Designer Pet Beds and Wonderful Enrichment Toys: Meet P.L.A.Y. Pet Lifestyle and You

There’s a lot to consider that I didn’t realize when buying a pet bed. How does my pet sleep? Is he a lounger, all sprawled out. Is she a cuddler, tucked into a ball? Is he a burrower, who likes to disappear beneath the covers? P.L.A.Y. Pet Lifestyle and You, an impressive, forward-thinking brand I discovered, has considered all of this and more. Beautiful, original designer pet beds and eco-friendly materials. Ergonomically comfortable structure. Great enrichment toys. Pet. Lifestyle. And You. This is what P.L.A.Y. is all about.

A premiere lifestyle brand for pets and their humans, P.L.A.Y. co-founders encourage employees to bring their pets to work. Heck, the office is even run by one very lucky pup. But, I get ahead of myself.

I recently spoke with P.L.A.Y.’s co-founder and CEO, Will Chen, and its Director of PR and Integrative Marketing, Natalie Hennessy, about what makes this company so special and their gorgeous new products.

The Dog’s Life Bed

Will was calling from Hong Kong where he was sourcing new materials and, despite the time difference – 12 hours ahead of EST making it 3am –  spent about a half hour on the phone. He told me about how the company got started, when he and his then-girlfriend (now, wife), Deb, got a dog named Momo.

Like most pet parents, Will and Deb wanted the best for Momo. When it came to buying a bed, they knew what they were looking for…they just couldn’t find it. So they created their own. And, of course, who got the CFO title? Yes! Momo is P.L.A.Y.’s Chief Food Officer.

Heels and Boots Round

Blessed to live in San Francisco, a city where you can easily source sustainable materials and one that is home to many a start-up, they had a lot of support to create the kind of company they envisioned. The brand philosophy is simple. “Pets. People. Planet.” And, all of their products fit that bill.

P.L.A.Y. products are eco-friendly, made with the environment in mind. They use minimalized packaging and have a trademarked bed and plush toy filler called PlanetFill®,  made from cleaned and recycled plastic bottles. “When your dog is lounging on an extra large Lounge bed, he’s laying on what was 108 plastic bottles!” Natalie exclaimed.

Those really pretty pet beds…

P.L.A.Y. beds are the bee’s knees. They’re made with 100% cotton coverings. They’re engineered and tested to be ergonomically correct for your pet, filled with just the right amount of PlanetFill®, so your pooch will want to flop down and drift off. The beds are manufactured in a facility that makes children’s products, adhering to the strict guidelines of baby safe.

And, because no two dogs sleep alike, there are a range of types of beds to choose from. The round and rectangular beds, ranging from small to large, are for dogs that like to lounge around the house,  stretch out and sprawl. If your dog likes to be cozy, they’ll like the popular Lounge style bed, which has four elevated sides. For smaller dogs and cats who may like to burrow, they’re looking for something soft and plush. The Snuggle bed is a great choice. It can be used in four different ways to fully customize to your pet. For those of us traveling, or if we take our pets to the office, the Chill Pad is great. They’re smaller, light, durable, and good for crates.

The Chandelier Bed

But, what about the designs? They’re really beautiful! P.L.A.Y. has forged collaborations with local artists in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York and Paris, who have injected their own fresh sensibilities into the mix. San Francisco-based artist, Dave Collins, who designed the Chandelier bed (above), one I love and purchased not knowing it was made by P.L.A.Y., is a longtime collaborator. He started by creating designs for Molly, his own dog. Collins recent designed an outdoor collection for P.L.A.Y. that they launched last Spring. It’s a modern take on the chevron pattern, and it’s pretty cool.

Wine Barrel Bed

A new concept is their wine barrel beds. Made from recycled wine barrels just oozing character, P.L.A.Y.’s original designs cushions fit right in and create something entirely new.

What’s a Wobble Ball?

P.L.A.Y. makes this really cool-looking toy that caught my eye. It’s called the Wobble Ball. It’s an enrichment toy that stimulates all our dog’s senses. It’s treat-based, of course. But, once you put the treats inside, the unusual shape allows the toy to roll around unpredictably, allowing your dog to see and hear the treats inside. What fun…if you’re a dog. Will said they even tested it for durability, dropping the Wobble Ball from the second floor of their offices. No cracks and it’s dishwasher safe, to boot. With the nice packaging, it makes for a great gift.

They also make some pretty cute plush toys, like their Garden Fresh and Under the Sea collections. The Garden Fresh set consists of a squeaker-filled apple, carrot, peapod, pumpkin and zucchini.

Garden Fresh Toy Set

Under the Sea, inspired by Momo’s hilarious antics at their local beach, is dedicated to Earth’s marine animals, including a King Crab, Giant Clam, Giant Squid, Green Sea Turtle and Starfish toy. All are made from the same soft and durable outer layer and inner fill as their beds, and are manufactured in the same facility. Yup, baby safe.

Under the Sea set

Giving Back

P.L.A.Y. Pet Lifestyle and You gives back as part of their business model. In a partnership with Petfinder, they’ve created the Warm Bellies Initiative to help animals in shelters in need of something soft and secure to lie on. “For every bed we sell, we donate a one to an animal in need,” explained Will. “We’ve donated over 2,000 beds and have 70 shelters around the country we’ve worked with.”

As Will was winding down to go to sleep, I just had to ask one final question. “Does Momo run a tight ship over at P.L.A.Y.?”  He laughed and said,  “She does! She has to test every new bed. And, when someone’s eating and she’s not, she isn’t very happy about that.”  Of course; lost productivity…a CFO’s worst nightmare!

What’s important to you when you shop for a bed for your pet? Do you have a favorite? Tell me in the Comments.