Families often face the issue that once infants grow up, clothes, toys, walkers, and cribs become unnecessary. These usable items can either be stored in closets or thrown away, leading to waste generation and the need for families to spend money again.
An entrepreneur from Calcutta, Swarna Daga Mamani, changed her perspective on this cycle after becoming a mother. She noticed underused children's goods at home and wondered why they weren't finding another use.
Swarna, who holds an electrical engineer degree from NIT Nagpur and an MBA from IIM Bangalore, previously worked in manufacturing before founding the digital marketing company Social Neeti, prior to launching Second Hugs.
In September 2024, she launched Second Hugs—a platform allowing parents in Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities to buy and sell essential items for children aged 0 to 12 years.
The platform allows users to list clothing, toys, books, cribs, strollers, and walkers. Buyers can also find unopened gifts, duplicate toys, and unused items with damaged packaging.
Because purchasing second-hand items raises concerns about hygiene, quality, and trust, Second Hugs verifies sellers' photos and videos, processes payments, and provides refunds in case of product damage.
Sellers can list items online and schedule home delivery. Buyers receive recommendations based on their needs, budget, and location, while logistics and payments are managed by technology.
Second Hugs utilizes bots for buyers and sellers, geolocation filters, and transportation insurance. Items located closer to buyers help reduce shipping costs; assistance is also available via WhatsApp.
The first six months of operation brought significant success, and the website faced difficulties handling demand. The team conducted a site overhaul, strengthening the backend and improving the interface for growing traffic.
Today, Second Hugs has around 15,000–20,000 users, over one hundred thousand monthly website visitors, and a mobile application is currently under development.
A local seller from Calcutta, Swati Khem, lists toys that her children outgrew at ages 9 and 11, as well as leftover slow-moving stock from her toy business. The ability to receive goods at home and quick payments have simplified her selling process.
Swati was surprised by how actively parents were searching for used toys. This experience also influenced her own approach to shopping: she now considers the possibility of giving products a second life.
For Swarna, the main goal is practical circular parenting: reducing waste, lessening the burden on landfills, and decreasing the carbon footprint. If an item is safe and useful, it can serve another child.