Make Hay in the Pet Market

Add to your embroidery shop's profits by serving the lucrative animal enthusiast niche.
Nov 1, 2008

Almost every type of blank apparel made for humans has a counterpart in the pet world — in this case, a fleece hoodie. (Photo courtesy of whatzupwiththat.com)

There's no question that there is money to be made in the pet market. The mainstream press is full of information about the number of pets and how their owners take care of them.

According to an article in Forbes magazine, each year about "50 million U.S. dog owners collectively spend $43 billion on their pooches." These numbers seem to mesh with a report in USA Today that indicates there are an estimated 75 million household dogs in the United States (That would make for an average of 1.5 dogs per owner/household.).

Parents eagerly buy personalized items for their children, and pet parents do the same for their companion animals. Embroidery certainly can be a market for pets, but it also is an upscale promotional medium for owners and trainers involved in the show circuit for purebred dogs and cats.

There are two broad segments in the pet market — the animal-loving pet owner and the serious breed enthusiast. Most serious enthusiasts are hobbyists and also are serious animal lovers, so many embroidered products appeal to both audiences.

The Show Scene
Perhaps you have watched the Westminster Kennel Club or other large dog shows on television. It's true that there is a market for embroidery among breeders, handlers and serious fanciers. This audience is very particular about what it considers to be the correct reproduction of breeds in embroidery. If you are not directly involved in the sport, replicating breeds may be a frustrating task.

Here's what I mean. I once was asked to make emblems featuring a parakeet for the Fort Worth Bird Club. When the committee chairman visited my shop to see the pre-production sample, she exclaimed in horror, "Why this bird looks dead!" I realized at that moment just how difficult it can be to create embroidery that matches the vision of an enthusiast.

It isn't necessary to embroider images of dogs or cats to be successful with animal embroidery. Some clubs offer prizes embroidered only with the kennel club name and the award, such as Best of Breed. Popular embroidered trophy items include bath-size towels, tote bags and director's chairs. Even when working from submitted artwork, be sure to show any digitized animal image to your customer before sewing it onto merchandise.

Breeders who show their dogs use grooming towels and crate covers — and many are happy to have those items personalized with their kennel name and/or other embroidery. Some also use embroidered velvet table throws when taking photographs of their dogs — especially photos of a champion animal after a win. It's helpful to visit a dog show to research the type of products being offered and used by exhibitors.

Embroiderers can set up at vendor booths at most American Kennel Club (A.K.C.) dog shows. For a list of regional dog events, go to the Web site of a dog show superintendent, such as onofrio.com or raudogshows.com. These sites belong to organizations that manage entries and other logistics pertaining to dog shows. For cat show information, visit cfainc.org.

Although some members of the animal-loving public attend these formal A.K.C.-sanctioned events, you should seek pet happenings designed for the general public in order to encounter new customers in the category of "Joe Pet Owner." Some communities and rescue groups sponsor events such as parades and dog-owner look-alike contests. A limited offering, such as personalized pet bandanas, would be quick and easy to do on site at such an event. If you go to an event and you plan to do embroidery there, take a helper.

Be sure to create order forms so you know where to deliver special orders, or those that you don't have time to stitch at the event. Place a couple of your products into a padded envelope or box and take to the post office in advance to get an idea of the correct postage amount to add to special orders.

The Animal-Lover Market
It's helpful to understand some demographics of dog breeds in the United States if you plan to specialize in creating breed-specific embroidery. The goal is to choose breeds and types with the largest following.

The A.K.C. has been keeping records on recognized dog breeds since 1915. In 2007, the top 10 breeds as determined by number of dogs registered were:

1. Labrador Retriever
2. Yorkshire Terrier
3. German Shepherd
4. Golden Retriever
5. Beagle
6. Boxer
7. Dachshund
8. Poodle
9. Shih Tzu
10. Bulldog

The A.K.C. does surveys and publishes analyses of its data. Those reports have begun to reflect a trend that dogs under 20 pounds are gaining in popularity. "We have been closely tracking dog ownership trends," says A.K.C. spokesperson Lisa Peterson. "And A.K.C. data reveals that the popularity of smaller breeds continued to grow over the past decade."

That's good news for embroidery shops, as small dogs may be more likely to be pampered with personalized apparel and other accessories. For example, flowing coated breeds such as Malteses and Yorkshire Terriers often sleep on satin-covered pillows to protect their coats. But sometimes even the most basic products strike a chord with a broad segment of the pet-lover market.

During the late 1970s, designer Jane Graves came to my shop asking if I could add embroidery to a red hand-sized towel. Per her design instructions, I added the words "My Pet's Paws" and five black paw tracks across the towel, as if a dog or cat had walked across the towel. I thought no more about it until she had several thousand towels delivered to my shop for identical embroidery. The item had been accepted for the Horchow Collection catalog and soon my entire shop was covered in red lint.

The pet market has grown considerably since the '70s, but it also is more crowded. There are now catalog titles and Web sites devoted entirely to dog products, such as In the Company of Dogs and dogs.com. For cats, there is Cat Fancy magazine and catchannel.com, among others. Spend some time checking out these resources to find a need that is not being met and you could be on your way to high profits in the gigantic pet market.

If you develop a product and begin to market and sell it, the non-profit American Pet Products Manufacturers Association (americanpetproducts.org) offers membership and support. It also offers guidance if your product is one that must meet regulations.

You don't have to develop an elaborate product scheme to be successful selling to pet lovers — just add embroidery to some basic items. How about a dog hoodie embroidered with fun sayings like, "Four on the Floor" or "Free Face Washes?" For a different audience, embroider a simple birdcage cover with "Tweet Dreams."

Other Pet Markets
Check with local groomers and pet boutiques, as they might be willing to offer your embroidery services to their clients. You can work with upscale pet providers in much the same way that you would work with a children's retail store. Create some samples for display and let them take orders. You may want to include some apparel items for pet owners, such as a T-shirt embroidered with the phrase "Harley's Human."

To get more attention, offer more unique products. For example, rather than regular tie-style bandanas, you might offer a collar bandana. This type of bandana has a seam that slips over a collar. Collars personalized with a pet's name and its owner's phone number are another popular item. Both collars and collar bandanas are available at hotdogcollars.com.

You also can coordinate with a pet shop owner or groomer to make personalized bed covers in popular sizes. Set up a regular delivery schedule and set your prices to allow the owner a margin of around 30%.

If you don't have a Web site where you sell your pet products, you can offer items at online groups such as pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/Dogshow-services-K9Crafts. This particular group is made up of canine enthusiasts who offer craft items member-to-member. Search for similar groups at yahoogroups.com.

Deborah Jones is a commercial and home embroiderer with more than 30 years experience in the computerized embroidery field. For more information or to comment on this article, e-mail Deborah at deborah_jones247@yahoo.com.

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