Most countries, including the United States, have no regulations for manufacturing pet toys. It's up to us as pet parents and caretakers to carefully research pet products and monitor our pets using them. By learning about pet companies' product guidelines and business practices, we can also learn how their pet toys impact the well-being of our pets - and our planet.
Before featuring vendors in our Pet Shop, we thoughtfully research their website, messaging, manufacturing practices, and product guidelines to ensure the safety of our pets and the planet. For example, toys made of biodegradable materials (hemp, cork, and coconut husk) safely break down in the environment and are less likely to be hazardous to your pet.
This article features a "behind-the-scenes" look into our decision-making by sharing with you the 6 criteria categories we use to determine if pet toys are safe and sustainable. We've also included a bonus section listing a few helpful Certifications to look for!
Overview
- Toys Designed With Pets' Health & Safety in Mind
- Toys Made With Biodegradable & Recycled Materials
- Measurable Commitment to Pet & Planet Health
- Manufactured Using Ethical & Environmentally Safe Practices
- Compostable & Earth-Conscious Packaging
- Carbon Neutral Shipping & Offsets
- BONUS: Helpful Certifications
1. Toys Designed With Pets' Health & Safety In Mind
Toys are more likely to be used appropriately by our pets when we model the proper use. For example, by using a ball to play "catch" with your dog, she will understand its intended use and associate it with regular playtime rather than destroying it out of boredom.
Along with intended use, we research a pet manufacturer's explicit commitment to designing toys with non-toxic materials before featuring them in our Shop. Toys made with non-biodegradable materials, like plastic, should be 100% recycled and BPA-Free. Scroll to the Bonus section to learn more about certifications regulating the use of harmful substances.
Similarly, we work with vendors who demonstrate an understanding of the specific pet species in mind. For example, we look for bunny toys made with untreated, dried wood to satisfy their instinctive need to chew on wood, which supports healthy digestion and curiosity. When choosing cat toys, we ensure that strings are securely attached so cats cannot accidentally ingest them.
Safety Tip for Cat Parents: Always supervise your cat when she is playing with wand or string toys. Cats naturally find string and yarn very appealing, which increases the likelihood of trying to eat it. Ingesting string is highly hazardous and requires immediate medical attention.
Our Featured Picks:
- Jax & Bones Ships Ahoy Pack: Durable Rope toy, non-toxic dye, biodegradable dental floss.
- Cat Kicker Toy by Toe Beans: Biodegradable, durable canvas pillow toy for your cat to hug, wrestle, and play with independently for hours!
2. Toys Made With Biodegradable & Recycled Materials
The difference between biodegradable and non-biodegradable recycled materials is their impact on the natural environment. Imagine dog toys ending up in a landfill: Toys made with biodegradable materials like hemp, cork, and coconut husk will break down into nutrients in the soil. Non-biodegradable materials like plastic will not break down naturally and instead will release toxic chemicals.
For example, when pet toy manufacturers use 100% recycled materials, they participate in a closed-loop system (a manufacturing process that reuses all materials used in production), reducing energy consumption and raw resource extraction. We also love
Recycling products made with non-biodegradable materials is a strategic solution to reduce plastic pollution and its negative impact on our planet. Companies like West Paw and Spunky Pup design dog toys using recycled ocean plastic, which not only repurposes existing materials but immediately creates a positive impact on marine animals by reducing a life-threatening hazard.
Our Featured Picks:
- Snorkl Chew Toy by West Paw: Made with Ocean-Bound Plastic, Top Rack Dishwasher-Safe, and BPA + Latex Free
- Hemp Duck Dog Toy by Our Green House: Made With Hemp, Cotton, and Recycled Materials, Tough Fabric, and Cute Design!
3. Measurable Commitment to Pet & Planet Health
As a pet community, we work with companies who care about pet health as much as we do as pet parents & caregivers! We love working with vendors who consider themselves "lifelong learners," representing their passion for constantly improving their craft, products, and practices.
Product quality directly connects to environmental sustainability because product design determines its lifespan and long-term effects on the natural world. We love working with companies strategically using their products and services to inspire positive change and give back to their community. Successful, trustworthy companies are transparent with their community by providing measurable progress and goals through climate reports and active projects.
Our Featured Pick:
- Hive Durable Chew Toy by Project Hive Pet Company: 100% Recycled Materials, Bounce & Treat Dispensing Toy
4. Manufactured Using Ethical & Environmentally Safe Practices
Manufacturing practices can pose dangerous environmental hazards like air pollution, excess waste, and using limited natural resources like fresh water.
Therefore, we partner with companies that use green business practices like renewable energy (solar, wind, nuclear) and energy-efficient lighting, equipment, and machinery to power and operate manufacturing facilities.
In addition to Earth-focused production, we work with pet businesses that demonstrate an ethical approach to running their business by ensuring the welfare of animals, workers, and the local community.
Our Featured Pick:
- Caterpillar Toy: ZQ-Certified Wool cat toy manufactured by Friendsheep using Cruelty-Free Practices and fair working conditions
5. Compostable & Earth-Conscious Packaging
Non-biodegradable packing materials, like plastic and styrofoam, are usually thrown in the trash immediately after opening the package. By supporting companies using eco-conscious alternatives to single-use plastic, we can take steps to resolve the plastic pollution crisis.
Earth-conscious packaging is globally beneficial and presents an opportunity for innovative designs! BetterBone and Friendsheep use alternative shipping materials like compostable, plant-based plastic like sugarcane, responsibly forested wood pulp, and flour sourced from the food industry!
Our Featured Picks:
- BetterBone CLASSIC: Sustainably designed dental-cleaning natural dog chew, packaged using plastic-free, compostable materials
6. Carbon-Neutral Shipping & Offsets
The most effective step to managing the Climate Crisis is to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the first place. And it starts with us!
In running The Sustainable Pet online shop, we aim to offset carbon emissions by partnering with companies and delivery services that fund carbon offsets and methods of absorbing carbon dioxide from the air, such as planting trees.
Delivery services like Eco Cart calculate the amount of carbon dioxide used to ship a package to you and then fund the cost of resources to extract that same amount of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Planting trees removes carbon dioxide from the air and restores land previously cleared for housing, factories, and farming.
Our Featured Picks:
- Natural Rubber Bone: Durable, stuffable natural rubber bone made by Beco Pets, a pet company with an impressive, ambitious mission to measure their carbon footprint, reduce carbon emissions, and share their results and goals for improvement with their community.
7. BONUS: Certifications
Most countries, including the United States, have no regulations for manufacturing pet toys. It's up to us as pet parents and caretakers to carefully research pet products and monitor our pets using them.
Plenty of outstanding pet toy manufacturers don't necessarily follow a specific set of certification guidelines but instead set their own standards of best practices and hold themselves accountable for making a positive difference in their communities.
However, pet companies that uphold certifications like B-Corp, Animal Welfare Certification, and Humane Certified draw our attention because they demonstrate a clear mission to meet and communicate measurable action.
Here are a few examples of Certifications that align with our mission at The Sustainable Pet:
- B-Corp: B-Corp Certified companies use their products and services to influence social and environmental responsibility. A defining principle of B-Corp Certified companies is their explicit transparency with their community. B-Corp Certified companies hold themselves accountable by publicly reporting their mission, goals, and what they need to improve.
- ZQ Certified Wool: It is critical to ensure the humane treatment of animals, including sheep, who provide a biodegradable material to manufacture pet toys like toss and squeaker toys. ZQ Certified Wool involves ethical sourcing practices by guaranteeing that sheep are provided adequate shelter, food, water, and medical attention.
- OEKO-TEX® Standard 100: The OEKO-TEX Certification regulates the harmful use of chemicals in clothing, toys, packaging, furniture, plastic, and other manufactured products. When shopping for pet toys, we look for the OEKO-TEX Certification to ensure they were tested for harmful substances and verified safe for the intended use.