What is Recycled Polyester (rPet) and Why Do We Use it for Our Dog Beds?

What is Recycled Polyester (rPet) and Why Do We Use it for Our Dog Beds?

Researchers estimate that there are up to 51 trillion pieces of plastic in the oceans of the world today -- a super depressing statistic that only gets worse with time, thanks to plastic's indestructible qualities. Responsible consumers are looking for ways to make choices that are more friendly to the environment, and responsible companies (like us!) are looking for ways to limit their carbon footprint and avoid contributing to further production of plastic.

When we started Kingboy, we looked to source sustainable and recycled materials for each component of our dog beds. In most cases, recycled plastic presented the best option to create durable, easy-care, low maintenance dog beds. If you are looking to learn more about how recycled plastic gets turned into Kingboy dog beds, and why rPET is a sustainable choice, you have come to the right place!

What is Recycled Polyester (rPET)?

Polyester is a word that's a short form for a man-made polymer, which is also called polyethylene terephthalate, or PET. PET is the hard plastic used to create containers like water bottles. When we use the word polyester, we're usually referring to plastic resin made into fibers, which are then woven into fabrics used to create clothing, blankets or other sorts of soft goods.  

Polyester can be made from "new" PET fibers, which are woven from melted PET chips, or it can be made from various blends of materials that include recycled PET fibers known as rPET. Using rPET to make polyester results in the same durable fabric qualities but eliminates the use of raw petrochemicals in the manufacturing process, and avoids contributing to the growing plastic problem on earth. 

How Does PET Recycling Work?

Recycling centers collect and sort PET containers by grade. Then the bottles and containers are chopped and melted into polyester chips. The chips are melted again and pressed through an extruder that creates long tendrils of polyester fiber. 

Fabric manufacturers then use this polyester fiber to create blended rPET fabrics, usually mixing rPET with either virgin polyester or cotton -- at Kingboy, we only use fabrics that are comprised of *at least* 50% recycled content. We also make our dog beds using thread that is made entirely (100%) from rPET, and zippers that have at least 50% of recycled material as well. 

Easy to Clean

While researching available pet bed fabric options, cleaning flexibility and convenience is KEY! The poly blend fabrics we use are durable and washable - our dog bed covers can be spot treated, machine washed, and/or vacuumed to remove pet hair and dirt.  And if you want a full refresh, the inserts can be machine washed and dried as well! (We'll cover the sustainability of our inserts in another blog post soon, don't worry!)

Fun, Durable Nap Stations For Your Dog

Kingboy offers stylish, eco-friendly dog beds made from recycled polyester fabrics that will maintain their shape and vibrancy for years and years, even with very little care. Our goal is to keep your home looking great, keep your pet cozy and happy, and keep you from having to buy another dog bed ever again!

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