The sustainability decision

The last few years have been filled with making beds, looking at fabric samples, testing foams, and evaluating prototypes with real dogs and cats. The good news: I have settled on the design of the Blue Toby Pet Bed System! It incorporates a bed that is extremely plush yet supportive, and an easy-to-remove-and-wash outer cover. It has worked great with my own dogs, Toby and Blue, and response from others has been positive.

The big question I have been struggling with is the option to create something even better – a product made with environmentally friendly materials and methods. I took a REV+ALL course earlier this year on sustainability which helped me to consider the entire lifecycle of the product (from initial sourcing of materials, transportation, waste, recycling, and final disposal of the product). My heart told me that I should incorporate all this learning into our Blue Toby products. But my head questioned whether the additional costs of using sustainably produced materials would make our beds too costly? Would people be willing to invest more in a high-quality pet bed that is eco-friendly?

I continued to research sources of sustainable materials while I wrestled with this important question the last few months. I consulted with knowledgeable colleagues and did more product research. There are plenty of dog and cat beds on the market – most are inexpensive because they are made with cheap microfiber fabrics and shredded foam, and usually manufactured in other countries. But I found no other pet beds made with high quality, sustainable materials.

If you are reading this post, you already know my decision. It came down to ethics and why I started Blue Toby in the first place. I want to make the world a better place for pets and pet parents – and that means ensuring that our products reflect our concern for the environment. I am proud of this decision, and so it is back to the search for the best materials for our products and finding local manufacturers and suppliers!