100% NZ Wool Dog Toys - Furballs and Furbones

Did you know it takes 400 years for a tennis ball to decompose and that in the USA alone, 100 million tennis balls end up in landfills?

The environmental impact of plastic and rubber toys (for both pets and children) is evident, and it can take decades to break down these materials. Most forms of plastic aren’t biodegradable, which means all these dog toys sit around being as chewable as ever - when plastic dog toys have been ripped apart or are no longer played with, where do they go?

We’re trying to reduce waste within the pet food industry, and like most businesses, we still have lots of work to do to further our positive impacts. Our ethos is ‘Looking after pets, people and the planet - so we wanted to bring New Zealand dog owners our very first sustainable toy option.

Furballs Made from 100% NZ Wool

Our new Furballs and Furbone toys are made from felted New Zealand wool and are handmade by small creators in Nepal. They’re gentle on teeth, natural fibres and sustainable (you can compost wool as it’s biodegradable and will break down within 4-5 months depending on the soil and climate.

If these toys get a bit smelly, you can throw them in the washing machine and dryer with no worries. You may also notice the bright orange colouring, but rest assured our toys are dyed using AZO-free dyes that are non-toxic and non-allergenic. When it’s time to wave goodbye to your dog’s old woollen toy, simply bury it in the garden or pop it in your compost where it’ll break down causing no waste. 

Alternatively, throwing them in the wash helps bring the shaping back a bit with the balls and repair the felting, as they can get a little misshapen. Although Furballs are completely safe durable toys, they are made from natural fibres that can be digested. It is not recommended to let your dog swallow large tufts of wool. 

Some wool fuzz is okay, but eating an entire toy is not a good idea. Supervision is recommended and if you have an aggressive chewer, just make sure they don't eat the whole thing.

Reducing Plastic and Rubber Waste in Dog Toys

Ethically Kate (Kate Hall) is a fantastic example of a local pet owner reducing her dog’s environmental pawprint with a few techniques. She uses nature-made dog toys like chewable sticks and shells as well as cardboard boxes and toilet roll tubes. Her wonderful furbaby Chai (Tchaikovsky) finds and plays with old tennis balls on their beach walks which means she doesn’t need to buy new dog toys. 

Handy note: if you’re not subscribed to our NZ-made dog food, you’ll find a handy discount code in Kates's blog post; linked above. 

It’s Time to Think About Your Pet's Environmental Paw Print. 

A few simple swaps like choosing more sustainable locally made pet food and carefully choosing a more earth-friendly toy option both go a long way to reduce your dog’s environmental paw print. We firmly believe it’s all about doing the best you can and picking a few things to concentrate on like food and toys which are key. 

It can be really easy to get wrapped up with overwhelm, and feel like you’re not making a shred of a difference - but every small step helps, there’s no point in aiming for perfection. Just do your best with what you can when it comes to choosing plastic-free and low-waste options.

Manage your dog's eco pawprint the easiest way with a My Furbaby food plan. Order a taste tester pack to trial and get a discount when you order your first box of fabulous furbaby food 🧡