Whether they’re taking a short break from prancing, playing, and spreading the love, or curling up for a long lazy nap, your furry family members deserve a comfy, cozy, and safe place to rest. Unfortunately, some pet beds are not eco-friendly, and some may even contain toxic chemicals in the fabric or stuffing.
If you’re replacing your dog or cat’s current bed or choosing one for an adorable new fur baby, you’ll want to make sure it’s good for them and good for the planet. Here are some helpful tips for going green with your pet and giving them healthy, sustainable comfort.
Protecting your pet’s health is always a top priority. Some pet beds have outer fabrics, inner linings, and stuffing containing toxic chemicals that may harm your puppy or kitty. If ingested, cancer-producing chemicals like chromium can affect an animal's liver, respiratory, and GI systems - which is just one harmful element found in some bed materials. To help prevent potential harm, you can do a Healthy Stuff Product Search at EcologyCenter.org to identify toxic substances in a specific product - or check the site’s Archived Pet Supply Data list. Please note the search results may not return data on all pet bed brands. Therefore, it’s essential to read all safety information on product labels and contact the manufacturer directly with any questions on toxicity or hazardous chemicals used in production or materials.
Living a green lifestyle extends to the choices we make for our pets. This includes picking out an eco-friendly pet bed that’s made from sustainable materials – but what does that mean? According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Sustainable Materials Management is a “systemic approach to using and reusing materials more productively over their entire life cycles.” Simply put, an Earth-friendly pet bed is made with processes that focus on reducing “toxic chemicals and environmental impacts throughout the material life cycle.” The product and its production process should also reduce waste, promote recycling and reusability, reduce pollution, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and strive to preserve natural resources.
With so many different styles and types to choose from, how do you know which pet beds are eco-friendly? Look for sustainable materials, eco-friendly manufacturing, recyclable packaging, or products that hold environmental certifications. For example, Brentwood Home offers American-made green pet beds that feature CertiPUR-US certified foam - this material is made without ozone depleters, hazardous phthalates, mercury, lead, and other heavy metals. Some companies even make proprietary eco-friendly construction materials like West Paw’s IntelliLoft Stuffing. Other widely-used sustainable fabrics to look for include organic cotton, wool, and hemp.
Overcrowded landfills and plastic waste continues to pollute the air and sea and kill marine life. Therefore, purchasing pet beds that boast removable, washable covers or those containing upcycled or recycled fillers made from recycled plastic bottles helps combat these issues and save aquatic creatures’ lives. To support other green pet initiatives, purchase products from Fair Trade Certified companies or those that donate a portion of proceeds to support animal rescue or environmental causes. To learn more about a brand’s environmental efforts, visit its website, social media channels, or contact the company’s customer service department.
Finally, crafty eco-conscious owners can create a relaxing fur baby haven by transforming old sweaters, socks, t-shirts, towels, soft cat and dog toys, and other used household items into a cozy bed. If you need some inspiration, follow Bob Vila’s suggestions to upcycle a vintage suitcase or repurpose some scrap wood to make an ideal DIY doggie lounge. Instead of sending another clothing castoff to the overcrowded landfill, you can also get out a needle and thread or spend some time at the sewing machine to whip up a cushy pet pillow and fill it with your well-worn items. Or, if thoughts of replacing a lost button make you cringe, you can also go for a fuss-free, no-sew option by stuffing your vintage soft treasures into a cute washable duvet cover from molly mutt.
Whichever eco-friendly bed you choose, you and your pet can rest more comfortably, knowing you are making a sustainable choice for them and also helping the planet!
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