to the intersection of the community creating learning resources for neurodiverse children from ethnic minority backgrounds. And finally Sheni & Teni who create gorgeous puzzles and books featuring black and brown children.

Like me, these were businesses that were born from a personal desire to create something representative for the founders’ children and increase diversity in both print products but also lifestyle products too. They are formidable brands run by equally formidable women.

How does print play a part in your business? 

Print plays a huge part in my business. It accounts for over 50% of my products, including Banners, Stickers, Greeting Cards, Postcards and more. The ability to bring my ideas to life in a fast and eco-friendly way using print has been a real game changer for my business. It’s also helped diversify my portfolio of products quickly and seamlessly.

Which is your favourite printed product from your range?

Image credit: Colour Celebrations

That’s a tough question! It would probably have to be the Height Chart. It’s one of the most stylish and durable I’ve seen on the market and the illustrations on it are so adorable. Plus, the fact it’s over 6 ft tall means both children and parents alike can use it. Truly a family favourite.

Is there a product on our website that you’ve not yet explored, but would love to? 

I would love to create Posters! I’ve always been fascinated by graphic design and would love to explore how to marry this with the underlying theme of representation for kids. I can imagine it already – beautiful bold prints for the bedroom!

Can you tell us about any new product launches that you have coming up?

Image credit: Colour Celebrations

The latest product for Colour Celebrations is the Back to School Board. This is a Display Board which features children from diverse backgrounds around a double-sided, dry wipe board. It helps children capture memories from their first and last day of school in a fun and colourful way that will last for years to come.

Finally, how can people find out more about you?

Visit us at www.colourcelebrations.com or get in touch on Instagram and Facebook @colourcelebrations.

At Printed.com we love being able to share your brand stories. So if you’re interested in getting featured on our blog, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our social and content team.

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