eco-efforts

At Planet Dog we make toys, not waste. Not only are all our Orbee-Tuff® toys 100% recyclable, but we reuse all of our post-production material that would otherwise be discarded. We call this post-production material “regrind” because we literally take the excess material, regrind it, then mold it into another toy that’s just as doggie-durable, buoyant, bouncy and minty as the first.

In fact we have a whole line of toys that are made of “regrind” material. The Orbee-Tuff® Regrind Line consists of the original RecycleBALL® and RecycleBONE® and the NEW 3-Toys-in-1 RecycleBALL® Value-Pack. The Value Pack is two 2.5" RecycleBALLS® that are tied together with off-spec rope that serves as its “packaging.” The rope is supplied by our Maine neighbor, Sterling Rope. (To read more about Sterling Rope, click on their logo at right.) We designed it so the rope can be upcycled into an additional toy that gives you 3 ways to play it forward. Here’s how:

Way to play #1 - Use “as is”
Way to play #2 - Untie the rope and retie to one of the balls to make a toss toys like our Orbee with Rope.
Way to play #3 - Use in a standard size ball tosser. Three toys with only one package. Now that’s reducing!

We also accept old and well-tossed Orbee-Tuff® toys to be returned, creating a closed-loop recycling process. To help maximize the percentage of recycled material, we ask that you clean your product well before returning it to us. The cleaner it is, the more likely it will be used to make new toys!

Our Company Store in Portland, Maine uses a unique vessel to collect returned Orbee-Tuff® toys. We have refurbished an old mailbox (see right) that was once considered unusable.

Our hemp collars, leashes and harnesses are some of our best-selling products. Could be their durability...hemp is one of nature’s strongest fibers. Or, it could be that buying hemp helps reduce strain on our delicate eco-system. We think both. Our 100% certified organic cotton T's are steeped in eco-goodness. They are printed with earth-safe, phthalate-free inks and made with partial wind and solar power so you can really reduce your carbon pawprint.

We are working on ways dogs everywhere can reduce their carbon pawprint. We’re doing this by developing products like Shammy, our hyper-absorbent towel made of recycled wood chips. This towel requires little to no heat to dry.

We’re also making efforts to help our employees reduce and offset their carbon footprint. We have an Alternative Transportation Program for our employees. When an employee purchases a hybrid vehicle we reimburse them 50% of their sales tax. And we are constantly taking steps within our home office, our Distribution Center and Company Store to reduce waste and neutralize our impact.

On the local front, Planet Dog is supporting a major revitalization project in conjunction with the Trust for Public Land, Portland Trails, The Bayside Neighborhood Association and the City of Portland. With our financial and marketing support, we are helping to convert 1.4 miles of abandoned railroad bed into one of Portland’s most innovative networks of trails and pocket parks. Our gift to the effort includes the donation of 101 Dogwood trees. Watch Planet Dog on Green 4 ME on our YouTube page and learn more about this exciting eco-effort.