Designer Dog Fashion With A Conscience & Purpose
The Sunray Ensemble
Toms. Warby Parker. Seventh Generation. All are social enterprise brands, whose mission it is to make the world a better place. There’s a dog fashion brand working halfway around the world bringing jobs to artisans and spreading happiness across people, their dogs and the planet. Chews Happiness® is that brand, and founders Tavor White and wife, Meeta Gawande have created a special company blending high quality, eco-friendly materials with the wisdom and heart of an amazing culture.
The artisanal fashion from Bhutan designed and created by Chews Happiness® is made from yak down, a material more luxurious and warmer than cashmere, where the animals aren’t harmed and the down is much more sustainable. The collections include fashion for you and your dog – sweaters, collars and leashes for them; scarves, tunics, wraps and shrugs for us. They’re made to match and each includes patterns and colors with spiritual meaning in the Bhutanese culture, celebrating the connection between you, your dog and the planet.
And, I love that these pieces are handcrafted by women artisans from Bhutan to Boulder, Colorado, sustainably supporting indigenous peoples, artists and traditional lifestyles.
Artisan weaver, Yeshey Dorji.
What’s special?
The Bhutanese have designated a happiness quotient to life, measured in Gross National Happiness like we have the GNP, and they are the only UN country to have one! This means they value their people, animals and environment. We could take some valuable lessons from the Bhutanese.
Tavor and Meeta did. They were rising stars in their corporate fields in New York City. They lived life on the urban treadmill, working long hours. But, they also traveled, and it was a trip to Bhutan that opened their eyes to the beauty of this land and its people.
The Bhutanese philosophy made them realize they wanted something more from life. So, they picked up and moved to the Colorado mountains. And, they got a dog named Bouncer.
Finding good quality, eco-friendly, “good vibe” products was hard and they wanted the best for Bouncer. Chews Happiness® was born.
“Chews Happiness products have all been carefully designed and finely crafted to score high on the Happiness Scale with pets, people and the planet,” explained White. “Every purchase comes with peace of mind built right in.”
Yak down is naturally shed, not plucked or skinned, and is one of the warmest natural fibers. Unlike cashmere, which is unfortunately causing massive desertification due to overgrazing of huge herds of cashmere goats, yak down is a sustainable fiber.
The Collections
Happiness Hugs
These vibrant dog sweaters and matching women’s garments have cool names like the Sunray, the Karma and the Diamond.
SHOP THE SUNRAY ENSEMBLE
The Sunray sweater, in a gorgeous raspberry red, is handcrafted with five colors, each corresponding to an earthly element (green for wood, blue for water, red for fire, white for iron, and yellow for earth). The main color, a hue of red, is identified with heroic virtues and is worn by sword-bearing officers. White denotes purity, goodness, and nobility, so the scarves offered to lamas and used on ceremonial occasions are white.
The sweater features a sunray pattern seen in many traditional Bhutanese textiles. It represents the beam of enlightenment and stands for prosperity for all beings, equal enjoyment of freedom, and spiritual and material happiness.
SHOP THE SUNRAY SWEATER
And a matching, raspberry red shrug is a great accessory for us, to complement our dogs.
The Karma sweater, in a sunny yellow – a hot color this season – features two auspicious Bhutanese symbols, Karma and Dramey.
SHOP THE KARMA SWEATER
Dramey, meaning the Eternal Knot, represents a compassionate heart and reflects the belief that one’s actions and the universe are interlinked. Karma, meaning both Star and Action, also symbolizes the interconnection between our actions and the universe.
The Karma Hug is also crafted with the hues of the five symbolic colors. The main, yellow, is a color of authority and majesty, reserved for the shoulder cloths of kings and queens. Each hug features a pocket with a hand-woven traditional Bhutanese motif with a unique spiritual message. Who would dispute that our little fur kids aren’t royalty?!
SHOP THE KARMA SHAWL
A gorgeous matching shawl for women is made by artisans in Boulder, CO. Channeling the spirit and culture of the Bhutanese, the textiles are endowed with patterns and colors that embrace the interconnection among all beings.
This shawl was designed in collaboration with Sara Goldenberg, a fine artist acclaimed for her woven art installations, including a permanent installation at the Denver Art Museum. Sara’s works of art explore the connection between past and present, traditional and modern, handmade and technological.
SHOP THE KARMA ENSEMBLE
The Diamond sweater also featured the five symbolic colors. The main color, purple, represents mysticism and spirituality. Blue is associated with purity and healing.
SHOP THE DIAMOND SWEATER
A beautiful matching tunic for women mixes the earthy artisanal with the stylish for a garment that won’t go out of fashion.
SHOP THE DIAMOND TUNIC
SHOP THE DIAMOND ENSEMBLE
The Earth Line of Dog Sweaters & People Scarves
This collection celebrates more earthy tones and our connection to our pets and to the Earth. There are three styles of matching dog sweaters and people scarves – The Dramey, the Thala and the Thunderbolt. Each comes in two different colors, drawing from a rich brown, a cool grey or deep black.
The Thala symbol, also known as “Khorlo” or “wheel” by some Bhutanese weavers, inspires the pattern on this luxurious scarf. It represents long life and beautifully reflects the wish to walk with our companions for years to come. Available in two striking color combinations, the scarf features two pockets and coconut shell buttons. Each stunning piece is hand woven by artisans in Boulder, Colorado from natural, undyed, cruelty-free yak down.
SHOP THE THALA ENSEMBLE
The Dramey pattern represented on this dog coat and scarf is also known in Bhutan as the Endless Knot. With their kind souls, dog lovers perfectly embody this symbol, which reflects a compassionate heart and the belief that one’s actions and the universe are intertwined.
SHOP THE DRAMEY ENSEMBLE
SHOP THE DRAMEY SWEATER
The double Thunderbolt pattern, also called Vajara in Bhutanese culture, represents great wisdom and great bliss…both of which our dogs give us each and every day. This style features a distinctive natural coconut shell button.
SHOP THE THUNDERBOLT ENSEMBLE
The Collar & Leash Collection
These one-of-a-kind collars are handwoven by a group of women master weavers in Bhutan from soft, durable, eco-friendly yak down.
SHOP THE COLLAR & LEASH COLLECTION
All of the collars and matching leashes are modeled after the traditional Bhutanese kera, the sash that secures a woman’s kira (dress) or man’s gho (robe) at the waist.Chhuray means “water wave” in Bhutan, which is the design inspiration for this gorgeous blue and gold dog collar, featuring gold-colored brass hardware.
Bjadim means “colorful” in Bhutan, and that’s precisely what you’ll get with this collar, featuring shades of purple, cream, green and burgundy.
Dramey means “Endless Knot,” which represents a compassionate heart and the belief that one’s actions and the universe are interlinked. Handwoven from natural, undyed yak down, the Dramey Collar showcases the beautiful color variations of each animal’s coat.
All of these stunning pieces are featured in the Bark & Swagger Boutique, in its own Chews Happiness Exhibit. Just click on Shop-Exhibits.
Here’s what I like when you purchase a Chews Happiness piece:
- Each item is personally hand-selected and tested for quality and safety
- A fair wage is paid to workers in the USA and abroad
- Animals and people are treated humanely and ethically
- Sustainability is always a top priority
- They stand behind their products 100%
- The product is unique and has special meaning
I love this conscious brand and I know you will, too! Perfect for those who want conscious, cruelty-free, luxury items for their babies.
