How We Make Our Upcycled Dog Beds
‘Reduce, re-use, recycle’ is a mantra we are all increasingly familiar with as the collective public conscience has woken up to what plastic is doing to our planet. But the fact remains that a huge proportion of plastic bottles don’t even make it to a recycling plant.
Plastic, by its very nature, does not break down; it is designed to last forever and yet is often used as a disposable material. One million plastic bottles are bought every minute globally and most are thrown away.
Change, however, is coming. Industry is responding to the public desire to live sustainably and halt environmental damage. Upcycling is more than just a movement; it is becoming engrained in our culture, transcending industries such as fashion, tech, construction and even home interiors.
It comes as no surprise, then, that in our nation of pet lovers, upcycled dog beds and other sustainable products for our canine companions are enjoying a huge surge in popularity – and we are proud to have upcycled over one million plastic bottles since May 2019 into our extremely hard-wearing pet products.
But how exactly can old plastic be converted into upcycled dog beds?
Where do we find our plastic?
Our primary objective is to prevent plastic from entering the sea in the first place. The scale of the problem is huge – and cleaning up is not enough.
We work with some of the world’s poorest local coastal communities in locations such as India and the Philippines to collect plastic waste from oceans, rivers, beaches and landfill. Plastic otherwise destined for our oceans can be collected and returned for anything from cash and digital currency, to healthcare and schooling.
Our circular business model will not just maximise its environmental benefit but help reduce poverty in the process.
Then what?
Our breakthrough technology means that plastic can be flaked to pieces before being washed, broken down and filtered and to remove any impurities, before being rebuilt into the highest quality recycled polyester fibre for use in products that are made to last.
Project Blu’s state-of-the-art manufacturing capabilities in Italy enable us to combine this material with the finest craftmanship.
We work together with our European suppliers to make sure that, as well as removing litter from our beautiful oceans, we minimise the carbon footprint of our processes and products, limiting their environmental impact to the best of our abilities.
And the result?
Any dog lover knows that the pet market is flooded with flimsy dog beds that are no match to man’s best friend and must be replaced too often to think about. This ‘throwaway culture’ is not sustainable.
Our products show that upcycled dog beds can be attractive, comfortable, and above all, durable – coping with the level of wear and tear that dog owners know all too much about.
The beds are made of 100% recycled materials and are machine washable, meaning that your faithful friend’s bed will stay fresh and pest free. To complete our circular business model, when our customers have had full use of their products, we assist with donations to local animal shelters and advise on effective recycling.
And best of all, there are upcycled dog beds out there for every breed. Whether your little pup wants to rest its paws, or a large Labrador needs to lounge about, Project Blu’s dog bed options range from extra small (made with at least 41 plastic bottles) to extra large (made with at least 133 plastic bottles) – so no matter how big their paw print, they can help reduce our footprint.
