Recycled PET, happy pet

The Resploot collection of toys is made from recycled PET bottles

Have you ever seen a dog stretched out flat on its tummy on a hot summer day, looking a bit like a fluffy pancake, and wondered what it's up to? Well, experts say this is a form of yoga for dogs (or ‘doga'), which helps them relax while giving their backs a nice stretch. The technical term for this pose is splooting. Humans do it too.

The Black Rhino toy hopes to increase awareness about this critically endangered species native to eastern and southern Africa

It is what inspired the name and idea behind RESPLOOT. Its founders, Raghav and Devika Modi, wanted their consumers to be in touch with the earth while relaxing in style, comfort, and functionality. RESPLOOT offers a range of products for domestic pets, including bedding, toys and accessories. What sets this range apart though, is that the products are created by converting plastic waste into fabric, thereby helping reduce its damage to the environment, while also creating awareness about conservation and sustainability. The manufacture involves a process where discarded PET bottles are shredded into flakes which are then melted and shaped into pellets.

Divya Jain, creative head, and Devika Modi, founder, RESPLOOT

These pellets are made into polyester yarn. When woven, the yarn gets transformed into beautiful, sustainable bedding and toys. Devika, who has been instrumental in spearheading the toys section, says, "We are on a mission to promote awareness about species conservation. More than 28,000 species in the world are threatened with extinction, including animals. That is 27 per cent of all assessed species. With the world changing at rapid speed, there is an alarming decline in the number of animal species. PET bottles are a threat to both land and aquatic biodiversity. The collapse of ecosystems can lead to even bigger problems like the worsening of climate change, because of the increased release of carbon dioxide."

Women make up a majority of the staff at the toy factory. Pics/Nishad Alam

The handcrafted collection features 10 toys (five marine and five land animals) from 10 different countries. Besides the koala from Australia, the range includes the yellow-eyed penguin from New Zealand, the European mink from France and the Ganga river dolphin from India. Each animal carries the flag of its country on its tail. The toys have tags known as toy stories attached to them, and contain information about the origins of the species as well as the reasons for their endangered status. Even the squeakers in these toys are made of natural biodegradable rubber. The packaging is of 100 per cent recycled products. "When we started, the toys were rough. R&D helped make them as smooth as cotton," says Raghav, adding that their toys are subjected to EN 71 testing, which is a universal yardstick for determining safety. The company has received a Global Recycle Standard (GRS) certificate.

What: RESPLOOT pet toys
Where: https://headsupfortails.com
For: Rs 599 to Rs 749