Recycled plastic dog collars

This is a sponsored article from SustainabilityTracker.com member Doggy Eco.

Every year over 8 million tonnes of plastic waste enters our oceans. Doggy Eco transforms this tragedy into opportunity by creating Recycled Plastic Dog Collars and Leashes. The innovative shift from single use waste to consumer pet fashion is one way Doggy Eco is designing the future of the Australian eco conscious pet industry.  

Recycled Plastic Dog Collars and Leashes, specifically the design ‘Soda’ was our first product for the Doggy Eco accessories line. We wanted our first product to be a totally unique look at what it means to be Eco Friendly. 

What is rPET yarn

Doggy Eco Recycled Plastic Dog Collars and Leashes are made from rPET (recycled polyethylene terephthalate). This recycled textile is a multi use, multi-reuse plastic. The rate of current plastic disposal occurs at a rate equivalent to one garbage truck of plastic every single minute. By 2030, it will be two truckloads per minute. By 2050, four truckloads per minute. Within Australia packaging materials make up 35% of land waste by volume. The design and manufacture of Doggy Eco Recycled Plastic Dog Collars and Leashes prevents this waste. 

What rPET means to you

Our research into designing Recycled Plastic Dog Collars and Leashes revealed that some items claiming to be rPET are not 100% rPET. These products generally have some virgin plastic within the mix. This is a note to consumers to consider the percentage of rPET within their product purchase.

Ideally stopping plastic production entirely would be the most suitable and beneficial option for the health of our planet. At our current rate of consumption and dumping, a re-use solution is a good start. The alternative is for this plastic to enter landfill where it can take thousands of years to break down. Dumping plastic can also result in the leaching of toxic chemicals into the Earth. This is of greater concern because these chemicals can make their way into groundwater reserves.

Australia and Recycling Plastic

Our primary source of plastic waste in Australia is packaging – bags packets bottles and jars. There is roughly one million tons of plastic within circulation within any one time.

Australian manufacturing of rPET is still in its infancy. There are some fantastic companies in Australia recycling plastic such as Sydney based company Defy Design who repurpose hair salon bottles into drinking bottles, combs, plant pots and more.

When commencing our search to create our Recycled Plastic Dog Collars and Leashes, we scoured Australia to find a suitable company who could make our collars and leashes in soft rPET yarn. Unfortunately all Australian companies were only able to produce hard recycled plastic which meant that our search for the perfectly weighted collar and leash had to extend offshore.

As a result Doggy Eco has teamed up with an offshore manufacturer to produce our Eco Yarn, which is perfectly weighted for comfort and is both durable and flexible for longevity. We remain closely involved in the manufacturing process at all times. All Doggy Eco Recycled Plastic Dog Collars and Leashes are certified to meet Global Recycling Standards.

Making Recycled Plastic Dog Collars

So just how do we go from a used plastic bottle or container to designer doggy fashion?

1. A preparation process selects and sorts recycled plastic.
2. Sorted plastic is washed and chopped.
3. The chopped recycled plastic is turned into pellets.
4. Pellets are reshaped and passed through an ultra fine sieve to produce a yarn.
5. The yarn is woven and dyed to produce the high tensile designer product available to our customers.

Benefits of rPET

Doggy Eco Recycled Plastic Collars and Leashes take far less environmental impact than other virgin inorganic textiles. Doggy Eco rPET uses 75% less energy than its virgin counterpart. As a result, production reduces Carbon Dioxide by 4200kg, Oils by 36.4kg and Water by 6200kg plus it has the added benefit of repurposing a product that was destined for landfill.

Doggy Eco consciously chose to work with recycled plastic over cotton, hemp or other natural textiles. Our decision to use rPET came as a result of sustainability considerations as well as the fantastic properties that rPET has for longevity.

We required a product that was going to withstand sun, mud, water, snow and all of the Australian elements. We needed a product that was going to be durable, washable and suitable for everyday wear. rPET is tough, clear, has good chemical resistance with natural barrier properties and processes as well – if not better than – virgin materials, hence it was the perfect choice for our range of active dog gear.    

Doggy Eco Leads and Collars

Doggy Eco Recycled Plastic Dog Collars and Leashes are designed for functionality, practicality, strength and style. They are made from our Eco Yarn, which is a high tensile durable fibre made from 100% rPET.

Our collars come with a quick fastening clip that won’t rust during wear and has adjustable slides to find the perfect fit for your dog. Our leashes have stainless steel hardware for longevity and are available in three different sizes to suit your dog. All of our Recycled Plastic Dog Collars and Leashes are machine washable and are exclusively designed in Australia with vibrant designs indicative of our Australian heritage and also enjoying epic outdoor adventures with our dogs. 

The public response to our recycled plastic dog collars and leashes has been fantastic. Since our first Soda designed dog collar in 2019, we now have a full range of Recycled Plastic Dog Collars and Leashes available with a full range of Recycled Plastic Dog Harnesses arriving at the end of 2022.  

This is an article from a SustainabilityTracker.com Member. The views and opinions we express here don’t necessarily reflect our organisation.