Today we’d like to introduce you to Samantha Pattillo.
Samantha, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
If you’re like me, my dogs are front and center in my home and their beds are right in the middle of the living room for everyone to see. I wanted a dog bed to blend with the rest of my home. I am actually an interior and furniture designer by trade and have worked my whole career designing products for people’s homes, products that help to make homes beautiful and bring joy to those that own them. When designing for a client, I felt like we would touch almost every aspect of that home from hard goods like cabinetry and lighting and soft good like furniture, drapery, rugs and everything in between. But one thing that was almost always an afterthought was the pets in the home. We didn’t work the most important furry members of the household into the design plan! They just got whatever bed that didn’t look horrible tossed into a corner and that was enough.
I found there really weren’t a lot of great options for high-end pet products that put the pet and the home at equal importance. Of course, we want our pets to be comfortable and love their bed, but I didn’t believe we had to compromise comfort for beauty and The Houndry was born. A luxury pet bed designed with your home and your dog in mind.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Honestly, one of the biggest challenges when starting this business was the sourcing. We wanted to make a high-quality product in the United States. With as many people screaming for more American made products, you’d think finding a factory to actually cut and sew the beds would be easy… it wasn’t. Then there’s the issue of cost: making something in the USA is MUCH more expensive than sourcing it overseas and consumers have a really hard time understanding why our beds can cost significantly more than a pet bed you’d buy at a big-box retailer. It can be difficult helping them understand the difference in high-quality materials and artisan craft compared to Chinese mass-produced goods.
Please tell us about The Houndry.
With my years of experience in the design world and Eric, my business partner’s experience in retail we knew that we could create a product that was missing in the market. After countless meetings and product reviews, I settled on a few select fabric suppliers that brought me the look and high standard of quality and durability we knew we needed. We chose to launch our line with Sunbrella fabric: it’s easy to clean, refuses to fade, and resists mold, mildew, and moisture. This beloved and trusted fabric maintain a soft hand even with its hardworking properties and its beautiful!
All of our beds are made to order right here in Georgia. Our skilled tailors take a single bed from start to finish, sewing the fabric body, the piping or flange details, zippers, and finally, our branded label. We are so proud to work with these American artisans to bring our handmade products to life.
We have worked really hard to make sure our materials and manufacturing processes are environmentally conscious and cruelty-free. All of the fabric we use is made by Sunbrella, a 138-year old family-owned company rooted in sustainability throughout the manufacturing of the fiber, yarn, and fabric. Our ‘leather’ labels are made of vegan PU materials and the insert of our beds are made of a super soft proprietary fill made of recycled plastic bottles. Our orthopedic foam is CertiPur-US certified as well. Making choices to use environmentally responsible materials and manufacturing is something that is very important to us at The Houndry. Supporting businesses like ours will often cost you more, but you can rest in the knowledge that you are making an impact on our amazing planet and all the creatures in it.
Pricing:
- Lounger Beds: $199 – $399
- Pillow Beds: $169 – $299
- Round Beds: $199 – $399
- Hugger Beds: $249 – $499
- Orthopedic Beds: $229 – $499
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thehoundrylife.com
- Phone: 888-682-3012
- Email: hello@thehoundrylife.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehoundry/
Image Credit:
Alea Moore, Eric May, Sarah Joyce
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