Trevor CrottsDESIGN&DEVELOPMENT

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Pet product design and development

Pet product design, led by someone who has run pet brands

Most design firms have designed for pet brands. I have built them: seven brands founded, two exits, products at Target, Walmart, Chewy, and Amazon. That changes the work. Every product is drawn against a real factory, a real landed cost, and a real buyer.

By Trevor Crotts  ·  Updated October 2026

The short version

  • Design, tech pack, sampling, factory sourcing, and brand in one studio, so you are not managing a designer and a sourcing agent separately.
  • Deep in soft goods: dog beds, crate mats, carriers, collars, leashes, and apparel, plus bowls, supplements, and packaging.
  • Factories in China, India, and the US that we already work with.
  • Built for the channel: Amazon, Chewy, retail, and direct to consumer.
  • A single product project starts from $6,000. A fractional product lead runs $1,999 per month for 90 days.

Why it matters who designs your pet product

A good looking render is the easy part. Products fail later: at the factory when the design cannot be built at your target cost, at sampling when the fabric pills, at the buyer meeting when the case pack is wrong, or on Amazon when the bed ships at a size that eats the margin.

Fifteen years ago I could not find a dog bed that did anything for an aging dog, so I built one. Since then I have founded and sold pet companies, run domestic manufacturing, managed overseas factory networks, sat across from Chewy and national retail buyers, and sold my own products on live TV. Every one of those seats taught me something about what makes a pet product work, and it all goes into the design.

Pattern and materials on a design table
Every concept is drawn against a real material and a real manufacturing method.

What we design

  • Beds and bedding: orthopedic, bolster, crate mats, travel beds, cooling beds, and furniture grade beds.
  • Walking gear: collars, leashes, harnesses, and hardware systems.
  • Feeding: bowls, mats, and feeding stations.
  • Travel: carriers, car seat covers, and travel kits.
  • Consumables and packaging: supplement lines, treats packaging, and the unboxing.
  • Full lines: a coordinated collection designed as one system.

Real programs include a bed line for Gunner Kennels that has generated over $5 million in program revenue, a private label bolster bed program for Wayfair, a collar and leash system built around custom hardware for Howl House, and bedding engineered around a PEMF therapy device for Assisi Animal Health. See more on the work page.

How a project runs

StepWhat happens
1. BriefYour product, your customer, your channel, and your target retail price and margin
2. ConceptSketches and directions drawn against real materials and manufacturing methods
3. Tech packThe factory ready document: dimensions, materials, construction, labels, packaging
4. Factory selectionPlacement with factories we already work with, quotes, and landed cost
5. SamplingSample rounds, testing, and revisions until it is right
6. Pre production sampleThe approved sample that production is measured against
7. Production and QCProduction oversight, inspection, and shipping

For the details of tech packs and sampling, see tech packs and sampling for pet soft goods.

Pricing

We publish pricing because you should know what this costs before the first call.

EngagementIncludesPrice
Product projectOne product from concept to production ready: design, tech pack, factory sourcing, sample roundsFrom $6,000 per product
Brand and launchPositioning, naming, identity, packaging, launch planScoped to the brand
Fractional product leadYour whole line, led by us: design direction, factory calls, costing, commercial decisions$1,999 per month, 90 day engagement

Production costs, samples, and freight are paid to the factory and are separate from design fees.

Sourcing in China and India

We work with factories in China, India, and the US, and choose based on the product, not on where we have a relationship to protect.

  • China for foam, complex sewn goods, hardware, and packaging, with fast sampling and deep supply chains.
  • India for cotton and canvas textiles, woven goods, and some ceramics, often at a strong cost.
  • US for the lowest minimums and fastest turns when speed or a made in USA claim matters.

For the full process, see how to manufacture a pet product.

Ready for Amazon, Chewy, and retail

A product is not finished when the sample is approved. It is finished when it can be sold through your channel without surprises. We design for that from the start: packaging that survives parcel shipping, case packs that match retailer requirements, barcode and label placement, compliance documents, and dimensions that keep shipping and fulfillment fees in check.

Brand and packaging in the same studio

The brand should be built alongside the product, not after it. Positioning, naming, identity, and packaging are designed together with the product so the shelf, the listing, and the unboxing all tell the same story.

Common questions

Pet product design questions.

How much does it cost to develop a pet product?

A single product project starts from $6,000 for design, tech pack, factory sourcing, and sample rounds. Samples, tooling if needed, and production are paid to the factory separately. A fractional product lead for a whole line runs $1,999 per month for 90 days.

How long does it take to go from idea to inventory?

It depends on the product and how many sample rounds it needs. Simple soft goods can move from brief to production ready in a few months, then production and ocean freight add more time. We give you a realistic timeline after the first call.

What minimums should I expect?

It depends on the category and the factory. We work for you, not the factory, and look for the lowest minimum that still gives a workable unit cost.

Can you work with my existing factory?

Yes. We can build the tech pack and manage sampling with your factory, or second source to one of ours if quality or cost needs to improve.

Who owns the designs and tech packs?

You do. The designs and tech packs are yours and portable to any factory.

Can you get my product ready for Chewy or Amazon?

Yes. Packaging, case packs, labels, and compliance documents are designed in from the start, and we have sold through Chewy and Amazon ourselves.

Do you design hard goods or only soft goods?

Both. Soft goods like beds and walking gear are a specialty, and we also design bowls, hardware, supplements, and packaging.

What do I need before we start?

An idea of the product, who it is for, and roughly what it should sell for. We will work out the rest together, including whether it can be made at a price that works.

Start a project

Tell me what you are building.

The first conversation is free and useful either way. If it is a fit, I will send a scope and a price. If it is not, I will tell you and point you somewhere better.

Tell me what you are building trevor@trevorcrotts.com