Top Picks from Finley, Our Sustainable Paw-ducts Tester
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If you’re a regular reader of the BuyBetter Marketplace, you’ve already seen a photo of me and my dog, Finley, an 18-month-old papillon (whose champion lineage I boasted of in great detail in an earlier draft of this newsletter). I’ll admit it; I’m borderline obsessed with my dog. But that’s because he’s perfect. He’s mellow. He’s quiet. He’s clever. He jumps through hoops and waves and sits pretty. And, let’s be honest: he’s gorgeous. A literal model. I just deposited the $250 he was paid for his first commercial. That’s not even his only job. Finley also works as Bluedot’s Sustainable Paw-ducts Tester. Little Man is really starting to earn his keep!
There’s no doubt that the pet industry is full of virgin-plastic-riddled, landfill-destined stuff with a lifetime rating of about 100 squeaks. But there are also so many cool companies out there doing things differently. There’s the bone guaranteed to last 90 days for even the most aggressive chewers. The woman-owned business whose walk gear plants three trees for every order. The compostable dog doo bags that benefit the Jane Goodall Institute. The B Corp whose super-fun plush toys are 15% off with code BLUEDOT (sale items excluded). The upcycled treats made in a solar-powered factory. And that’s not all. I could fill several newsletters, but we’ll just start with one. Enjoy.
Woof! And happy shopping!
–Elizabeth Weinstein, Marketplace Editor
West Paw Dog Toys
West Paw designs and manufactures eco-friendly dog toys, including the extremely popular enrichment treat toy the Toppl, at their facility in Montana. The Certified B Corp has developed very cool, safe materials that dogs love to chase and chew on, like the infinitely recyclable Zogoflex and the new Seaflex.
The Foggy Dog
Anyone looking to walk the dog with style and pizazz would do well to check out The Foggy Dog. The San Francisco company’s cheery, attractive, dog-walking gear, beds, and toys have drawn comparisons to Kate Spade. They also do a commendable job of recycling materials and minimizing plastic.
Awoo Dog Gear
Finley the papillon, Bluedot’s Chief Sustainable Paw-ducts Tester and goodest boy of Marketplace Editor Elizabeth, loves Awoo Pets. This woman-founded and -owned brand carries chic walking essentials made of recycled plastic, wool toys and attractive items for the home like ceramic dog bowls.
Bulletproof Pets Indestructibone
We recently learned about the Indestructibone, a dog toy from Bulletproof Pets that comes with a 90-day guarantee. Big dogs and aggressive chewers often go through toys fast, wasting a lot of plastic and money. So, we’re always on the hunt for a better, more sustainable dog bone. Have we finally found it?
Shameless Pets Treats
Shameless Pets has saved two million pounds of food from being wasted since 2018 and turned it into tasty treats for dogs and cats. Their bags use 25% recycled plastic and they make their treats in the U.S. in facilities powered by 80% solar power. Impressive! And, our Sustainable Paw-ducts Tester loves them.
P.L.A.Y. Pet Toys & Beds
Finley, our Marketplace Editor’s Papillon, can attest that sustainability is fun — his favorite toy, a P.L.A.Y. snow pea, has been happily squeaking away for nearly six months. P.L.A.Y. (Pet Lifestyle and You), a certified B. Corp, has diverted over 11 million plastic bottles from landfills to make their plush toys and pet beds. Save 15% (sale items excluded) with code BLUEDOT.
The Original Poop Bags
It’s hard to love dog doo bags. But, as Bluedot’s Marketplace Editor and the owner of a city dog, I go through a lot of them. And I think I should seriously consider anything that I use about 21 times a week, or 1100 times a year. I’ve tried several brands, and Original Poop Bags are my favorite.
