When did you start up and why? March 2020, the pandemic gave us all a chance for pause and introspection. For me, it was an opportunity to put the vitality of the high fashion industry on hold and concentrate on a project closer to my heart. Having shared my life with dogs since I can remember, I wanted to begin designing a beautiful range of gift-worthy knitwear for dogs. The lightbulb moment came to me when I met my friend and her dog, Monti, on a particularly chilly day in Brighton. We wrapped Monti up in one of my hand-knitted lambswool scarves to keep him cosy and I never looked back. Wag&Wool was born. What prompted you to launch the business? The pandemic stopped my teaching business, so I had some free time and the opportunity to get back to designing. I felt like there was a real lack of innovation within the pet world and I wanted to bring to market a premium range that would be perfect for gifting, whilst also hitting all the sustainability expectations of the world we live in. We still see so much greenwashing in the pet industry, so we made sure that we stand out from the crowd and stay true to our claims. Everything in our range is made in the UK and we use the finest natural materials that we can find. Our plan is to revolutionise the way people look at pet fashion and bring a more stylish option to the table. What challenges have you overcome since the company’s launch? The main challenge has been finding the right manufacturers in the UK and tackling what seems to be a very insular world. Manufacturers also expect large minimum orders which isn’t always obtainable for a small start-up. However, we have overcome so many hurdles through perseverance and we work with some fantastic and talented makers now that we collaborate with to make Wag&Wool what it is today. Tell us about your product offering. We offer unique matching sets for dogs and their proud owners, these all come in a branded box. These innovative sets are a fantastic gift idea for dog owners. Our hero product is the 100 percent lambswool knitted dog jumper and each colour and design comes with a matching accessory for the owner. More recently we have launched hand-made ceramic dog bowls and unique leads and collars made from wool. What are your most popular products? The navy Monti jumper is our best-selling individual item, closely followed by the Burgundy Monti jumper and our bestselling set is the Pink Paddy Dog Jumper and Scarf Set. We are starting to see a real growing demand for the matching collar and leads too. Have any styles taken you by surprise with their popularity? In our first six months the Lucy design in the bright aquamarine was the most popular. We weren’t expecting that as it is quite a loud design. In the beginning we were hesitant about using such a unique colourway, but it paid off in the end. How do you keep your designs fresh and current? Do you follow trends? When I start designing, I always look at any new or upcoming yarn shades and trends and take inspiration by choosing 66
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