www.lux-review.com Page 15 LUXlife The Perfect Gift Awards 2022 WAG&WOOL is a British luxury dog wear brand that specialises in matching knitwear of exceptional quality for both dogs and their proud owners. All garments are designed by dynamic duo, Rachael Driver and Toni Walker inhouse using only the finest sustainable materials. Their main focus on sustainability, design, and durability allows them to bring unique knitwear to the pet wear market that will stand the test of time. Could there be a better gift for the eco-conscious dog lover than matching sustainable accessories with their pooch? Best Sustainable Dog Apparel Company 2022 Aug22053 WAG&WOOL is a design-led, conscientious brand with big plans to revolutionise the way consumers think about pet wear. The only pet wear brand to equally demonstrate superior design, sustainability and provenance in its products, WAG&WOOL’s hero creation is its dog jumper – which is not only made entirely out of natural and biodegradable materials, but is the best quality dog jumper on the market. With unique designs and bold labelling, WAG&WOOL’s jumpers are easy to recognise, and each design can be purchased with a matching accessory for the owner. The WAG&WOOL story begins on a chilly afternoon during the pandemic when Rachael Driver founded the company in her home city of Brighton. Previously only working on knitwear for humans, she took the opportunity to really pause and reflect, to concentrate more on a project that was closer to her heart. She decided to embrace her passion and talent for creating knitwear in a different way, wanting to focus on creating knitwear that was for man’s best friend instead. Rachael has shared her life with dogs for as long as she can remember, but the real light bulb moment came when she met her friend and her dog, Monti who was feeling the winter chill. Rachael wrapped Monti up in one of her hand-knitted lambswool scarves to keep him cosy and never looked back. Thus, WAG&WOOL was born and Rachael’s first project was of course going to be named after her muse – Monti. The first few samples were knitted and tested among friends and family, who loved the idea of having matching knitted accessories with their furry friends. Rachael went on to immerse herself in the world of knitwear design for dogs, embracing her new creative direction by experimenting during lockdown. She took the time to research the best yarns for her designs and created a premium 100% lambswool product. Lambswool is completely biodegradable and offers a much-needed alternative to the current market for dog products which is swamped with uncomfortable synthetics. All of WAG&WOOL’s dog jumpers and accessories are knitted from Z. Hinchcliffe lambswool which is carded, spun and dyed in Yorkshire before making its way down to Rachael’s Brighton-based studio where her designs come to life. WAG&WOOL’s knitted jumpers for dogs come in four unique designs and several colourways to suit various taste requirements. Alongside these, it sells human scarves and headbands in the same designs and colourways, allowing people to match with their dog. These unique sets can be purchased as gifts and they come in branded sustainable boxes. Rachael tells us what she thinks makes the perfect gift: “The perfect gift to us means something that is chosen from the heart. Something that is thoughtful to the recipient. This means setting aside what you would like and choosing something the recipient would like. Seeing the recipient’s joy when they open the gift is what it’s all about.” Not only do WAG&WOOL’s products make the perfect gifts, but the company is also proving that quality knitwear doesn’t have to cost the earth. Luxury brands such as Gucci and Moncler are starting to bring dog wear to the market, yet these are not necessarily well-made. They are just branded and often selling for over £300. WAG&WOOL sees an opportunity to become the first well-made luxury dog wear brand, with research showing that people are humanising their pets, yet the pet wear industry isn’t innovating or moving with this trend. People may be becoming aware of the importance of their own clothes needing to be sustainable, but the same isn’t happening for the dog clothing market. With hopes to really get its name out there, WAG&WOOL is also excited to be launching some new product ranges in late 2022/ early 2023 including leads and collars, and matching human mittens and hats. It has also designed a dog bandana print with three sheep breeds (retailing in autumn), wanting to highlight the importance of wool as a biodegradable material. This is in addition to researching sustainable fabrics that can be used for a dog raincoat along with a matching owner’s waterproof hat. There will be plenty of opportunities for anyone who is interested in getting their hands on a matching dog jumper and accessory set, with the company planning to attend upcoming markets and Christmas fairs, including The Spirit of Christmas in London. Rachael comments, “Knitwear often needs to be seen and touched for people to really see how good the quality is and sometimes that can be difficult to demonstrate online. When we go to makers markets and Christmas fairs, people are so surprised by the quality of our knitwear.” Keep an eye on WAG&WOOL’s Instagram page (instagram.com/wag_and_wool) where it will be sharing more markets and fairs that it will be attending! Company: WAG&WOOL Contact: Rachael Driver and Toni Walker Email: [email protected] Website: www.wagandwool.com
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