From ages zero to six, a growing body of research emphasizes that nurturing creativity is more crucial to early development than merely refining every drawing on a logical scale. Encouraging children to share ideas, no matter how far-fetched, helps them think freely and learn more effectively in a playful setting. In short, creative freedom fuels higher learning capacity and curiosity that lasts well beyond the classroom.
This belief forms a core pedagogical line for Carioca Iberia, a division of the Carioca group known for school supplies. In recent years, the company has steered its strategy toward a clear, visible message across its products: Learn by creating.
As Borja Milans del Bosch, managing director of the Barcelona-based Carioca Iberia, notes, the old approach of “paint inside the lines” has given way to a philosophy that celebrates stepping outside margins, using all colors, and following a child’s own rhythm and choices. Carioca’s roots trace back to Settimo Torinese near Turin, where Alessandro Frola founded Continental, a line of marking products. A transformative trip to Japan inspired the marker idea, prompting a rebranding and the birth of Carioca. In 1966, Universal Española SA established a Spanish subsidiary in Barcelona, and both nations soon led the market in felt-tip pens in their respective regions.
During a period of significant growth, a major contract prompted an investment in China to supply a new client. That move exposed financial strains at the Italian headquarters, yet Spain remained consistently profitable for Carioca.
In 2014, ownership passed to the Toledo family from Italy, owner of the Zico fund. With this change came a strategic shift that steered the group toward sustained profitability by 2019. The core aim was to restore the brand’s credibility by addressing product quality and financial stability. Carioca now manufactures the entire marker system and the inks themselves, focusing on high quality and washability. The inks are designed to wipe away with cold water and no soap, leaving fabrics and skin clean without residue.
Alongside product quality, Carioca launched a series of schools workshops branded Garabatista to spread pedagogy that prioritizes creativity even in a screens-dominated era. Milans del Bosch confirms that some workshops paused during the pandemic will resume, underscoring the company’s ongoing commitment to hands-on learning experiences. A third pillar centers on innovation, expanding the catalog with new plastics and erasable thermal-era pens each year.
Since embracing this strategic shift, turnover rose to 33.6 million euros in 2021, up 14 percent. Carioca Iberia alone reached 10.1 million euros, up 34 percent from the prior year, with expectations to hit 10.5 million in Spain in the current year. Rising production costs have tempered gains, with energy costs at the Italian plant noted as a significant factor in margins.
Today, Carioca exports to 85 countries and has recently opened a market in Brazil. The next expansion focus is the United States. Milans del Bosch recalls participating in the Namta fair in Orlando, marking Carioca’s first North American trade show. The award received for the doll line reinforces the company’s confidence in its education-focused design and quality as it looks toward future international growth.