5 Best Eco-Friendly Dog Toys
5 best eco-friendly dog toys
We can change quite a few habits as dog owners to make our pups impact just a little more environmentally friendly and sustainable. The types of dog toys we buy for them is a great start.
Most dogs love their toys. So much so that their dog owners are probably buying these toys frequently. But if you care about your dog and the planet, you don’t want to buy cheap toys that harm the environment and potentially harm your pup.
That’s why we’re rounding up the 5 best eco-friendly dog toys you should buy your pup when they next need one! Here are five toys that aren’t ruff on the planet or your wallet!
How do I know if my dog’s toy is eco-friendly?
The green movement in the pet industry is growing, and we’re here for it. That means there are more and more brands out there making sustainable, organic, plastic-free, and ethically made dog toys that you can feel good about buying.
New toy brands are popping up every day, so it’s essential to know which ones actually care about the planet and have worked that into their triple bottom line and which ones are just greenwashing their products.
What to look for in eco-friendly dog toys
There are a variety of ways your dog’s toys can be eco-friendly. While it’s pretty hard to make a dog toy 100% zero-waste, ethically sourced, non-toxic, and environmentally friendly, there are brands out there that are certainly trying!
What makes a dog toy eco-friendly is usually what it’s made out of. This isn’t to say materials are everything.
You can also choose to buy sustainably packaged toys or buy from companies with ethical supply chain and labor practices. But for now, we’ll focus on the materials.
Some things to you can look out for are toys made from:
- Natural materials like rubber, wood, or bamboo. Sustainably sourced materials that are more easily regrown are always better the better choice!
- Organic fabrics like cotton, linen, or hemp. Organic labels denote the manufacturing of products without pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers. This can include anything from textiles like cotton, hemp to materials like bamboo or wood.
- Recycled materials or recycle plastic (make sure it’s BPA-free). Keeping plastics from the landfill as long as possible through recycling is always the better option.
So let’s get to the list!
West Paw Zogoflex
The West Paw brand is well-known for being environmentally conscious, and it shows in its products and business model. In particular, their Zogoflex makes their dog toys from 100% recycled materials, not to mention its durability. Your dog is sure to love it (most do)!
The best part about West Paw toys is their one-time free replacement or refund policy.
Shop West Paw at Pure Earth Pets
The Good Dog Company Rope Toy
The Good Dog Company makes tug rope toys with both all-natural and organic hemp, making them strong, sustainable, and unharmful when swallowed. Because let’s be honest, pieces of tug rope will inevitably get into your pup’s digestive system. If your dog loves a good tug-of-war, you might want to check this toy out.
Beco’s Plush Dog Toys
The Beco’s brand makes super cute dog toys! And the best part is they are made entirely from recycled, single-use plastic bottles. These plush toys are durable and hard to destroy, mainly because of the strong, recycled polyester fabric and double stitching techniques they use in making them.
Shop Beco Pets at Pure Earth Pets
Ware Of The Dog Hand Crochet Animals
We couldn’t resist putting this brand’s line of hand-crochet animal dog toys on the list. Whether your pup needs a safety toy or a chew toy, these eco-friendly dog toys are the most adorable stuffed animals you ever did see. You might even want one for yourself!
Made from 100% cotton (or lambswool) and 100% recycled cotton t-shirt yarn, these eco-friendly dog toys are safe for your pup to swallow, AND they are fully compostable, making them safe for the planet! Did we mention they use OEKO-TEX Certified non-toxic natural Swiss dyes?
KONG
Considering a KONG is practically a staple for most dog owners, we had to include it on the list. This incredibly durable chew toy is made from natural rubber right here in the USA. While we can’t vouch for the other types of toys they have (and what they’re made of), the Classic KONG has undoubtedly been a common name among eco friendly toys.
Hopefully, this has given you a solid list for your next eco-friendly dog toy purchase. But remember, only purchase them when you’ve exercised all other options! Reduce, Reuse, & Recycle first!
We have a few more blog posts related to sustainable and eco-friendly dog toys here: