Half the fun of having a pet is spoiling them. (I’m pretty sure Luna Mae has a better wardrobe than Mr Houndstooth and I combined.) But spoiling pets is more fun when it doesn’t also spoil the world we live in. That’s why we put a lot of consideration into the brands and products we carry here at Houndstooth. We look at where each product was made. How it was made. How well it was made. And what function it serves. If it’s cute, but doesn’t work well for its intended purpose, we don’t carry it. If it’s cute, but manufactured in a way that doesn’t fit our values, we don’t carry it.
And that brings us to today — Earth Day. Obviously (if you’ve been in the shop, but also if you looked at the title of this blog post!), we care a lot about Earth. And we wanted to use this day to highlight some of our favorite eco-friendly brands and products:
I have to admit, the Rainbow Llama Unicorn is probably one of my favorite toys. How could it not be?! But I don’t just love it for its creative, colorful design. It’s also made of eco-friendly fill which got its start as plastic bottles that were headed for the landfill.
Not only are these dog and cat toys ridiculously creative and fun…they’re also made with quality, eco-friendly materials. For example, their toys are filled with soft PlanetFill® polyfiber, which also is made from plastic bottles that were headed for the landfill.
You know they take their responsibly seriously because they’re a Certified B Corp, which means they have to prove that they meet certain, measurable social and environmental goals.
You probably also love them for many of the same reasons we do. The products are rated “For Gentle Chewers” or “For Moderate Chewers” or “For Tough Chewers” to help set your expectations. Their toys are made in their Montana factory from eco-friendly materials and their treats — also USA made — are Verified Non-GMO.
Not only that, but West Paw is a zero-waste facility, complete with its own recycling program. Bring us (or send to them) your overly loved West Paw toy and they will grind it up and make it into a new one!
West Paw is also a proud Certified B Corp.
Where to begin with all the things we love about Gold Paw? The fit. The softness of their stretch fleece and Sun Shield Tees. The fact that this woman owned company makes everything in their Minnesota factory. The fact that the weatherproof shell of their Portland Pullover and WinterPaw is free from forever-chemicals.
Oh yeah, and their tug toys are made from scraps of their amazing stretch fleece! No waste here!
And let’s not forget they’re a member of 1% for the Planet, a giving model in which businesses worldwide commit to donate at least 1% of their annual sales to environmental causes.
Travel water bottles that work, isn’t that what we’re all looking for when adventuring with our pets? Their Classic Travel Bottle is one of our best sellers, though I have to admit that I’m a huge fan of the Dog and Me.
Either way, not only are their product designs spot-on, Springer is also a proud member of 1% for the Planet.
I’m honestly not sure if it’s the eyes that got me first — if you look closely, you’ll notice their plush toys don’t all have the same set of peepers! — or the eco-fill stuffing. Their “Ecoweave” collars and leashes are also made from recycled plastic bottles, and their “No-Stink” line of collars and leashes are made from bicycle inner tubes, which is not easily recycled (so why not up-cycle them instead, right?!).
When Ruffwear designs a new product, they think about form, function, and fabrication. They work to establish an environmentally-conscious supply chain — and this year made a commitment to use materials free from forever chemicals.
We should also point out that all of our poop bags — even the fancy colorful ones — are biodegradable. You shouldn’t put them with your food scraps in your composter, but the bags (and the poop inside) will eventually break down. Because who needs poop-filled plastic to litter our world?
There are more brands (and products) that we could list, but we don’t want this blog post to get too long. You gotta go enjoy the day and play with your pet!
And that’s where you come in! Tell us what you do to spoil your pet without spoiling the planet! For example: Our pets’ favorite treats are all USA made and sustainably made, and so are their dog beds.
Comment below, email us, or message us on our social channels (@houndstoothvt on Instagram and Facebook) for a chance at a $25 gift certificate to the shop! We’ll pick a winner at random, from all entries.
Submit your entry by April 30. We’ll announce the winner on our social channels on May 1. Good luck!