While training our puppy to sit and stay over the last many months, we’ve also been training ourselves in pet sustainability. The aim, of course, is to become zero waste dog owners (or rather low-waste dog owners).
And that means, among other responsibilities, choosing pet products that are also low-waste.
Like Bingo’s bling-o: sustainable dog collars, harnesses, and leashes.
And while it’s important to reduce our doggo’s pawprint, these are also important training tools, identifiers, and in many places, a legal requirement to take your dog out in public.
So, with that in mind, we wanted to spotlight some of the best options for responsible pet parenting. And by that we mean, pet accessories that are handmade from eco-friendly fabrics and materials, come in sustainable packaging and are ethically produced.
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Index: Eco-Friendly Dog Collars, Harnesses & Leashes
- Wagging Green Pet Shop Jump to section
- Molly Mutt Jump to section
- Wigglywoos Pet Jump to section
Wagging Green Pet Shop
Eco-Friendly Dog Collars
Our pick of the litter for the best sustainable dog collars are those made by The Wagging Green Pet Shop.
We’re especially impressed by their huge selection of not only different colors and designs, but different types of collars, including both single layer and double layer bamboo. All hand sewn in the U.S.A.
But our favorite has to be the Martingale bamboo collar which has zero plastic components – the only dog collar we could find that has this attribute.
Did we mention their paws-itively playful prints that are almost as cute as the dogs wearing them? With a durable and high quality double layer of webbing, they’re the closest thing you get to a deluxe dog collar on a budget.
Sustainable Dog Harnesses
Their organic bamboo dog harnesses are not only eco-conscious but adjustable in size as your dog grows.
The back T-strap can easily be used a fast handle if you need to hold back your pup when the mailman pays a visit or your kids drop some tasty treats on the floor.
Get one when they’re a puppy and apparently you’ll never have to buy a new one! Unless of course you get a Bernese Mountain Dog or Great Dane.
About Wagging Green Pet Shop
As far as ethical business practices go, this pet shop also gets the tail wag of approval. They’re as excited about bamboo alternatives as dogs are for a ride in the car – check out their handy bamboo fact sheet.
Because they’re so concerned about end-of-life sustainability of pet products, they offer a recycling program for their old collars in case you don’t have the ability to compost them yourself. If you recycle a bamboo collar, they give a discount on a new collar.
They’re also certified organic and donate 5% of company profits to various animal welfare organizations. Their company motto seems pretty on point: “Good for our earth, great for our pets!”
Molly Mutt
Bamboo Dog Collars
Besides their dog beds, couch covers and pet blankets, Molly Mutt’s bamboo dog collars come in a variety of colors and patterns (think alpacas and doughnuts) so you can get the perfect custom collar to suit your pup’s personality.
Molly Mutt’s leads are just as unique with their own designs. They’re all 5′ long, feature 1-inch bamboo webbing, steel hardware and are all made in the USA.
While their dog collars and leads are outstandingly cute and quality, their specialty seems to be their cotton canvas dog bed duvet covers.
The basic concept of these covers is that you provide the stuffing yourself, from upcycled textiles you have lying around the house (think holey socks, old towels, holey linen and the like). This simultaneously cuts down on landfill waste, extra filling production, and carbon emissions from shipping a fully stuffed pet bed (by 70% actually!).
About Molly Mut
Molly Mutt was born out of a desire to reduce trips to the laundromat to clean dirty dog beds.
Now the innovative approach to dog beds helps to reduce the unfathomable statistic that one garbage truck worth of usable textiles is burned or landfilled every single second.
Everything is designed in Oakland, California, where their wool inserts are made.
The cotton canvas dog bed duvets, stuff sacks, armor, and pillow packs are Made in China “in a very responsibly run factory that we inspect for compliance”, according to Molly. The recycled denim duvet covers are made in Guatemala.
Wigglywoos Pet
Cotton and Hemp Collars and
The best hemp dog collars we’ve found are those by Wigglywoos Pet, which are all-natural down to the tea stained coloration. We particularly love their Just Hemp Rope Dog Collar, that’s completely hemp based, easy to put on and applies no throat pressure.
There are also a couple sturdy 3 strand cotton based rope collars.
All sustainable collars are hand dyed using low impact, fiber reactive dyes to reduce water use. They also feature a trigger snap available in Nickel or Brass and come in a variety of sizes to custom fit your pup.
Organic Cotton and Hemp Leashes
Wigglywoos offers two varieties of sustainable leashes that combine durability, with eco-conscious materials.
Their Hemp Rope Leash is crafted from 3/8″ 3-strand hemp rope with customizable lengths from 3ft – 6ft. Each leash is hand-spliced and whipped for extra strength and longevity. The hemp rope is not only soft and comfortable to hold but also strong, making it ideal for daily walks in various environments. Each splice is finished with decorative hemp whipping twine, which comes in a range of colors that are free from dyes and chemicals.
Wigglywoos also offers an adjustable Organic Cotton Rope Leash, which measures 7 feet (2.1 meters) in length and 3/8” (10 mm) in width. This leash is flexible featuring two trigger snap hooks at each end (available in nickel, brass, or bronze) and two sliding o-rings that allow for easy adjustment. Like the hemp leash, each organic cotton leash is hand-spliced and finished with hemp whipping twine.
They come in various standard sizes, but custom options are also available for a tailored fit. Their materials are hypoallergenic, mildew-resistant, and naturally repel mosquitoes, making them not only practical but also safe for pets. With an emphasis on earth-friendly production, these leashes are chemical-free, plastic-free, and crafted in-house to ensure quality control and ethical manufacturing.
About Wigglywoos
If the antibacterial and antimicrobial properties of hemp fabric have you begging for hemp pet products, there’s no better brand than Wigglywoos Pet.
Wigglywoos is an eco-friendly pet company dedicated to crafting high-quality, sustainable gear for your furry companions. Born from a love for animals, Wigglywoos offers a range of handcrafted accessories made with sustainable materials such as hemp, cork leather, and organic cotton. Every product is carefully crafted in-house using ethically sourced materials from trusted partners, ensuring quality and sustainability.
They also take pride in harvesting materials without harming trees. The company promises plastic-free, cruelty-free, and chemical-free pet accessories that are safe for both pets and the planet.
Why Invest in Sustainable Bamboo Pet Products
Why are we howling at the bamboo?
Simply put, bamboo pet products (in general) are sustainable because bamboo is.
Growing it is low impact and requires very little water. Harvesting it is even lower impact, as bamboo shoots are harvested without actually killing the root of the plant. That makes it one of the fastest replenishing resources on earth, able to produce tons of raw materials with very little footprint.
In fact, it’s actually a ravenous carbon consumer, producing more oxygen out of CO2 that other plants and trees.
Bamboo fibers can then transformed into a whole array of pet products, from soft goods such as dog collars, sustainable dog toys, and eco-friendly dog beds to hard ones like dog bowls.
Bamboo pet products are even considered zero waste because the bamboo components are compostable in any form if they get chewed up or destroyed. As always be careful to separate and appropriately dispose of uncompostable components.
Aside from being environmentally friendly, bamboo dog collars, leashes and harnesses are pet safe and designed with canine comfort in mind. Not only is bamboo soft and hypoallergenic, but non-toxic and all natural for dogs that confuse their collar for a chew toy.
Need a collar with stainless steel or plastic fittings. We live near the sea and every other metal rusts!